Activation Reports

This summit is a long ridge located between Vernonia, Oregon and Saddle Mountain. Here are the directions to get there.

I started from the Smithbrook Trail #1590 off of NFS Road #6700 which is just east of Steven's Pass on Hwy 2.

The trail goes up 1 mile to a junction with the Pacific Crest Trail. Turn left (Southbound) onto the PCT, continue about 2 miles and turn left down the Lake Valhalla access trail.

2018 Discovery View Hill is a drive-up 2 point summit SW of Sequim.  While visiting family in the area, I was looking for a quick activation option in 2018.  Since 2018, more of the summit has been logged and the views were amazing from the south side.  You are able to see buildings from downtown Seattle, and have great radio line-of-sight to the Puget Sound and Canada.  

The Hike

Devil’s Peak is located in the Salmon Huckleberry Wilderness area on Mt. Hood.  The summit has an altitude of 5045 feet.  There is a decommissioned fire lookout at the top (which is available for camping).  There are a variety of ways of getting up there.  I chose to take the Cool Creek trail, which is short (3.7 miles) but very steep (3200 foot elevation gain).  I hiked up here on July 20th, 2019. Also see http://www.pnwsota.org/node/177 for another approach.

Bishop Mountain is an extinct volcanic vent on the rim of the Island Park Caldera. At the summit there is a fire lookout that is one of the few remaining towers in the Targhee National Forest. The 72-ft tower was constructed in 1937. Now on standby status, the tower saw extensive service during the Yellowstone Fires of 1988. The summit also has a couple of picnic tables, a cabin that is available for rent through the Forest Service and a fire pit.

The summit is a developed overlook with a large parking lot for turning around. Great views in all directions, from Pomerelle to Sun Valley, and beyond. There are no trees on the summit, but many wood fenced informational viewpoints which made it easy to Velcro my antenna masts to.

Access is from paved Rock Creek Road (FS-515). After turning off of Rock Creek Road, the summit access is a 1.4-mile dirt/gravel road (FS-507). There is 642 feet of elevation gain. The road is improved and passable for most vehicles when dry.  Google Maps provides good directions to the summit.

Pt 5635 (W7O/CE-276) is in the Ochoco NF approximately 1.5 miles east of Ochoco Divide Campground on Hwy 26.  The summit’s proximity to the highway offers a nice SOTA option when traveling through the area with FS campground accommodations nearby.  Another summit, Ochoco Mountains HP (W7O/CE-080), is also just a short drive from the campground. 

This area has been affected by recent fires, yet there are good sections of live trees along the hike and on the summit that offer shade.  The campground was saved and is in good condition.  

Black Butte may be a drive up. It is a six point former lookout in Grant County. Don't get it confused with the Black Butte near Sisters. 

Nipple Butte is a peak in the Malheur National Forest.

"Take Hwy 26 East to Mt. Vernon. Turn left on 395 and head north for 11 miles. Take a right on road 3940. Stay on this smooth gravel road for about 7 miles. You'll come to a fork.... Take a right over the cattle guard where you'll see a road sign #3947. Travel this road for about 3/4 of a mile. Look for the unmarked trailhead on your right. It looks like an old road with logs and trees across to deter motor vehicles. Walk a half-mile on the road, then scramble up to the left and to the ridgeline. “

Howdy,

I'll be traversing Olympic National Park from Sol Duc in the North to Quinault in the South from Wednesday July 17th to Sunday July 21st. We'll travel along the Bailey Range, then out via the Skyline Trail.

Most of the peaks along the way have not been activated, and I'll try to get up as many as I can.

I'll be monitoring the Gold Mountain-WW7RA repeater in Bremerton, then try direct on 146.52. WW7RA repeater: 146.62, -0.6Mhz offset, tone 103.5. I'll also try to spot myself using aprs, but I've never done it before so we'll see how that goes.