I finally got an activation completed today (Dec 1, 2016). I chose a relatively easy summit that is within 20 minutes of my home, Peak 1094. This peak is in the "back yard" of some rural/suburban houses and is apparently owned by a timber company. I asked for permission to hike from a neighbor. He felt that it was ok as long as I wasn't hunting. Asking first keeps it above board.
Green Peak is a 2717’ summit that is west of Bellfountain, OR. It looked inviting on the topo maps, so I traced out a route and headed out (coming from my failed activation of 3060 that same morning).
Roger, ND7PA, reports that he reached this summit from a parking area along Marys Peak Rd. That route required a difficult bushwhack of a mile or so through the forest. Bushwhacks of this type in western Oregon can be very challenging, so I looked for a different route. The topo maps show a series of roads that approach the summit from the west. I traced out the route and set off.
Even leaving Bigfoot aside...
...Southern Oregon has a lot to offer. If you'd like to try SOTA from exotic Oregon, there's probably no easier place to do it than Palmer Butte, W7O/SC-185. It's off US-101 south of Brookings, the first major town north of the California border.
Directions:
Take US-101 to around Milepost 357, south of Brookings, OR. Turn East at this Signal:
The name Multorpor comes from Multnomah County + Oregon + Portland. Although the peak is actually in adjacent Clackamas County.
Turn south off of Hwy 126 at Austa, toward Whittaker Creek. Come down the hill about 100 yards and turn left onto Austa/Siuslaw Rd. Follow that road for about 1.5 miles to a right turn toward the Whittaker Ck Recreation area. Go 1.5 miles to an intersection with a road that veers off to the left as it heads uphill.
This unnamed peak is located west of Territorial Highway and south of Crow, OR. This one-point summit is located in the middle of a young and dense forest. Views are not expansive.
This summit is not very noteworthy. It's best feaure is being only a few miles from Cummins Peak, allowing an easy two summit activation. You are on a road right of way that is surrounded by forest. No views, but lots of trees to support antennas.
The road that got you to Cummins Mountain will take you on to Klickitat Mountain. Stay on this road (Klickitat Ridge Road) and drive 4.1 miles to the Klickitat “trailhead”.
Bear Mountain is a 3700’ peak between Dorena Reservoir and Dexter Reservoir. It is home to a number of RF facilities and can be seen from a distance.
On November 21, 2016, my wife and I tried to find a route to this summit. Google Maps presents a route that goes up Hwy 58 from I-5, turning south onto Rattlesnake Creek Rd, Lost Creek Rd and onto Old Giustina Mill Rd to Rat Creek Rd. This is an approach to the summit from the north. We followed these instructions, but were turned back by “keep out” signs and an active gate on Old Giustina.
This is a fine hike that many should try at some point - it's 4.4 RT miles and 800 feet of gain for the 'short' version described here, with a summit pinnacle that makes for a fun scramble if you feel the need to get to the tippy top.
UPDATE February 2021 - The "Three Corner Rock Trail" is closed - however, the directions below don't use that trail. It's much longer: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/washington/three-corner-rock-trail.