Activation Reports

Van Zandt Dike, Big Views, Light QRP Setup, and a Japan Contact

W7W/WH-193

W7O/CM-017 – HAMNER BUTTE

W7O/CM-042 - RINGO BUTTE

I activated this summit a few years ago, so doing this write up based on the best of memory.

Back then you did not need a permit for day hiking or staying overnight in the Three Sisters Wilderness. Today you will need to apply for an overnight permit if you are camping, as well as a day hike permit for certain trail heads. See the following link https://www.recreation.gov/permits/4675311 for info on how to obtain a Central Cascades Wilderness permit, as well as this map

I activated this summit a few years ago, so doing this write up based on the best of memory.

Back then you did not need a permit for day hiking or staying overnight in the Three Sisters Wilderness. Today you will need to apply for an overnight permit if you are camping, as well as a day hike permit for certain trail heads. See the following link https://www.recreation.gov/permits/4675311 for info on how to obtain a Central Cascades Wilderness permit, as well as this map

I activated this summit a few years ago, so doing this write up based on the best of memory.

Back then you did not need a permit for day hiking or staying overnight in the Three Sisters Wilderness. Today you will need to apply for an overnight permit if you are camping, as well as a day hike permit for certain trail heads. See the following link https://www.recreation.gov/permits/4675311 for info on how to obtain a Central Cascades Wilderness permit, as well as this map

This is a correct trip report for SO-103. The first activation report posted for SO-103 in 2015 is really for SO-104 which is located in the Capital Forest and is also named “1380”, it appears the activator accidentally switched the summit references.

Access to SO-103 is via Green Diamond land. Non-motorized access is permitted (see photo). The gate is located right off NF-23 which is paved all the way to the parking location at 47.34052, -123.31383. Google maps routed me with no issues.

This summit sits on CSKT tribal land and requires a permit for non-tribal members ($100 for one year at the time of writing), which makes access the main consideration rather than the hike itself. I chose this one specifically as my first activation report - the logistics felt important to document clearly. The route is a straightforward, trail-less ascent up an open grassy hillside, with trees at the summit and excellent views of the Mission Mountains. If you can get the permit sorted out, this is an easy and enjoyable activation.

Access & Permit

Since we cannot access the private driveway, I recommend this short hike up from the Nordic Trail sign. More pleasant than from the driveway side of brush and finishes at wide open access on BLM. A short patch of bush and boulders to step up at the end. Great views.

Tracks below

There are two Bunchgrass Ridges - this one is labeled as such in SOTA, but not on most public maps. The other one, CM-126, is labeled Bunchgrass Ridge on most maps, but SOTA does not give that one a name. Perhaps this will need to be inverted in the future. In any case CM-051 is a mildly difficult to access point slightly off the Bunchgrass trail, which is part of the Eugene to Crest trail. Both Bunchgrass peaks are accessible via the same trail, if enough time is dedicated to the effort. Both peaks are in a burn scar region from a few years back, but now publicly accessible again.