Summary - Three Corner Rock (TRC) is easy to get to, includes a lovely forest hike with a steady climb, and a open summit with great views. 2M contacts into Portland are easy to make with a half-wave whip. Bring a mast if you want to put a wire in the air as there is only one, eight foot tall, tree to work with. The drive is about 90 minutes from the east side of Portland. The hike climbs about 1100 feet over two miles and is mostly on the well-used PCT.
Activation Reports
Driveway Peak is a drive-to summit in the Lolo National Forest west of Thompson Falls, Montana.
Getting there - About one mile west of Thompson falls on highway 200 take a left turn onto highway MT S-471, also known as Prospect Creek Road. Travel about 13.8 miles until you see Forest Service Road 876 on your right. Follow this 8.0 miles to the summit.
5774 Entiat Ridge Peak (W7W/CH-197) is a short, steep hike from a trailhead reached out of the Leavenworth area. The summit has expansive views of the area. A high clearance vehicle should be used.
The summit is on the Entiat Ridge that also includes Sugarloaf Peak (W7W/CH-195), 5221 Twin Lead Mtn (W7W/CH-206), and Chumstick Mountain (W7W/CH-196). All four summits can be done in one long day. Two of the three summits (Sugarloaf and Chumstick) are drive-ups, Twin Lead is a drive-up or short hike, and Entiat Ridge Peak is a short hike.
Chumstick Mountain (W7W/CH-196) is a drive-up summit that can easily be reached out of the Leavenworth area. A high clearance vehicle should be used, particularly for the alternative route described below.
The summit is on the Entiat Ridge that also includes Sugarloaf Peak (W7W/CH-195), 5221 Twin Lead Mtn (W7W/CH-206), and 5774 Entiat Ridge Peak (W7W/CH-197). All four summits can be done in one long day. Two of the three summits (Sugarloaf and Chumstick) are drive-ups, Twin Lead is a drive-up or short hike, and Entiat Ridge Peak is a short hike.
DISCLAIMER: This summit should not be attempted without knowledge of rope systems, crevasse rescue and snow travel. It is a serious climb that should not be taken lightly.
Little Tahoma Peak is a sister summit of Mt Rainier. At 11,138' it is the 3rd tallest peak in Washington State. It is far less popular than Rainier due to the fact that the final few hundred feet is some of the loosest rock in the state.
5221 Twin Lead Mtn is a near drive-up summit on the Entiat Ridge near Leavenworth, WA, that also includes Sugarloaf Peak (W7W/CH-195), Chumstick Mountain (W7W/CH-196), and 5774 Entiat Ridge Peak (W7W/CH-197). All four summits can be done in one long day. Two of the three summits (Sugarloaf and Chumstick) are drive-ups, Twin Lead is either a drive-up or a short hike, and Entiat Ridge Peak is a short hike.
Sugarloaf Peak is a drive-up or near drive-up to a fire lookout that is staffed in the summer. This is an easy summit in the Leavenworth area that can be done with any medium-to-high clearance vehicle.
K7ATN provided a good winter access trip report, but there is a very easy trail to the summit of Multorpor mountain that bypasses having to deal with any Ski Bowl access. This activation would be good for new SOTA activators. It is easy to get to and is an easy summit trail under the shade of a forest canopy on the way up. My hike was under 3 miles and under 800 feet of climbing, you could shorten it by parking closer on the road, see below.
Summary - An hour to the trailhead from SE Portland, followed by a 1.5 mile steady climb along a well-used (by ATVs) forest road, Bob's Mountain is an easy morning activation. There are trees for hanging wires, an open view a bit below the summit (but still in the AZ), and open space to operate. APRS two way worked well, ATT data was okay. Given the ATV traffic, this hike is better done on a weekday.