Activation Reports

Summit 4420 is located in the Crooked River National Grassland (Ochoco NF) and has good seasonal public access.  I completed its first activation in late November 2020.  Great views from the summit looking south over the Smith Rock State Park and west along the central cascade range.

Notes from my activation…

11.3-miles, +3,828 ft; -574 ft; From N. Fork Trailhead

I activated this as the first summit on a multi-day backpacking trip.  We camped at Canyon Lake and climbed from there.  There is also camping at Lake Otatsy and Camp Pass.  The entire route, including the Lake Otatsy area was burned in the 2017 Rice Ridge fire, so care should be taken in selecting a camp to minimize the danger from standing dead trees.  Most of the area around Canyon Lake is not burnt.

Sedgwick PK is located 9 miles South of Lava Hot Springs.  One on the few drive up summits in Eastern Idaho. 

Pasture Ridge is one of several SOTA summits near the Magruder Corridor.  This corridor-road divides some of the most wild-country in Idaho, the Selway Bitterroot and Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness areas. The trail access to the summit begins at the Historic Magruder Ranger Station.  The Ranger Station dates back into the 1920s and the Ranger’s Residence is now a US Forest Service Rental Cabin.

Gerakovuni is the highest point of Mount Othrys. We started in Almyros, about 19 km north of the peak.We did not follow the paint marks but used the GPS to bring us more directly to the summit. I'm not sure that was the best idea. I believe we may have passed through these two waypoints on the way to the summit. 

39.06381, 22.70841     39.05323, 22.69743

 The upland terrain is rocky and open, allowing easy cross-country.

Between October 21 and October 30, 2020, we visited the Sunriver / Bend areas of Oregon.  The cold but clear weather allowed us to Activate 8 SOTA summits in 6 outings.  This report is one of a series, and deals with the Activation of North Paulina Peak, W7O/CE-014.  Prior to coming to the Bend / Sunriver area, I had contacted Ron, W6PZA, who lives in Bend, Oregon.  I had seen on-line that he had been a very consistent Activator in this area, and reached out to him to possibly arrange some joint Activations.  Happily, thin

Trout Creek Hill is a near drive-up summit north of Carson, Washington. You can reasonably drive into the AZ, but you'd rather not travel the last few hundred yards to save the finish on your vehicle. So be sure and look for a good place to turn around and leave your vehicle before that last bit of road.

Bunker Hill is a nicely accessible summit a few miles north of Carson, Washington. The trailhead is an easy drive, and the hike is about 3.6 miles roundtrip and 1300 feet of gain. Note that little of the gain is on the first mile or so of the hike - it's steep later. The hike starts on the Pacific Crest Trail for the first easy half mile or so.

Short Version - Wildcat Mountain is only an hour from Portland. You can drive to the trailhead and the two-ish mile hike along a well-maintained, if not well-marked, trail gets you to a small clearing on a summit with wire-ready trees. APRS messaging and 2M FM contacts are both easy and it is a good location for working HF. You are unlikely to be alone, as the Douglas and 781 trails are quite popular; if you like solitude, get there early. And be prepared for snow, even in early November.

Between October 21 and October 30, 2020, we visited the Sunriver / Bend areas of Oregon.  The cold but clear weather allowed us to Activate 8 SOTA summits in 6 outings.  This report is one of a series, and deals with the Activation of Burma Rd HP, AKA Point 4,230, W7O/CE-304.  Prior to coming to the Bend / Sunriver area, I had contacted Ron, W6PZA, who lives in Bend, Oregon.  I had seen on-line that he had been a very consistent Activator in this area, and reached out to him to possibly arrange some joint Activations.  Happily,