Summit is forested and/or has ample tree cover.
It has been foggy around here all week long. Today was a good day to rise above it all and find some sunshine! Anderson Mountain's good access, gentle trail, and easy scrambling made for a rewarding summit to play radio on! Having plenty of time on top for a change made this a very pleasant activation.
. Discovery Pass is required for this area
Wow... there must a lot of easier ways to get a 4-point activation. I knew there wasn't a trail to this peak and there would be some bushwacking involved because not many folks go there. But oh my gosh, this trip turned into an ordeal!
The Eaglet is located near Mount Pilchuck between Lake 22 and Heather Lake. The way to this SOTA adventure travels up the Heather Lake Trail (an extremely popular 2-mile hike) for about a mile which gets 600' of elevation gain out of the way. Then you leave the trail behind and the fun stops and the ordeal begins.
After chasing a few stations the past few weeks, I decided to hike Pinnacle Peak (aka Mt. Pete) in Enumclaw to activate my first SOTA summit.
I neglected to send out an alert, but people found me anyway. I've climbed this little peak a few times. My plan was simple: take my Yaesu VX-7R, an extra battery (not needed), and a twin lead 2m antenna, and call CQ on 146.52.
Just south of downtown Issaquah is Squak Mountain. It's a Washington State Park and so access is straightforward. From the north trailhead it's 2.3 miles one way on a maze of trails where it's a good idea to check the trail map carefully as there are several junctions on the way to the summit and one unsigned (very short) trail link.
Along this trail I observed the largest spruce trees I've seen in Oregon - the trail is nearly a perfect picture of the Oregon coastal rain forest. That being said, there are no expansive views, no place for your antenna, and no place to sit...but it is an nice hike on the Oregon coast and close to Highway 101.
Cooper Mountain might be another typical urban activation as at first glance nearby Cooper Mountain Nature Park could be a place to activate if you can be low-key and quiet. There are alternative spots - one across the street from the summit on a sidewalk and perhaps the best at nearby Winkelman Park (see the trip report).
UPDATE Dec 2021 - Badger Butte (and other summits in the area) are not accessible by regular motor vehicle from Dec 1 to April 1 due to closure of NF-2610 and other routes to vehicles more than 50 inches wide. A hike, snowshoe, ski, bike, snowmobile or dog sled would be the way to go. See the photo below.
With a couple days of non-rain, I just had to get out of the house and activate a summit. "Mt. Electric" is the first summit I've activated that wasn't a "first activation". That said, it was about right for me at this time of year. The drive is an easy one. I won't go into details - but all except the last mile is on paved roads. I've trooped around a bit in the Marckworth State Forest before, but not in this part.
Just past Oregon wine country resides Sheridan Peak W7O/NC-009. This peak has an elevation of 3000ft and resides in the heavily timbered coastal range. For beginners to SOTA, this is perfect place to start and gain experience. This peak resides in the Nestucca Recreation Area, specially created to manage the impact of an extensive and wonderful network of OHV trails. There are specific restrictions within this area, so please check with the BLM before you camp or light fires. The easiest route is from the city of Carlton then follow the NW Meadow Lake Rd.
Bobs Mountain is fairly close to Portland, and with a short respite from the rain, an activation plan was hatched. I had the company of Grover, KG7O for a joint activation. We had a good time on the short hike to the summit on a four-wheel drive road and had a sucessful first time activation for this peak.
Directions:
