Summit has good "views"
Red Sleep Mountain is the highest point in the National Bison Range near Dixon, Montana. The range recently opened back up from being closed last year due to Covid. Just last week, the high loop road was opened which gives you access to the trailhead. An entrance fee of $10 needs to be purchased at the park entrance.
Sonyok Mountain is on Tribal Indian land and a use permit is needed to go there. I bought mine at the Mangy Moose in Plains but they are available in most sporting goods outlets. The summit has a working lookout but had not been opened for the season when I was there.
I started out the day with much enthusiasm. This was a yet to be activated summit which made it a tad more exciting. I knew it would be an easy trip to the top, having ridden my mountain bike to within a quarter of a mile from the summit last year. All the gear (well, almost all the gear) was packed up the night before with a total weight of about 13 pounds, including bike repair items just in case.
NOTE: This route is only available during ski operations of Mt Bachelor Resort. The Summit Chair ski lift only runs during winter and spring ski operations.
Mount Bachelor offers one of the easiest 10-pointers in Oregon, if you want it. It is possible to buy a lift ticket and take the Summit Chair ski lift nearly to the activation zone. It is only a short hike to the summit proper from the top of the lift.
Anderson Butte is a beautiful, year-round hike with incredible views of higher peaks throughout the Siskiyou, Coast, and Northern California ranges. There are multiple parking/trailhead options with access to both the peak and the Jack-Ash trailsystem connecting the Applegate Valley, Jacksonville, and Ashland.
0.5 miles; + 687 feet
This is a pleasant hike that begins at the historic Greenstone Mine just west of Apex, MT in the foothills of the East Pioneer Mountains.
First the TL;DR: This is a five star bike ride. I HIGHLY recommend this route. This route passes many different trailheads and parking areas along the Deschutes River, so it is possible to put together a ride that is shorter and easier. Much of the route is gradual uphill with Lava Butte itself being the real kicker.
DIRECTIONS NOTE: Google Maps may try to send you on "Rd 20" off of HWY 26. Unfortunately the bridge that crosses Still Creek is CLOSED. Take Still Creek Rd, off of HWY 26.
For the 2021 Willamette Valley S2S party I wanted something that would get my heart rate up and I finally settled on Devil's Peak (W7O/CN-033). After a detour in Rhodedendron (see above), I parked at the trailhead and started up. That's what this trail does. It goes up.
Looking over the map and seeing a named peak with no activations is just more than I can handle, especially when K7ATN's blog post left the slightest hope that there may be a way to get there. After hours of poring over maps, I came up with a plan.
