Pass Required at Trailhead

The trail was difficult at this time of year with significant blowdown from an ice storm in February. I actually turned back twice but then decided to give it one more try. (Well, two more.) The attached photo shows the obliterated trail - the blowdown went on for almost a mile. I also hit continuous snow at 2200 feet (Augspurger tops out near 3700). I eventually lost the trail again in the snow kicking steps and then was postholing for about an hour. I ended up being an hour and a half late to my activation altogether.

UPDATE MARCH 2022 - Permits required weekends April 23 to June 12, plus Memorial Day. 

Dog Mountain is a wonderful climb nine months of the year - but in March we went from spotty sun and 38F to snow blowing sideways at 25 mph and perhaps 27F in a partial white out. It's a bit less than eight miles round trip with 2900 feet of gain.

This is a straightforward drive-up activation about an hour south of Bend with great views. Paulina Peak and North Paulina Peak are both in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument - you might consider a double activation of these peaks and an overnight stay in one of the campgrounds. 

This would be a great activation on a mountain bike - the single track looks like a good time. On busy weekends hikers might be outnumbered by bikes - however, for this early fall, late evening activation I saw no one on the trail. The trail is about 4.1 miles one way with about 0.3 miles of that cross country and 1300 feet of elevation gain. Here is a map of the trails in this area.

Sixteen miles of roundtrip hiking, even on a nice bit of the PCT, is a long way to go for two points, but it might the easiest way to get to Buck Peak and it's a lovely hike just the same.

Lava Butte is an easy and fun four pointer if you are ever in Central Oregon. It is a drive-up summit part of the year. There is a sometimes staffed lookout at the top and enough room for operating and most any antenna. Since it is a popular spot, you could get plenty of questions about ham radio when it is busy.

2011-10-29 Goat Island W7W/RS-006 CN96EV22

On July 15, 2012, Rich KR7W, Pat WT7N, and Chuck AC7QN went out on a conditioning day hike for an upcoming long backpack. This hike started at the Cold Creek TH, about 3 miles south on FR-9070, which begins at the Hyak Exit #54, on I-90, just E of Snoqualmie Pass. The planned destination was the summit of Mt Catherine, 5052 ft, W7W/CW-066. 
See:  http://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/mount-catherine

On September 1st, Taylor and I returned to the site of our first "real" SOTA activation almost a year later. Before climbing High Rock in late September 2011, my SOTA activities had been confined to one and two point locations where one had to make an effort to travel far enough from the vehicle to satisfy the spirit of the game. Until this fourth summit came along, I was able to carry way too much stuff the short distance from the vehicle to the operating location.