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Peak 1804, OR | August 2017
Here's a drive-up summit a few miles off Highway 26 when you are on your way to the coast. Not from from the well-trod Saddle Mountain, W7O/NC-004, it's one more point for the ambitious activator. The roads are easily traveled in a passenger car.
Humbug Mountain, OR | August 2017 - Temporarily Closed
This summit is north of Highway 26 on the way to the coast from Portland.
In August 2017 Lewis & Clark Timberlands has posted the road to Humbug Mountain "Land closed to public entry due to high fire danger."
Grindstone Mountain
This summit had never been activated and I now know why! The USGS maps would have you believe there is a road to the summit. There actually was a road when the forestry lookout was standing, but the last 1-1/2 miles of road is now overgrown and would take some guts and a great off-road 4-wheeler to traverse it. These same last miles are steep and unrelenting, though completely forested. When the so-called road ends. there are a few hundred feet of vertical trail required to reach the summt.
Scar Mountain, Oregon, KF7SEY
Scar Moutain is a old lookout site. No trail to the summit which required some bush wacking. Start by taking Parish Road off of Highyway 22 east of Detroit at 44°31'31.88"N 121°59'40.09"W. Follow this for about 2.25 miles. Turn right onto NF-1164 at 44°31'19.71"N 122° 1'49.04"W for about 2.5 miles. Then turn left on NF-1161 at 44°33'2.95"N 122° 2'38.65"W. Follow this for 4 miles. Turn left at 44°33'56.79"N 122° 6'26.54"W. The peak is on your left. After I went left I parked on a wide spot on the road less then a quarter mile in.
Update on Grass Mountain near Alsea ,OR
This is a quick update on Grass Mountain, W7O/CC-002, near Alsea, OR. In the past, this trail to a grassy meadow with nice views of the valley below was worth the time and effort.
Powell Butte HP is off limits
Powell Buttes HP is an RF intensive summit between Redmond and Prineville, OR. I believe that it is a VOR site in addition to the other typical radio equipment. It is clearly marked as off limits.
Give this one a pass.
Acker Rock is an awesome operating aerie east of Canyonville, OR
On June 7, 2017 my wife and I were in the region east of Canyonville, OR. After enjoying Pickett Butte, we headed to Acker Rock, another rock outcrop with a lookout perched on top. Both of these are 2 point summits.
Peak 6620 near Almo, ID
I was staying at The Lodge in Castle Rock State Park for a long weekend. This park is just north of City Of Rocks National Reserve which is a world class rock climbing destination. Though I am not a rock climber there are also a whole bunch of nice SOTA summits in the area. I picked CI-131 as I could see it from the front porch of The Lodge. In fact when I was on top, my wife, looking through binoculars, could see me waving at her. How often can your wife actually see you on a summit if she is not also with you?