Blogs

May 28th, 2023.  Trip #3 up Rocky Top for me and activation #2.  But this time we were a party of 7, 5 of which were general class operators.  

Dusk Point is a 1.8 mile round trip (500 ft vertical) hike off of FR-2364 in the South Olympics.  Access is straightforward (once the snow melts!) but FR-2364 does require a high clearance vehicle. The summit is exposed with limited to no shade even though some trees line the perimeter.  I did not have any ATT cell service but there is excellent APRS two-way messaging to enable spotting.

Badger Peak is a easy 4 pt summit.  Mostly a drive up with about a 1 mile hike to AZ.  There is about  650 ft of vertical lift from the parking place.

First hike of the season on May 21st -- hadn't specifically planned to do an activation, but brought along the handheld. Called CQ on 2m FM and got a few stations. Ate lunch and hiked south to the viewpoint toward Mt. Townsend but clouds were coming in. Went back to the summit for another CQ and was surprised to get a summit-to-summit call from KI7QIV on the summit of Mount Rainier! Nice trail -- great QSOs!

Parking for Monument Peak summit (aka Peak 4740) is on Monument Peak Road (MPR) about 7.5 miles up from the Monument Peak Trailhead at the south end of Gates School Road.  Gates School Road is at milepost 33 on OR-22 east of Salem.  I recommend parking here: (44.6966, -122.3343), the junction of MPR and what is now a washed out logging road - 2WD vehicles need not apply. 

The summit of Maryhill Benchmark (aka Juniper Point by the locals) is a drive-up radio site located on private property. Public drive-up access is restricted due to multiple private properties, the Tuolumme Wind Project Authority Project and a locked gate. The facility has 24/7 onsite security and patrols. There is a Radio site on Maryhill Benchmark and service personnel have an easement to travel to the summit. I maintain equipment at this radio site.

The summit of Rock Point is a steep short climb up from either the Paradise Trail #124 or FR-6401.  Both the forest road and summit are shaded and would be a good choice for a hot sunny day. In good weather, it could be combined with other peaks nearby W7W/LC-059 Timbered Peak and W7W/LC-064 Sister Rocks. If doing multiple peaks, I would do this one last as it is the most shaded route of the three due to recent fires.

NC-130 is another of the recently added peaks during the 2023 ARM update, currently the last of the Oregon NCs. If that's a goalpost you're looking to achieve, or you're feeling particularly completionist, or you just like a good bushwhack, proceed on. Otherwise, maybe skip this one. It's on public land, and consists of a 6 mile forest road drive, combined with a 1.5 mile hike and bushwhack. This peak is easiy paired with NC-099.

NC-128 is one of the "new" peaks added during the 2023 ARM update. It's on private Stimson land, but publicly accessible to walk-in during weekends and after 4pm on weekdays. The easiest access is drive-in/hike-in from the south via Turner Creek Rd past Barney Reservoir, but would also be accessible by long hike or bike via the north through the same roads as NC-066. If doing the drive/hike route, it's a 15 mile gravel road drive and a 1 mile gravel road hike to the summit. This is easily paired with Blind Cabin Ridge NC-031.

Davis Peak is the site of a regional broadcast NOAA Weather station operating on a freq of 162.525 at 100w to a gain vertical antenna.  See  https://www.weather.gov/nwr/sites?site=WNG604

Consequently, expect front-end overload with your 2m handheld.  I have used my SotaBeams 2m RF bandpass filter with very good results. See https://www.sotabeams.co.uk/bandpass-filter-for-2m/  Cost for a USA purchaser is $48.