Today's attempted activation of Wilderness Peak W7W/KG-132 was my second attempt at my first SOTA activation. My cousin and I have been hiking all summer on various trails between Lake Washington and Snoqualmie Pass. In the last few weeks I've decided that I'd give SOTA a try. We made it up to the top of Wilderness Peak today where I was stymied by steady rain and radio problems. I called it a bust and will try again in a few weeks.
Tower Mountain really does have a tower on it. The 92'-tall Aermotor steel lookout tower was built in 1935. It is still standing and accessible today. Your level of enjoyment with the activation will likely increase if you are able to use the tower in your activation. This peak is the highest and most prominent point in Umatilla County, Oregon, but the summit is tree lined so getting up the tower gets you above the trees.
Long Mountain has finally been activated! A 12 mile round trip for 1 point that costs $75 just to step foot past the logging road gate. A quiet hike with not a soul to disturb you while you take a long walk on the mostly exsposed logging roads. You will see wildlife, mostly birds, along with a stunning view of Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, and Mount Adams if the weather is clear.
K7FOP and I joked that this summit report could be summed up in two words: “NOT RECOMMENDED”. But I’ll go into more detail if you’re up for an adventure with your GPS and machete in hand. It’s a heck of a bushwhack for just one point. For a much easier drive up point, try Little Hebo North of Hwy 22.
Browns Mountain, west of Sunriver, despite being pretty close to a paved road, was a tough bushwack for Roland-K7FOP and I, as we pursued several "shortcuts." So we recommend walking about 2.4 miles on forest roads, and a final steep ascent of about 1/10 mile. Total is about 900 feet of gain. If there's a better way to get to the AZ, please write up an updated trip report.
Bishop Mountain is an extinct volcanic vent on the rim of the Island Park Caldera. At the summit there is a fire lookout that is one of the few remaining towers in the Targhee National Forest. The 72-ft tower was constructed in 1937. Now on standby status, the tower saw extensive service during the Yellowstone Fires of 1988. The summit also has a couple of picnic tables, a cabin that is available for rent through the Forest Service and a fire pit.
Ochocco Mountains High Point could be considered a drive-up summit...for some vehicles. Although most of the way is paved, your low clearance passenger vehicle will have problems with the road in places where you can't turn around. A quarter mile of walking to the summit is recommended - it's a neat spot.
About 30 miles east of Prineville on Highway 26, turn north on Forest Road 27. This may be described as Grant Springs Road, or Summit Road, depending on your resource. This is near milepost 49.
Chase Mountain is in the Blue Mountains of southeastern Washington near the town of Dayton. There is no trail to the summit, but you can drive right into the activation zone. Park at the bottom of forest service road 6437 for a 2.2 mile walk or drive up to the top and walk out and back in as I did. There are a few places at the top to pull your vehicle off the road.
Little Tamarack Mountain (W7O/NE-137) makes a nice activation destination in north-central Oregon as it's located in the Umatilla NF near a Forest Service rental cabin/lookout with two other summits nearby, including Ng Knob-4820 (W7O/NE-147) and Happy Jack Ridge (W7O/NE-139). I rented the cabin for two nights. Activated Little Tamarack on the first day, then bagged the other two summits the next.
One of our favorite summits in France, you can visit the winery and then hike up the road to the chapel and play radio! You can even stay overnight in accommodations at the winery. The hike is all of 1km with about 90m of rise. At the chapel there's a bench and some shade - a perfect spot to activate after wine!
It's perhaps easiest to find the summit by finding the winery: Chemin Notre Dame des Anges, 84570 Mormoiron. That's about an hour east of Avigion.