Another nice little peak in the Snoqualmie Forest, located in the Campbell Global logging property. The "trail" to the summit has been re-done recently, making it far easier to find than my last trip there 2 years ago - Thanks to whoever did this! This trip is best done as "bike-n-hike". Easy 2 mile bike ride along loggin roads to the "trailhead".
We (me and N7HAP) did this after W7O/SC-267, I would recommend doing them both if up there. We went up expecting a nice 75degree day but got that Oregon liquid sunshine instead. This was N7HAP's first successful activation! He also logged the very first SOTA contact for this summit, YAY!
I was driving by Negro Ben every week for a job so decided to give it a try on my way home one morning, being that it was “just a 2 pointer” I thought no problem. It was a little exciting for my first solo activation. The majority of the walk up was easy, just a gated road. Then you have to bushwack your way up from the end of the road (SEE UPDATE). A few yards in I had a rattlesnake slither right across my foot as I took a long stride up the bank. Yikes! I set up in the timber, there is some open areas at the very top but I was looking for shade in July.
North Grand Ridge is an easy summit to activate with a short (3.4 mile RT, ~600' elevation gain). The summit might be considered part of the "Issaquah Alps" series of summits that include Tiger Mountain, West Tiger Mountain, South Tiger Mountain, Taylor Mountain, and Rattle Snake Mountain. This report provides details on how to legally access the activation zone (AZ) and summit.
Walker Mountain is a Southern Oregon summit that could be a drive-up for those with a fully capable 4x4. However, the roughest part is also the start of a decent hike and getting to that rough spot is easy with a vehicle with decent clearance. Note that there is another Walker Mountain in Oregon - this is the one near Grants Pass.
Fielder Mountain is an easy 'road' summit in Southern Oregon. With several large RF sites at the top, the road is passable in a passenger car all the way to the summit - however a gate may put you on foot for the last portion.
Update February 2021 - Lost Dog Road is now gated with no motorized vehicles allowed. It's only a one mile road walk to the AZ.
This is a very much out of the way summit, along Highway 101 on the Oregon Coast, about 14 miles north of Bandon. Note that there are other Peak 740 in Oregon - make sure this one is your intended peak.
NOTE in January 2021 there was a NO TRESPASSING sign posted on the Stimson Gate Placard. See photo below.
There are FOUR Wildcat Mountains in Oregon, so be sure you want the North Coast version south of Highway 26. The road to the trailhead is short and easy in any passenger vehicle, there's a good spot to park, and summit is in the Tillamook Forest, although the shortest access crosses private timberland. The hike is about 1.5 miles one way, and 400 vertical feet gain. This description I consider the 'no bushwack' version.
A friend of mine wanted to try a new, never before activated summit to start off his SOTA career and bring me along as his guide. Doing some preliminary research, this looked very much like a summit that would be very difficult to impossible to reach. From Google Maps, it wasn't too far from the road to the summit, but checking Google Earth, I could see that it was really going to be a steep climb for the initial part of it and through what looks like dense forest. I wasn't expecting that we would be successful. Luckily, I was wrong.
UPDATE Dec 2022: There is now a closed (unsigned) gate a ways up Mills Bridge Road. It is recommended to park on the highway and this activation becomes an 8 mile RT. 2200 foot gain road walk.