26 SEP 21: This previously un-activated summit was a rare treat on a beautiful fall afternoon. Parking can be tricky and the access road is bordered by private property on both sides. I recommend parking on Museum Road near Highway 395; the walk in from there is around 3.2 mi with gradually increasing hills.
The trail has been reopened since the 2020 fire in the area. Logs have been moved from the trail, and it is in excellent condition. This hike is relatively flat, gently sloped, and beautiful, well worth checking out.
Summary - Peterson Ridge is a relatively easy bushwhack and an unremarkable summit, without a view or open space. The pleasant hike in on Service Trail 35 includes a modest climb and is mostly under the trees. There are trees for antennas, ATT cell service was five bars, and two way APRS messaging worked. I had no luck on 2M, even with a yagi. The drive can be done in a passenger vehicle and there is plenty of parking at the trailhead. One caution: This is a busy part of the forest and this trail is frequently used by motorbikers.
Summary - Little Huckleberry's small summit is open, has terrific views of the surrounding mountains, and is a nice place to operate. The trail is easy to follow, climbs about 1800 feet over two and half miles, and is popular, so an early start is a good idea. Bring a mast if you want to hang a wire. Two meters works okay. Both APRS and ATT digital service are reliable.
Squaw Butte in Washington is a good beginner bushwack hike. I met up with Tyler ND7Y at the Tillicum Campground and we parked our cars in a campsite near the trailhead. Tyler had found word of an old cattrack that leaves the Squaw Butte trail and heads to the summit. Overall this is an easy hike. The bushwack is manageable and the distance/elevation is reasonable. The trail to the cattrack is in good condition. Find the GPX track HERE.
This summit became accessible to the public 2021 thanks to the hard work by a lot of individuals, Private Landowners, The Five Valley Land Trust, Nature Conservancy and the City of Missoula. The summit is private property and contains numerous communications towers. However, the new public access trail provides access to near the Activation Zone.
In addition to the two routes to Huckleberry Mountain K7ATN describes, there is a third trail up, the Bonanza Trail. I chose this option for three reasons: I was intrigued by the fact that there was a mine shaft off the trail, it looked like it was a bit shorter than the Boulder Ridge Trail route and I thought that there would be fewer hikers taking this route on this busy Labor Day weekend Sunday.
Here is information about the hike that I used:
I have already written a long blog on Wagner but thought I would do a separate update as I finally took the trail for most of the trip. Keep in mind that what all us locals know as the trailhead is not on most maps, they have it down the road. There is a large parking area opposite the TH that is not on many maps 42.11449, -122.80047 is where you want to be. From here it will be about 9 miles RT with about 2600' gain, according to my trackers. I took a few paths off trail so there is a little estimation. The trail is nice.
This was my first time up Barlow Ridge in the summer. Park at the Barlow Pass Sno-Park with a NW Forest Pass. The trail is well-marked, albeit the signs are up high due to this area's popularity during the winter. I encountered quite a few large blow down trees at the start of the hike, so be prepared for some significant tree scrambling.
Summary - the hike to 3977 (from copper creek) is relentlessly steep, easy to follow and ends in a summit with great views. The route on FR 41 from the Sunset Falls campground is festooned with holes and washouts, some of which are spectacularly large.