Shady Trail

Just past Oregon wine country resides Sheridan Peak W7O/NC-009. This peak has an elevation of 3000ft and resides in the heavily timbered coastal range. For beginners to SOTA, this is perfect place to start and gain experience. This peak resides in the Nestucca Recreation Area, specially created to manage the impact of an extensive and wonderful network of OHV trails. There are specific restrictions within this area, so please check with the BLM before you camp or light fires.

Bobs Mountain is fairly close to Portland, and with a short respite from the rain, an activation plan was hatched. I had the company of Grover, KG7O for a joint activation. We had a good time on the short hike to the summit on a four-wheel drive road and had a sucessful first time activation for this peak.

2012-02-12 Tumtum Peak W7W/RS-059 CN96br59

I could not go out for a long time. I had a lot of problems and was afraid of avalanche danger. Previous weekend I went out for an expedition hike towards Ararat peak. Avalanche danger was low, with declining tendency. Despite this I still did not want to go on any steep open terrain. Many would not think that even a small amount of snow can kill you.

After activating W7W/SK-113 the evening before (see trip report for Second Hop Summit), we rose from our camp in the gravel pit.  We made hearty breakfast and broke camp but before leaving we found a few lonely tin cans in the gravel pit to practice our marksmanship. 

Even more updated here: http://www.pnwsota.org/blog/k7atn/2021-june-07/updated-monte-carlo-wa-june-2021

Peak 4980 is an easy activation just south of Mount Hood, Oregon (even if the road is horrid). It has great views (in the right weather) and some wilderness character about it. And there is an old trail that makes access fairly easy.

Devil's Peak is an easy hike, even if it's not an easy drive. After starting your hike from the Turnaround Trailhead you'll be at the summit after only a mile and a half and 700 feet of ga

When I heard that the long-standing dry and sunny weather we'd been having for weeks was about to end on Friday, I cleared a day off work on Thursday and determined to take another stab at Mt McCausland.  The drive to the trailhead is pretty straightforward.

The trail was difficult at this time of year with significant blowdown from an ice storm in February. I actually turned back twice but then decided to give it one more try. (Well, two more.) The attached photo shows the obliterated trail - the blowdown went on for almost a mile. I also hit continuous snow at 2200 feet (Augspurger tops out near 3700). I eventually lost the trail again in the snow kicking steps and then was postholing for about an hour.

Let's start by making sure we are talking about Oregon's Larch Mountain and not one of the two Larch Mountains in Washington, and not the one in Idaho either.