Due to the recent relocation of Frog Lake Buttes from one butte to the other earlier this year, I was anxious to do another double activation on New Year's Eve. See my previous report for details on the route. The only difference is you must continue on from the radio towers down to the saddle and on up the other butte. Still very worth it for 14 pts.
1470 is an unnamed summit near Granite Falls, WA. It is an easy 3 mile walk (6 mile R/T) up a good gravel road. Around 1000' of gain. This is a good candidate for a mountain bike trip. Some nice views of Pilchuck near the top.
Ball Mountain is a relatively easy drive-near summit in the Oregon coast range, east of Lincoln City. Your passenger vehicle will get you close to the summit, followed by a short walk and then a bushwhack, neither of which is challenging. The summit area itself is treed in with ample space to set up and plenty of trees for antennas.
This is a burned-over scattered forest summit with few live trees. Parking at the trailhead is limited but several places within 200’ exist. Finding a place without snags limited parking to a couple of areas west of the trailhead at the curve in the road. The one above the road is near an Idaho/Montana boundary post. That post was placed in 1905 at mile 393.121 per information received from W7LIX.
Goble Mountain is one of several two-point summits accessible from Weyerhaeuser rec permit access gate 6110. For permit information see: https://recreation.weyerhaeuser.com. You will need the “Longview – St Helens” one. For this three-summit “expedition” I drove to within a few miles of each summit, parked and mountain biked to each of the summits.
Nineteen Mountain is one of several two-point summits accessible from Weyerhaeuser rec permit access gate 6110. For permit information see: https://recreation.weyerhaeuser.com.
Smith Mountain is one of several two-point summits accessible from Weyerhaeuser rec permit access gate 6110. For permit information see: https://recreation.weyerhaeuser.com.
Although this isn't a very spectacular summit, it is located on the Continental Divide and can be either a drive-up in the summer, or a ski-up in the winter. There are also possibilities to snowshoe up in the winter. Each of these options is summarized below. During our activation we hiked up the "Northern Approach". The activation zone for this summit is very large.
Northern Approach Directions (From Priest Pas)
4.4 Miles, +1,233 feet, -30 feet
Winter Access Directions to TH:
From I-15 north of Helena – Exit at Lincoln Road (Exit-200) – Head West on Hwy-279 for 22.3 miles
Turn Left (west) towards Stemple Pass – drive 8.3 miles to the Pass (Pass is plowed in winter)
Park in the parking area on the left (west) side of the road at the pass.
Howard Mountain is a 2 pointer near Pocatello.. This road is closed to motorized vehicles from Nov 15 until April. This is a very family friendly hike about 3 miles round trip. Sometimes snow shoes are not needed but when in doubt secure them on your pack. There is a nice TH at the gate.