The pnwSOTA website was created to facilitate communication between SOTA operators in the Pacific Northwest region, as well as show off some of the activities of the top-notch folks we have in the area. On this site you will find information about getting started in SOTA as well as details about summits and activations contributed by people that are operating here.
Eagle Cap, OR July 19th 2025
For the most part all of K7ATN's blog post here(http://www.pnwsota.org/blog/k7atn/2019-september-06/eagle-cap-or-septemb...) is current and probably some of the best info you're going to get. One thing to note earlier in the summer is the possibility of snow. Unfortunately I don't have a picture of the more direct approach, which I labelled 1 in the map, but much of the trail was under steep snow field.
Elkcalf Mountain, MT | July 2025
4.4 Miles; +2,056 ft; -235 ft; On-Trail
Description
This is a pleasant on-trail hike with a gentle grade. The final mile of the ascent is extremely scenic. There is plenty of room for antennas within the activation zone.
Table Mountain, OR | July 2025
Franzi, WE7CAT, just activated this peak. She found the last 1/4 mile road to the summit closed with a gate saying no trespassing. Looking at maps on our GAIA app, it looks like there is a section of the activation zone on the west that is on public land. To keep it legal, she hiked up through the bushes, approaching the summit from the west. She said the manzanita bushwack wasn't terrible.
E. Clearwater Hill, WA | July 2025
Every year me and my family go down to Ocean Park, WA (north tip of the Long Beach peninsula) to camp. I typically try to do at least one of the nearby summits. This year I did W7W/PL-165. WW7D has a good trip report from his 2 previous activations, however the land ownership has changed and his route is no longer viable. The gated road is now signed private property / no trespassing. I could see on my topo map that there was another way to come in from the north, so I drove further up Government Road to check it out.
W7W/PL-061
Getting there: The road to the top is decent gravel and readily passable in a Subaru. There are some sections of big ruts and large loose rocks, so I'm not sure I'd want to attempt this with low clearance or only 2 wheel drive. It's a drive-up with good clearance and/or bravery, but otherwise it's a 1/3 mile walk up the rest of the road to the top from the obvious camping area.
There is no bushwhacking required.
There are plenty of trees to hang a wire from.
There is plenty of room for a 67 foot wire.
Elk Mountain, WA June, 2025
This is the Elk Mountain east of Gray's River, WA, just off WA Highway 4.
Turn off is exactly at mile marker 22 on WA 4; turn south onto a broken asphalt road and in about 1/4 mile you come to the Hancock Forest Management gate. There is nothing prohibiting non-vehicular entry--just no camping and no campfires. Plenty of parking near the gate.
Elk Mountain (South Coast) OR | June 2025
How about a trip report for a failied First Acitvation? I was planning on attempting Elk Mountain (the one down south by Brookings, OR) after activating Mt. Emily. I took NF-1983 down from Mt Emily and the plan was to take NF-1205 & NF 010 towards Elk Mtn. Then see if NF-010 connected with Winchuck River Road to the south. Then I'd take that road back to 101 and head north back to Brookings making it a giant loop.
Mount Emily, OR | June 2025
After activating Palmer Butte, I crossed the bridge over the Chetco River on 101 and headed East on Chetco South Bank Road to attempt the first activation of Mount Emily. I posted the GPX track of the drive up and hike. The gravel roads are in decent shape. You could get all the way to the final access road without high clearance. There is a closed gate shortly up the final road so you wouldn't have to hike much further.
Palmer Butte, OR | June 2025
Straightforward nine-mile drive-up summit from Brookings. Posted GPS track to Sota Maps. Sections of final ascent are deeply rutted and need high clearance. You can park a little lower and walk slightly further. If high clearance there is a small parking spot outside the gate and a short walk to where all the radio towers are.