Self explanatory as it is just walking up the road to the lookout , I guestimate from memory 1/3 mile walk from gate. Dutchman Peak Lookout is the last of the original cupola lookouts still in use, and is also one of the oldest, built in 1927. Outstanding views of course, and you can go into the lookout and check out some of their mapping and compassing tools. A bit steep and rocky at the top. You won't have trouble finding any spot for a pole.
Wagner Butte is a harder hike mainly due to distance, but is at the top of my list of favorites. It will be a good 10 mile hike round trip with about 2200' gain, if using the trail. Wagner is part of our family cattle range and being familiar with the area we took a short cut through some NF up past the trailhead, to knock a couple miles and a few hundred feet elevation off the hike. It wasn't part of our daily plan to activate, we were checking on a natural spring (Cold Spring) and getting a feel for if a shortcut could be possible in the future.
I was brought to Beaty's Butte years ago by Robin N7HAP, a trip that was my first experience of Eastern Oregon, and I fell in love with the area. There is a uniqueness and beauty to the solitude and vastness of this area. I like to make at least one trip a year to enjoy, so Beaty's was at the top of my SOTA list to activate, this was my 2nd SOTA.
Big Red is one of several mountains along the Siskiyou Divide. From road 40S29, the hike is relatively easy, starting through the timber and then it opens up for a moderate but short climb to the top. I did not keep track of details but my memory guestimates a fairly easy 1/2 mi hike, about 200' gain, Big Red has fascinating rock and crystal formation on it. Abundance of wildflowers in early summer. So lots of rock, a few trees on top for setting up and no interference.
All this is by memory and was my very first SOTA but hope it is useful. Grizzly Peak trail is a commonly hiked trail in the Ashland area as it is easily accessed and well defined. Grizzly is the view all of us Ashlanders see each day. Follow any road map, easy to navigate. I recommend early hike during the busier times of the year (late spring, summer) as the dead end parking area gets very full, parking can get difficult and crowded.
Follow road maps to Forest Creek Rd off of Hwy 238. You will turn left on BLM 38 3W 5 where there is a large sign for Oregon Belle Creek Access Road. On google this is Isabelle Mt. Rd but there is no sign with that name. Road is worn through asphalt with plenty of potholes but very driveable. You will immediately pass an old historic school on your right and numerous interesting old gold mining rock piles covered in moss along the creekside just past the 2mi marker. Drive until you reach Isabelle Saddle, info board and picnic table are present.
A short, but scenic 2.6 mile round trip hike. Mostly it follows well defined elk paths, some minor scrambles over rocks, not quite class 3. One could stay in the trees to either side of the ridge and avoid the rocks.
March 21, I left the trailhead (Upper Dungeness, across from Tubal Cain trailhead) at 1230. My Prius had chains on for part of the drive, just barely enought clearance with the snow. The trail had snow starting at 4500 feet. Microspikes were sufficient. Real snow started at 5000 feet, and I wished I had my backcountry skis. I was postholing up to my knees consistently, but deeper sometimes on the east aspect in the shade where the snow was more powdery. But it wouldn't have been a good ski tour, as I would have had to take the skis off many, many times due to wind-swept bare areas.
On March 4, 2020, I accomplished the first SOTA Activation of Park Benchmark, Utah. While researching the vicinity of Park City, Utah, for a downhill ski trip, I was very surprised to learn that this easy to climb peak had not been Activated before. Park Benchmark, W7U/SM-042, has an elevation of 9,363 feet, and fantastic 360 degree views of the mighty Wasatch and Western Uinta Mountain Ranges.
Located about 50 miles SE of Bend off of Hwy 20 is Frederick Butte (W7O/CE-130). This is a good summit to combine with Hampton Butte (W7O/CE-074) if you’re visiting this part of central Oregon. Frederick has fairly easy BLM road access to reach the base of the butte - via Frederick Butte Road, 10mi drive south of Hwy 20 - but requires a mile climb bushwhacking up to the summit. The map below shows the route I took, which I recommend. There are other more direct routes, but know that near the top it gets very rocky and bushy. I had good Verizon cell and data ser