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Middle Butte, WA | June 2014

K7ATN's picture
Summit: 
W7W/LC-107
Voice Cellular Coverage: 
No service at all
Data Cellular Coverage: 
Spotty, may not work at all
Cellular Provider: 
Verizon
APRS Coverage: 
Good digi echos

Here's another four-point summit north of Carson, Washington. You might be able to get within a mile or so in a carefully driven passenger car - perhaps only a little farther in a high-clearance vehicle. 

From Portland, take I-84 to Cascade Locks and cross the toll bridge. Or take Washington 14 out from Vancouver past the Bridge of the Gods, through Stevenson and continue east on 14 to turn north towards Carson on Wind River Road about four miles past Stevenson.

After 5.7 miles on this Wind River Road (or Highway), turn right on Old State (you may see Old State earlier - turn at the second) and look for Panther Creek Road to turn turn left after just 0.10 mile. Panther Creek Road will turn into Road NF 65. You'll head north on this paved forest road about 9.7 miles to a significant four-way intersection (Four Corners) where you'll continue north.

(Note that two summits are down the road to the right - Red Mountain-W7W/LC-036 and Capacitor Peak-W7W/LC-071.)

These directions updated August 2020. From the Four Corners intersection of NF-65 and Carson Guler Road, go 1.9 miles north on NF-65.  Bear left onto NF-67 for 0.8 miles and continue west on NF-67 for 2.1 miles. This road is well supplied with some excellent pot-holes of considerable depth - would likely be unpleasant in wet weather or in a passenger vehicle. Continue west on NF-6707 about 1 mile to a large intersection. The road seems to continue west as a footpath - don't go that way - the N-S road shown in Google Earth below does not exist (these marked with red X). Turn left onto NF-127 and consider carefully where you might park -- while you still can. The road turns very overgrown. We stopped about 45.92, -121.92 -- stopping earlier would have been better for vehicle paint. 

Continue up the road to the summit - for us it was about 0.8 miles. There are lots of trees and no particular view. We did reach into Portland on 2m FM, but you might not be so fortunate. We were shocked to encounter a vehicle coming down from this summit - there seem to be lots of people driving around and camping in this area - more than I've ever seen.  

Pictures: 
Route to Middle Butte