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Birkenfeld Mountain, October 22nd 2023

KD7QOW's picture
Summit: 
W7W/LC-094
Voice Cellular Coverage: 
Don't know
Data Cellular Coverage: 
Good, very usable
Cellular Provider: 
Verizon
APRS Coverage: 
Don't know

Getting There: DO NOT USE GOOGLE MAPS TO GET HERE!!!! Google maps will lead you straight to a gated road. Have your GPS open or a map next to you while you try to navigate this. From highway 14, turn North on Rock Creek Driver like you're headed to Skamania Lodge. Continue half a mile and then turn left on Foster Creek Road. Next turn left on Red Bluff Road which will become CG-2000. Continue a little less than a mile until you see the intersection with CG 2022 splitting up the hill to the left. Continue up CG 2022 for around 6 miles until you get to a weird 4 way intersection at these coordinates: 45.71751, -121.98098. Take the middle fork, the one that heads the most Westerly. After heading West for .4 miles, you'll see a tempting road off to the right that on the map looks like it'll take you close to where you want to go. Don't take that road. It's gated with No Trespassing signs. Instead, continue to the left. I parked at these coordinates 45.71231, -121.99646 and bushwhacked to the top. I'd recommend just continuing down the road to where it intersects with the PCT and use the trail to approach the summit. 

The Bushwhack: Getting to this summit is a challenge. Vine maple blankets most of the clearings and it is extremely difficult to navigate through. If you want to avoid the worst of the vine maple, hike up the PCT, and enter the forest at these coordinates: 45.71431, -122.00704  Don't try to get clever. I verified that this is the easiest approach to the summit, avoiding the worst patches of thick underbrush. 

The Summit: No Views. There are some great views along the PCT, though! There is enough space to set up a 67 foot wire. 

VHF Potential: Only if there's folks on other summits. I tried with my HT, but no luck. Bring an HF radio. 

Landowner: Gifford Pinchot National Forest. That means you can also spot on Parks on the Air! 

My recommendation is that you do this as a bonus add-on when you activate Three Corner Rock on a long summer day. If you do this in tandem with Greenleaf, do this one first, because Greenleaf is a lot more fun and will leave you with happier feelings. This activation was really a lot of work for not much reward in my opinion. Keep that in mind as you prioritize. 

Pictures: 
picture of the summit