Blogs

Abert Rim is a 6-point drive-up summit in the Warner Mountains area of the Fremont-Winema National Forest.

Fish Creek Mountain is a 6.3 mile RT hike with 2300 feet of elevation gain.

Access to the trail head is on good roads, mostly paved with good gravel for the final bit.

East Canyon Ridge is a summit in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, near Mt. Adams. The summit is along a well used multi-mode trail that sees some mountain bike and moto traffic, though very light on the day of my activation. Huckleberries were ample during my visit in late summer, as well.

Climb:                   4.6 mi, +3,170 feet

Approach:           11.8 mi., +1,102 feet, -925 feet

Getting there: I rode my mountain bike from Sherman Pass, activated Columbia Mountain, and then continued on to Wapaloosie Mountain before backtracking and descending Jungle Hill. Trails are in decent enough condition and there is nothing about the tread that would make them difficult to hike. I did drive the roads to all the trail heads and the road to this one is in good condition. I found it quite passable in my Subaru Forester.

Forbidden Peak is a ten point summit that is one of the most popular rock climbing objectives in the Cascade mountains. The summit can be approached from three ridges, with the West Ridge being the easiest and most frequently climbed. The West Ridge is famous for high-exposure, high quality 4th and easy 5th class climbing and a crux at 5.6. It is listed in the 1979 climbing guidebook "Fifty Classic Climbs of North America" by Steve Roper and Allen Steck.

Augspurger Mountain in the Columbia Gorge is a 4-point summit near Dog Mountain and Wind Mountain. Historically, the approach from the south (via Dog Mountain) was considered de-facto and is reputed to be long and strenuous. An alternate was found, however, from the north side that, while steep in places, is shorter. 1.6 miles and 1300ish feet of elevation get you to the AZ with good gorge and mountain views, some nice duffy sections and some moderate exposure in areas, requiring careful footing.

3914, SE-178 is a non-prominent prominence located near nothing, well between Vale Oregon and Lake Owyhee Reservoir. For a real 4x4 it’s a drive up, but the ruts became to deep for our Rav4 (eight inches of clearance.) The road we took was not on a map and the road were looking for that was on the map wasn’t discoverable by us on the ground. As you can see from the track attached to sotl.as there is almost no elevation gain. The summit is a long ridge in a bumpy landscape. We had difficulty figuring out which lump it was.

Frazier Point Lookout is a decommissioned lookout off of US-395 between Burns and John Day.It is a drive into the activation zone with a passenger car summit. The final push to the tower is a bit steep and rocky, but it’s not necessary to drive there.

Google maps provides accurate directions. Basically, off of US-395 turn East onto paved forest road NF-17. Follow it to NF-295 which becomes NF_1630. Then take NF-849 to the top. There are signs and everything!

Jumpoff Joe is a short bushwhack in the Malheur National Forest off of US-395 between Burns and John Day. Start of the hike is decommissioned forest road 1601-084 located at 44.07619, -118.81145.

I will not tell you how to get there because there has to be a better way. We were on FR 902 and FR 879 coming from the south. Those roads had bad water damage and were at the verge of navigability. We eventually hit road 3930 which was good gravel. Try to come in on that road.