K7AGL's blog

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Wilkes Hills, WA | Sept 2023 (with permit)

Summit: 
W7W/LC-162

You can access Wilkes Hills if you purchase a Weyerhaeuser permit https://recreation.weyerhaeuser.com. You will need the “Longview – St Helens” one. There is no rec permit access gate from the I5/Burma Road side. You have to go around to the East side a bit. It is about 8 miles from the intesection of Tower Road and Hwy 504.

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Signal Peak, WA | Sept 2023

Summit: 
W7W/LC-110

Signal Peak is a 12.7 mile Priusable drive up with some pot holes that are easily navigated.  It does not need a Weyerhaeuser permit for access.  Although you traverse through Weyerhaeuser land, the road you take is designed as a “Public Access Corridor” to the state forest where the Signal Peak summit is located. 

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Elk Rock, WA | Sept 2023 (with permit)

Summit: 
W7W/LC-060

You can access Elk Rock if you purchase a Weyerhaeuser permit https://recreation.weyerhaeuser.com. You will need the “Longview – St Helens” one. If you purchased the non-motorized permit, you can follow the trail described in a previous summit report (https://www.alltrails.com/explore/recording/elk-rock).

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3020-Receiver Mtn | May 2023

Summit: 
W7W/SO-052

3020 (Receiver Mountain) is a summit for the persistent activator – you will find it has both good and challenging aspects. The approach roads require 4WD and most sections are in good shape but foliage in some sections of the road encroach and could scratch your vehicle.

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Dusk Point, WA | May 2023

Summit: 
W7W/SO-042

Dusk Point is a 1.8 mile round trip (500 ft vertical) hike off of FR-2364 in the South Olympics.  Access is straightforward (once the snow melts!) but FR-2364 does require a high clearance vehicle. The summit is exposed with limited to no shade even though some trees line the perimeter.  I did not have any ATT cell service but there is excellent APRS two-way messaging to enable spotting.

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Rock Point, WA | May 2023

Summit: 
W7W/LC-093

The summit of Rock Point is a steep short climb up from either the Paradise Trail #124 or FR-6401.  Both the forest road and summit are shaded and would be a good choice for a hot sunny day. In good weather, it could be combined with other peaks nearby W7W/LC-059 Timbered Peak and W7W/LC-064 Sister Rocks. If doing multiple peaks, I would do this one last as it is the most shaded route of the three due to recent fires.

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1930 (Maidenhead Mtn), WA | April 2023

Summit: 
W7W/SO-080

Maidenhead Mtn (W7W Summit 1930) is accessible with a 1.5 mile (800 ft vertical) hike up an abandoned Forest Service Road bed.  The road bed is overgrown with trees that look around 8 years old. There is a trail that is established for about 50% of the way.  The second half of the route has a significant amount of blowdown and really slows you.

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Dennie Ahl Hill, WA | April 2023

Summit: 
W7W/SO-079

Dennie Ahl Hill is due west of Hoodsport WA. We used Google maps from Shelton and it routed us correctly. Our route was "priusable" with some potholes that are navigatable. It has a wide activation zone and FM into the Seattle area is doable. I set up HF to get some S2S, trees around the perimeter make it easy to set up a mast and you can easily lounge in a chair in the flat area.  Easy Peazy summit.

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Baldy Peak, WA | Feb 2023

Summit: 
W7W/MC-075

Baldy Peak was a wonderful and pleasant surprise. I recommend it. The minimum hike is 1.2 miles round trip with about 650’ vertical.  The hike can be extended by parking a bit further down B-1000 and hiking up the Buck Creek trail. 

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2700 (Circuit Pk), WA| Feb 2023

Summit: 
W7W/LC-125

 The route I took to 2700 – Circuit Peak was 3.6 miles round trip with 1100’ vertical.  It was a combination of forest road walking and moderate bushwhacking. I think it may take a few activators summiting to get the best route to the top identified. There are smaller ridgelines and drainages not shown on the topo maps, and it may be possible to follow the old roadbed nearly all the way to the summit.