WJ7WJ's blog

Apparently the op that hesitates is lost. After years of driving by it I finally stopped.

Zero  Butte is now posted. See picture and attached link to peak bagger.

https://www.peakbagger.com/climber/ascent.aspx?aid=1647185

Puffer Butte is located in Washington’s Field Springs State Park in the very southeast corner of the state. The hike is less than a mile and 400 feet. There are plenty of Trees on the summit for hanging wires. I had spotty Verizon coverage. For more:

https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/puffer-butte#hike-full-description

Needle Point is the lowest 10 point summit in Oregon. It is not the easiest. It is located in the Eagle Cap Wilderness in north eastern Oregon. Access to the trail head is via Union, Oregon.

It is a nineteen mile round trip hike with 5000 feet of total elevation gain.

I received some pointers from Anne, K7AHR, they were crucial to getting there as the map and mapping software suggested turning up the west bank of the Salmonberry River. That road is replete with no trespassing signs.

Here is a pavement to trailhead activation if you find yourself in the Columbia River Gorge near White Salmon, WA. A short hike of 1 mile and 700 feet of elevation gain will get you the chance at this 2 pointer. The hike is mostly on a good gravel road and the last bit is easy cross country (for now) as they ran a cat over almost all of it, so not much to push through or step over. There are stumps around and a couple of tall “habitat trees” that are likely in the AZ if you need that sort of antenna support.

Peak 2730, NC-077, is an unnamed peak in the coast range. It is on Stimson land and so is accessible in accordance with their recreational use policies. I’m calling it Gold Creek Peak, because it is the high point between Gold Creek and North Gold Creek. It is also called that on Peak Bagger. It is located between SOTA summits: Gold Peak, NC-020, and Edwards Butte, NC-007.

1.2 miles round trip. ~900ft elevation gain. Moderate bushwhack.

Gold Peak is a one point steep bushwhack in the Tillamook State Forest. To get to the trailhead one needs first to get to the Trask River Road out of the town of Tillamook. From Portland there are two cutoffs. One is longer and paved, the other good gravel. Travel times are similar, but the gravel route is shorter.

Flagtail Mountain is not close to any population center. You can get to it from John Day by traveling south on US-397 and then turning west onto Izee Paulina Lane. Travel this paved road to 44.1618, -119.2511 and turn onto a good gravel road. Drive about five miles to an active lookout. 

This peak is the quintessential reason I do SOTA. It is a nice hike to a scenic summit that I never would have visited without the activating imperative.

It is located near Dayville a mile or so west of the US-26 and OR-19 junction. It is part of the John Day Fossil Beds National Monument.