Ball Mountain is a relatively easy drive-near summit in the Oregon coast range, east of Lincoln City. Your passenger vehicle will get you close to the summit, followed by a short walk and then a bushwhack, neither of which is challenging. The summit area itself is treed in with ample space to set up and plenty of trees for antennas.
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.
This summit is best accessed via FR 4610, running east from the La Dee Flat OHV area. A high clearance vehicle with all-terrain tires is recommended, as the road is quite rocky and subject to rock slides and debris from steep hillsides.
This summit is best accessed via FR 4610, running east from the La Dee Flat OHV area. A high clearance vehicle with all-terrain tires is recommended, as the road is quite rocky and subject to rock slides and debris from steep hillsides.
Start on the game trail just east of the turnout at 45.21254, -121.98528, and follow the ridge to the top. It's a fairly easy bushwhack, with a steady climb of 423' over 0.75 miles.
NC-069 is one of the handful of 2 pointers in the Oregon NC region, located in the Tillamook State Forest. It's fairly remote, past Cedar Butte or Triangulation depending on the route you choose to take, but it can be paired with either one in a day. It requires a short but strenuous climb with bushwhacking, and rewards you with a nice open summit area with good views of the surrounding peaks and valleys.
NC-130 is another of the recently added peaks during the 2023 ARM update, currently the last of the Oregon NCs. If that's a goalpost you're looking to achieve, or you're feeling particularly completionist, or you just like a good bushwhack, proceed on. Otherwise, maybe skip this one. It's on public land, and consists of a 6 mile forest road drive, combined with a 1.5 mile hike and bushwhack. This peak is easiy paired with NC-099.
NC-075 is an unremarkable peak in the Tillamook State Forest. Easy enough to accomplish if you happen to be nearby or in a completionist mood.
Access appears to be available from the west at the coast near Wheeler, but I routed from the east near Triangulation NC-005.
Beautiful hike on a pristine fall day. This summit is challenging in that there is no established trail. I parked on Irving Road to the north of the summit. From there you can continue up through the forrested section, keeping the plowed field on your right. A series of several grown over roads lead you toward the top. Total ascent was 1500', zigzagging my way through the trees on several well worn game trails. Once on top of the ridge, look for a jeep trail heading NE toward the relay tower. Eventually you'll encounter a nice gravel road which will take you to the summit.
Foley Peak is a short hike including a "choose your own adventure" bushwhack where there used to be a trail but there is no longer, up to the site of what used to be a fire lookout but is no longer. There might be ghosts.
Summary - From Portland, a long, relatively easy drive (2WD okay) and a short, difficult bushwhack will net you a big beautiful view from a very small summit. 2M is likely to be difficult, bring a mast if you want to do HF, and be prepared to scramble if you want to operate from the summit itself.