Easy Trail

NC-128 is one of the "new" peaks added during the 2023 ARM update. It's on private Stimson land, but publicly accessible to walk-in during weekends and after 4pm on weekdays. The easiest access is drive-in/hike-in from the south via Turner Creek Rd past Barney Reservoir, but would also be accessible by long hike or bike via the north through the same roads as NC-066. If doing the drive/hike route, it's a 15 mile gravel road drive and a 1 mile gravel road hike to the summit. This is easily paired with Blind Cabin Ridge NC-031.

Davis Peak is very accessible to Portland Metro, with a half mile hike and offers an amazing view. The downside is a fair bit of RF interference from the installation sharing the peak with you.

The google directions were accurate, although I will note that the main road to the peak has 2 names, and signage alternates between them : "Aho Carson" and "Davis Peak Road". When google told us to take a right onto Davis Peak Road the sign at the turn said "Aho Carson".

My friend John K7JRO sent me an email on Friday night saying he was going to activate Goat Peak the next day. It was going to be a trip with the Seattle Mountaineers, and therefore a very short, 2m FM only activation. I decided it would be fun to surprise him by getting myself on to a nearby summit. After looking at SOTLAS for a few minutes, I found a likely pair of summits: Mount Josephine and Mount Josephine West. Clint KJ7LLS had previously activated these two, so I pinged him on Slack and he graciously provided information. Woot!

Round top is drive + short hike on a logging road. It offers clear decent views with plenty of space to spread out your gear. The road became impassble due to snow about 1.5 miles from the summit (with an AWD Subaru). So this added about an extra mile trudging through snow (6-18") that we hadn’t anticipated, but it was a nice day and the walk up was quite nice really. Elevation gain for the hike was about 500ft.

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.

This was summit #2 for the day after SC-102. You could do neighboring Black Butte also, I just missed the turn and went to this one first. Nice short trek up the forested west ridge from a wide parking/camping area with large fire ring. Only about .30 mi up. Plenty of space to set up. Pretty flat with timber. One interesting thing with the AZ here is all maps say this summit is over 3600', not 3580'. However the trek is so easy and short getting to the top is not difficult.

This summit gets its name from its other peak outside of the AZ, it is not Bald and pretty thick brush, skinny timber/madrone. Not the easiest set up but doable.Great road up, paved first miles on May Creek and then right on Bald Mt Rd. No sign, the turn goes over a the creek with a drain pond on the left, at least in April. Drive up to AZ and find a location up bank to activate.

Bald Mt was #1 of 4 in a full day of activation

de AG7GP

This summit was just added to the database and it was a great hike. A nice ~2mi RT hike on a decommissioned road and dirt bike trail. Plenty of room to operate, shade or sun. Outstanding view of the Applegate Valley, Mt Isabelle, and beyond. This is the same parking location for hiking Isabelle so if you're feeling adventurous you could do both. Really adventurous Wellington Butte TH is just a couple miles away.

Goodnoe Benchmark is a unremarkable roadside activation - until you throw in the turbine blades whirring over your head. The summit proper is dominated by a wind turbine and the closest public place is only a fraction of a mile away - next to the gate for the property. Appropriately, the area is posted no trespassing, but there is a small pull off.

We detoured to Schonchin after going birdwatching at Lower Klamath NWR and Tulelake NWR, disappointed with so few birds and little water (Tulelake dry). It took a commitment to get over the Cascades from the Rogue Valley as there is a lot of snow, but once we reached the east side, the snow was minimal.