This unnamed summit is a bald rocky grassland overlooking a large mostly roadless area (Allan Mountain 01946) and the southern end of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness Area. It has a very good trail, FS #178 due in part to regular trail maintenance through a huge amount of fire-killed fallen trees. The hike also travels through large southerly-aspect grassland-slopes that could be quite warm during mid-day summer months.
Saddle Mountain is near the Lost Trail Pass Ski Area. The SOTA summit access road serves the upper facilities of the ski area. A high clearance vehicle can drive to within 0.25 miles of the summit. The summit has good views. It is very open and rocky with limited space for long wire antennas.
The road is in good condition. It is driveable by a Prius. They also ran a brush mower all the way up the road very recently. The corridor is nicely cleared with all the attendant vegetative carnage 12 feet on either side of the road. Sight lines were good, too.
You can drive right into the activation zone where there is a nice, flat clearing with a fire pit in it. There is plenty of space to set up a 67 foot wire antenna.
Pine Ridge is an easy to moderate hike along a double track and easy bush wacking. Any passenger car should be able to navigate to the place we parked and many would likely have no trouble driving further up the 2 track if desired. We had plenty of activity on 2M and I wouldn't expect any trouble activating 2M only. The views of the Grasslands and Central Oregon Cascades are fantastic and the solitude is remarkable for the ease of access.
Full Report here
Mount Pisgah is one of two Mount Pisgahs in Oregon, this one is near Prineville, the other near Eugene. The one near Eugene is a nice hike, this one is a tedious drive up.
The map shows several ways to get there. We drove on forest road 22 past Walton Lake. The pavement ends a bit after the lake. There is a connector road 150 and then we were on Summit Road, aka 2630.
Captain Grey Mountain is a road walk of a few miles gravel through a mix of forest and clear cuts.
Wizard Island was on my “Must Do” list since I learned it was a SOTA summit and it did not disappoint.
Peak 8740 was first activated a month ago on 08 Aug 2023 by KJ7GRQ and N0DNF. This is a very straightforward “trailhead” from a rough dirt/gravel road. Definitely not Prius friendly and I wouldn’t take anything but a vehicle with more than standard clearance. Recent rains have created water channels, mud puddles and exposed rocks in places. 4WD is not required, however.
2023 update: You can access North Green Mountain if you purchase a Weyerhaeuser permit https://recreation.weyerhaeuser.com. You will need the “Longview – St Helens” one.
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.