Getting to Sabe Mountain is an experience traveling the Magruder Corridor road, a 100-mile narrow road much of which is over 7500’, high for Northcentral Idaho roads. The are no services (gas or other) available along this route and the adjoining roads for 130 miles. According to the US Forest Service brochure, the road, constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1930s has changed little over the decades. It shows.
Mineral Peak is an inactive US Forest Service Lookout and active Communication site. It sits near the boundary of the Rattlesnake Wilderness and Rattlesnake National Recreation areas. Summits views are good of the Rattlesnake mountains and a couple of distant cirque lakes. Access is via trail up the Rattlesnake Corridor, approximately 16.5 miles or via a poorly maintained high clearance rough road approximately 5 miles off the East Fork Rattlesnake and Gold Creek Roads.
Crescent Butte should be a simple drive-up just off Highway 97 south of La Pine about 17 miles. The roads in the area are quite confusing, and the main track is quite dusty in the summer. Thoughtful consideration of these directions and Google Maps is recommended.
Here's an easy drive-up summit that you can do on the way to the coast. Any vehicle can make it on these well-graded roads.
University Mountain with an adjoining lower non-SOTA summit, Mount Sentinel overlooks the city of Missoula. Access is by three main routes, a road (closed to motor vehicles) or two trails. It is a communication site for several Agency repeaters and a popular summit in summer and winter for hikers, mountain bikers and cross-country skiers. The subordinate summit to the west is a launch site for hang gliders. Visitors can be expected on any of your SOTA activations here.
Castle Rock is a popular hike from Nez Perce Pass on the Bitterroot National Forest. It can also be accessed from a trailhead near Bare Cone Lookout to the east. Both routes are about the same distance and terrain. The last 200 feet is a scramble to the summit over loose rock and bedrock from either a notch in the cliffs on the west side or more open loose rock routes on the east side. Most folks will be using both hands and feet on this one. Summit views are tremendous to the north where you’ll be looking into the rugged southern mountains of the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness Area.
Burma Road High Point is accessed through Smith Rocks State Park, near Terrebonne, Oregon. An Oregon State Park day or annual pass is required.
Davis Mountain is a sizable flat top butte on the east side of the Cascade Lakes National Scenic Byway. The six point summit tops out at 6,625 feet asl. It has undergone considerable fire activity in recent years, and the top has very sparse vegetation.
This ridgeline hike follows a user trampled trail to Morrell Mountain, W7M/GA-068 and then becomes mostly an open rolling ridgeline to the unnamed summit, 8004. Along the entire route are excellent views of the Seeley Lake valley and the Mission Mountains, Scapegoat and Bob Marshall Wilderness Areas.The trailhead is in a saddle just below a closed gate access to Morrell Lookout.
Trail miles: 1.0 plus off trail ridgeline hike of 2.0 miles one way. Elevation gain: ~600’ Terrain: open rock and rolling ridge. Map: Lolo National Forest, Seeley Lake Ranger District
Morrell Mountain at 8161’ is a short ridgeline hike, less than a mile, with excellent views of the Seeley Lake valley and the Mission Mountains, Scapegoat and Bob Marshall Wilderness Areas. The trailhead is in the saddle/road switchback just below a closed-gate access to Morrell Lookout which is not the SOTA summit.
Trail miles: nearly 1. Elevation gain: `500’ Map: Lolo National Forest, Seeley Lake Ranger District