Exposed Trail

As we were driving through Winnemucca, NV on the way back from AZ, I seized the opportunity to activate W7N/HU-089, which is a paved, slightly potholed drive-up summit.

There are a lot of electrical wires going ever which way around the summit so I picked a somewhat open area towards the south side of the activation zone and tied my fiberglass mast to the fence surrounding the communcations towers.

I was able to quickly raise 11 QSOs on 20m and then switched to 40m for another 8 including a S2S with N6AN.

2m was pretty much dead with only 1 QSO to my dear XYL.

On a recent trip back from Arizona, we stopped overnight in Battle Mountain, NV.  A 10pt summit (W7N/EL-017) was a mere 50 mins away so I made time to head up there.  Previous reports indicated that it was an easy, if somewhat long, drive up to the summit and I found that the dirt road was still in excellent shape, though there are several tight switchbacks to be nagivated.

I went to do Mud Springs as a new activation after doing Chase. I typically do Chase and Hamaker but I was at 994 points and didn't want to do a late activation as my MG activation so went to this 2 point mountain instead. It is a bit of a drive for 2 points alone so I have ignored it in the past. It was a nice short little hike. Some views through the trees including a glimpse of Shasta. We parked at the south side of the mountain and hiked up, only about 1/4 mi up is my estimation. Plenty of area to set up, can pick shade or sun.

On a recent trip over to eastern Oregon, I had the opportunity to stop in Madras and a nearby summit Round Butte (W7O/CN-074) beckoned.  The directions from Google Maps led me up the approach from the north which turns onto a dirt road.  It is drivable in good, dry conditions but if you are at all worried there is another approach by continuing on west and around which finally climbs from the south.  That road is paved all the way to the top.  The paving is crumbling in places but still drivable.

Chris KC7UJO and I took advantage of some sunny weather to bike the Deschutes River Trail to Lava Butte. We met at Meadow Camp (Meadow Day Use Area on Google Maps). Chris was on a hardtrail MTB and I was on my cyclocross bike. The first (and last) mile of this out and back is pretty rocky. MTB reccommended, or catch the river trail at another point. I managed as best I could with my commuter tires and dropbars. 

On the 3rd day of our Bend trip, I got dropped off at the Lava Butte Visitor Center while my wife and kids sped off to the Bend High Desert Museum.  The hike to the top was on a very nice, paved road for 1.75 miles.  I made it up in an hour and looked around the lower level of the firewatch tower on the summit and the surrounding views.

On the last weekend of no permits a weather window opened up for an overnight hike & early morning activation of Mt St Helens. The trail was covered with snow to the parking lot. I hit the trail at 1:20am and made good time to chocolate falls on skis. Somewhere heading up the ridge I had to make the switch to bootpacking the skis. Heavier backpack, but faster travel overall. 

So in my continuing series on how to summit the easy way, I loaded up the family for the tail end of spring break and headed over to Bend, OR.  The weather was gorgeous with just a bit of wind blowing.  That contributed to delaying my activation time by an hour due to the lift not yet in service.  In the meantime, we skiied the lower slopes.  Snow was icy in places particularly the sides of runs and the upper reaches.  Once the Summit lift opened, I grabbed my pack and headed up.

This was a winter activation and I had hoped for a one-way ride on the Pomerelle Triple Chair lift.  After an e-mail and phone inquiry I received no response. I then planned a hike from the Pomerelle parking lot along established roads to the top of the lift and then a very short hike to the summit.

Best way to get to and hike Woodrat in my opinion is to take Sterling Creek Rd (several ways to get to Sterling depending on where you are coming from) and eventually turn on Woodrat Mt Rd 38-2-29. There is a sign and the road is paved most of the way. You will come to an intersection on the right where Bishop Cr meets Woodrat, keep going up Woodrat for another 3-4/10ths of a mile and there will be a rutty off road embankment on the left 42.22318,-122.98933. You'll have to find a pullout before or after to park.