Easy driving access in a somewhat remote part of the Mt Hood National Forest. Best way in is to enter the forest from Hillock Burn Road off Highway 211 which turns into the 45 road. You follow that for about 13 miles to the turnoff to the 4540 road. It's notable as you go from gravel to pavement when you turn off from the main road to a secondary road. the 4540 meanders it's way up past a sometimes-there lake, taking a left turn there and is fairly overgrown but still passable. In about 3.5 miles, you pass the turn off to South Fork Mountain, an easy drive up summit.
Forested Summit
Dow Mountain, WA | Sep 2018
See my trip reports for 2 other summits in this area: Saddle Mtn. and Duplex Summit.
There are two ways to get up to Dow Mountain - a long drive on gravel roads, or a forest road walk of around 2.5 miles (1900' elevation gain). Since I was also visiting two other summits along the way, I opted for the road approaching from the north. The road going up to Dow Mtn. from Hoodsport is gated - this is the road to take if you wish to hike it.
Veda Butte, OR | July 2017
This is a short one mile hike 400 feet of gain that you reach by driving about five miles on a poor road. There's some bushwacking required to make the Activation Zone.
Rogers Peak, OR | August 2018
Rogers Peak is the highest point in Tillamook County and the highest also in W7O/NC. It's fairly easy to access, given a good road that is fine for passenger cars, a road walk after a gate, and a final ascent using an overgrown cat track that leads you almost directly to the summit.
Peak 1783, OR | July 2018
W7O/NC-113 (“good ‘ol 1783” as they say) is a small coastal peak in USFS Siuslaw Forest land. From Hwy 101 take the turnout at (45.065829, -123.948579) — Google calls it “Cascade Head Trail - North Trailhead” as it’s the road that leads to the trailhead. This is forest road NF-1861 and is nicely graveled and easy to drive with a passenger vehicle.
Note: this road is closed by the USFS from Jan 1st to July 15th, effectively making this summit inaccessible during that time.
Blowout Benchmark, OR | June 2018
UPDATE March 2023: W7O/WV-069 has been retired.
Blowout Benchmark is a short hike and cross-country summit near Detroit, Oregon. There are no views but you get to enjoy the quiet of a second-growth forest.
Peak 3700, OR | June 2018
Peak 3700 is a bit of an adventure, but certainly do-able summit near Detroit, Oregon. You'll follow a long-abandoned logging road and head cross-country for the final ascent into the Activation Zone. There are no views and the final ascent is very rough, but you get to enjoy the quiet of a second-growth forest.
2380, OR | April 2018
This summit is an easy driveup, though low clearance vehicles will have trouble with the last half mile or so. Even better, park at the bottom of the steep hill climbs and hike in or pick up the unused motorcycle trail (starting near 45.3353, -123.559) that crosses over the summit and follow it up. The hill is accessed by Boundary Road, which is accessed from the upper reaches of the Trask drainage or a variety of roads that climb up from the Nestucca.
Dovre Peak, OR | April 2018
An easily accessed summit, that's easily access from the Nestucca River byway. A bunch of different roads will lead you into the area from nearly any direction. Probably the easiest is up Fan Creek Road from the Nestucca River. It is near enough to Boudary road to access several other nearby summits along the same ridgeline.
Wolf Point, OR | March 2018
A one point summit that you might want to do along with close by Cedar Butte, Triangulation Point, Blue Ridge or Peak 2300.