It was a winter wonderland on Bells Mountain above 2000 feet on Christmas Eve, pleasant to look at, not too bad to hike in, but a 'non-starter' for my rear wheel drive vehicle.It's always best to park on the right side of the gate and hike the road - it's an easy 1.6 miles to the summit.
The directions below are from Interstate 5 - some of the mileages seemed a bit off but otherwise it will get you to the gate.
This is the only 'drive-up' ten pointer in Oregon - but perhaps because it's eight hours from the Willamette Valley it remains a pretty quiet place. It's actually a near drive-up - the walk beyond the gate to the summit and AZ is less than a half-mile. The scenery and silence of this high desert place have made it my favorite spot in the world for more than twenty years with many trips bringing family and friends to see this place.
Diamond Craters is administered by the Bureau of Land Management as an Outstanding Natural Area. This is a great example of Oregon High Desert and although it’s not on the way to anything, it is very much worth visiting. It is about 55 miles southeast of Burns, Oregon.
I was in Medford for work and had an afternoon free – nothing better than a close-in activation of Roxy Ann Peak, probably one of the best-named peaks that I’ve activated. It’s just east of Medford and is surrounded by Prescott Park.
An easy two-pointer in SW Washington that is pretty close to Portland with pavement all the way to the gates where you start your short hike. The weather for this activation was chilly but dry. The directions below will get you there from Interstate 5 although directions from Exit 30/Kalama might be a bit easier to follow.
Just past Oregon wine country resides Sheridan Peak W7O/NC-009. This peak has an elevation of 3000ft and resides in the heavily timbered coastal range. For beginners to SOTA, this is perfect place to start and gain experience. This peak resides in the Nestucca Recreation Area, specially created to manage the impact of an extensive and wonderful network of OHV trails. There are specific restrictions within this area, so please check with the BLM before you camp or light fires.
Bobs Mountain is fairly close to Portland, and with a short respite from the rain, an activation plan was hatched. I had the company of Grover, KG7O for a joint activation. We had a good time on the short hike to the summit on a four-wheel drive road and had a sucessful first time activation for this peak.
I could not go out for a long time. I had a lot of problems and was afraid of avalanche danger. Previous weekend I went out for an expedition hike towards Ararat peak. Avalanche danger was low, with declining tendency. Despite this I still did not want to go on any steep open terrain. Many would not think that even a small amount of snow can kill you.
There is no trail to this summit. Take Hwy 20 East from Burlington. 3 miles after the town of Concrete turn left on a logging road marked "Jackman Creek Road". Follow this road for approx 11 miles to (N48.57127 W121.63747). This can be accomplished by staying on the main road and not taking any spurs (most are gated) This waypoint is actually about 100 yards up a spur road. Continue past this waypoint up the spur road where it will terminate in a gravel pit in approx. 1/4 mile. During summer months a 4WD vehicle is not necessary.
Lots of folks have written about climbing Bandera Mountain – but very few go past the false summit at 5157 feet. The final half mile and 100 feet of elevation gain to the summit took me almost an hour – difficulties with route finding and boulder hopping might put Bandera into the “Not Recommended” list for some Activators. You might consider nearby Mount Defiance as it should be an easier six points.