16.2 miles, +4,300 ft; -4,200 From Elk Mountain TH
1.2 miles, +300, - 200 ft ft from Trail 562 Junction
I activated this on the 14th day of a 15-day backpacking from the Elk Mountain Trailhead, via Mink Ridge & Marten Creek with a side-trip up Marten Creek to Marten Hot springs; but the route description is the more direct route across Goat Creek and along the Square Rock & Moose Ridge.
This was the second activation of LC-001 for both WE7CAT and KL0NP. The first year WE7CAT had just gotten her tech license and was too shy to talk on the radio. The next year she activated it without me with using an Anytone 878 with stock rubber duck antenna and was able to do a S2S with me while I was on Mt. Townsend in the Olympics. This year WE7CAT/AE had just passed her Extra Class exam, and was ready to make contacts.
10.7-miles, +3,800 ft; -2,900 From Elk Mountain TH
1.2 miles, +1,000 ft from Trail 562 Junction
I activated this on the 12th day of a 15-day backpacking from the Elk Mountain Trailhead, via Mink Ridge & Marten Creek with a side-trip up Marten Creek to Marten Hot springs; but the route description is the more direct route across Goat Creek and along the Square Rock ridge that we took on our way out.
24.2 miles, +7,500 ft; - 6,800 From Elk Mountain TH
5.2 miles, +3,800; -500 ft from Buck Lake Creek
This summit is the old Horseshoe Lookout Site. It had a primitive platform on a rock pinnacle from 1921-1961. A standard L-4 structure, 1962-1983. Both structures succumbed to wildfires and were not rebuilt. Concrete blocks from the L-4 lookout remain. The access road, USFS #588 is 4 miles off FS #500.
The winter activation is much more challenging than the summer one. In the summer, it is a drive-up until the last quarter-mile walk. In the winter the road is closed 9 miles down at 2000' elevation. So that means and 4000' climb over 8 miles up.
Little Grayback has been another summit I have been eyeing for a while as I am slowly getting familiar with this area around Applegate Lake. I always looked at approaching it from the westside, near the lake but looking closer and after doing neighboring Baldy Peak and having no snow issues, I noticed that the eastside, Upper Little Grayback TH, looked much shorter and approachable. This is FS trail #921. KJ7GFN, Joell, and I did our planning for this pretty much the day before, both leaving from our off grid locations Sunday morning.
Blind Cabin Ridge is a 1 pointer with few activations as of this writing. Access via Barney Reservoir may be gated, so check ahead of time. Thank you to Ryan W7RMR for his write up on the PacNW SOTA facebook group.
Another no-name summit with a pretty good view. Takes a decent drive to get up there. Short hike up an old logging road. Some of the area is thick with Oregon grape and brush but there is a clearing that made set up easy. There may be other options further down the road to access too but I didn't explore.
There are a couple ways to get to Baldy Peak and I think I took the longer route with more gain. I really wasn't sure if I would get this high with snow levels so didn't even pay attention to the other but when I was there a couple others were on trail too from the other side. You will have to go off trail to do the final climb which is a little crumbly and steep. I chose the ridge line partly in some vegetation so the ground didn't slide so much. It was overcast but I can tell it has a fabulous view. Wasn't bad even with the clouds. I took the Charlie Buck/Baldy Peak Trailhead.