It's about time I wrote this one up, almost a year after.
This peak stood out as one of the remaining peaks on private or questionably accessible land at the beginning of 2019, in the Portland metro area.
I love Bald Mountain. Not sure what it is about this gem. Maybe just like Wagner Butte and Grizzly Peak, it's a mountain I stare and gaze at frequently. It is the view from our ranch meadow (Brickpile Ranch) so again one of those mountains I wanted to hike but never did until SOTA. Each activation I have done from a different areas since it is a long summit, only once have I took the trail. If feeling ambitious I recommend doing Point Mountain or Anderson Butte same day.
Point Mountain has a pretty good trail most of the way. It is mainly a steep bald mountainside especially for the last few hundred yards of the climb. I do not recommend short cutting, the brush is too thick where it gets tempting because you are oh-so-close to the top. This is also an area known for bear. My first trip up I got growled at by something in the thicket ?? Turned around and kept to trail...
4.3 mi, +2,100 feet
This is a good earlier season hike that offers spectacular views and some isolation after leaving the main Sun River Trail.
I believe previous activations of W7O/SC-071 reached the summit from the hang glider parking area to the north at the end of Woodrat Mountain Rd. When I looked at Google Maps satellite view, I noticed a distinct trail from an earlier spot on Woodrat Mtn Road, to the east of the summit. Woodrat Mountain Road is reached via Griffin Creek Road and Sterling Creek Road from the east. It begins with asphalt pavement and then turns to gravel/dirt but is in very good shape compared to other forest roads in this area. I was able to easily find where Woodrat Mtn Road was inter
Yesterday's SOTA adventure took me to the top of Mount Maria near Horseshoe Bend, Idaho for a first time activation. The hike up was right at 1 mile in length and took about 45 minutes. The last section was very steep, so had to slow down the pace quite a bit.
The view from the top was spectacular. To the south you could see the town of Horseshoe Bend. To the southeast, Shafer Butte. To the north was a nice view up the Payette river.
Great day weather wise, about 70 degrees and sunny. Hardly a breath of wind on the top.
Self explanatory as it is just walking up the road to the lookout , I guestimate from memory 1/2 mile walk from gate. Dutchman Peak Lookout is the last of the original cupola lookouts still in use, and is also one of the oldest, built in 1927. Outstanding views of course, and you can go into the lookout and check out some of their mapping and compassing tools. A bit steep and rocky at the top. You won't have trouble finding any spot for a pole.
Wagner Butte is a harder hike mainly due to distance, but is at the top of my list of favorites. It will be a good 10 mile hike round trip with about 2200' gain, if using the trail. (SEE UPDATE at bottom for alternate route).Wagner is part of our family cattle range and being familiar with the area we took a short cut through some NF up past the trailhead, to knock a couple miles and a few hundred feet elevation off the hike.
I was brought to Beaty's Butte years ago by Robin N7HAP, a trip that was my first experience of Eastern Oregon, and I fell in love with the area. There is a uniqueness and beauty to the solitude and vastness of this area. I like to make at least one trip a year to enjoy, so Beaty's was at the top of my SOTA list to activate, this was my 2nd SOTA.
