If you’re feeling like activating a peak that is obfuscated by a maze of logging road both old and brand new, has no view, lots of poison oak, and is surrounded by a ring of taller mountains that hamper VHF and cell communications, have we got a deal for you. This is the perfect summit for that obsessive peak bagger that’s trying to up their unique percentage.
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 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.
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 that crosses over the summit and follow it up. The hill is access 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.
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.
A one point summit that you might want to do along with close by Cedar Butte, Triangulation Point, Blue Ridge or Peak 2300.
Planned on a camping trip for a few weeks to the area so I'd scouted out the summits on the map and noted routes in. Our orignal plan was to camp at and activate W7O/CE-265 - 6057 but in the weeks leading up to the trip, lots of snow had fallen in the higher elevations.
Ten miles from Tillamook and off Highway 6 there is a near drive-up summit – Blue Ridge. The road is a bit rough in places but should be okay in a carefully driven passenger vehicle. Don’t confuse this Blue Ridge with W7O/SC-202 Blue Ridge near Coos Bay. The hike is short but steep 0.2 miles.
Crescent Butte should be a simple drive-up just off Highway 97 south of La Pine about 17 miles. The roads in the area are quite confusing, and the main track is quite dusty in the summer. Thoughtful consideration of these directions and Google Maps is recommended.
This must be one of the all time easiest summits to get to. The dirt road is graded with no gravel. The only way to know you're not on asphalt are the occassional potholes. The summit is very large and surrounded with trees that obscure any view of the surrounding vistas. There is a lot of trash scattered around from clay shooting with a large fire ring indicating a party destination. The actual summit is a small knoll to the west of the flat area where I set up both a 2m "J" pole and a random wire HF antenna.