Sep 2023 Update: Buck Creek Road is closed a few miles from Highway 141 and so the shortest route to Monte Carlo described below isn't available just now. The longer routes appear to be acessable.
Pass Required at Trailhead
Mt Mitchell, WA | May 2021
2023 Update:
See latest update from Guy N7UN about DNR altering some roads in this area!
http://www.pnwsota.org/blog/n7un/2023-october-22/new-access-information-mt-mitchell
2021 Trip Report:
Baby Blue, WA | May 2021
Baby Blue is a 2-point summit located near Sultan, WA. Other summits have taken priority the last 2 years, but this summit was a great surprise due to views at summit and along the last ~1 mile of road hike. Parking is located along Sultan Basin Road, and it was ~12 minute drive after turning from Hwy 2. To get there, I followed Google maps to 47.9222, -121.7486. A Discover Pass is required.
Young Love, WA | May 2021
Young Love is a fairly easy 1 point summit, located south of Sultan. The total hike is about 3.6 miles with ~1000' of gain.
Bend to Lava Butte by Bike
First the TL;DR: This is a five star bike ride. I HIGHLY recommend this route. This route passes many different trailheads and parking areas along the Deschutes River, so it is possible to put together a ride that is shorter and easier. Much of the route is gradual uphill with Lava Butte itself being the real kicker.
3537, WA | April, 2021
3537 is a 4-pointer right off Marble Mountain Sno-Park, and despite the busy climbing season it is easily possible to get in here and activate it. You might combine this with a summit of nearby LC-075, if you are feeling especially ambitious.
To get here, take I-5 to Woodland, then SR 503 which becomes SR-503 Spur, which turns into NF-90; turn left onto NF-83 and drive 6 miles to Marble Mountain Sno-Park.
Activating Mt Hood via South Side Route | March 31st, 2021
NOTE: Conditions on Mt. Hood can change weekly, even daily. Consult up-to-date weather, avalanche, and beta reports.
On March 31st, 2021 I took advantage of a weather window and reasonable avalanche forecast to activate Mt. Hood (W7O/CN-001) via the standard South Side route.
Evergreen Mountain, WA | April, 2021 - Still snowed in
I made an attempt for Evergreen mountain today and the road is still pretty snowed in at least 15 miles from the TH. It gets pretty rough for all but very high clerance vehicles about 20 miles from the TH as well. I wasn't willing to hike 30+ miles today so I turned around.
Mount Saint Helens, WA | March 2021
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.
Shingle Mountain, WA | January 2021
Shingle Mountain summit is a 5-mile out and back hike located Northeast of Dog Mountain and Augspurger Mountain north of the Columbia River accessed from a national forest road just before reaching the Moss Creek Campground. I marked both “Easy Trail” and “Treacherous Trial” above because like many SOTA summits, you get both on this one.