Signal Butte has been on my watch list for over a year and I was finally able to summit and activate it today. This peak had never been activated. Thanks to Nick KI7PTT for humoring me and coming along.
Approxamatly 1 1/2 hours out of Boise. Reasonably passable roads. (all wheel drive Volvo XC-90).
BC-074 is first on the ridge line and has a nice open summit. Good views down into Pionneerville to the North and Horse Shoe bend to the South. Walk up to the summit is about a 1/3 of a mile and not to bad. I used a large pine tree to hang my antenna from but there is also a pole on the summit; however it does not have a halyard.
After a major delay in starting a planned morning activation, I started looking at more local peaks – mostly just to get outside and talk on the radio. Since there was no pressure and no one knew that I was going out, I thought it would be a good chance to go explore an unactivated summit.
North Coast Peak 2748 was selected as the target and after a little bit of research, I headed off west into the Tillamook State Forest unsure what I would really find.
Directions: Take Sunset Falls Road east of Battleground to Sunset Campground. Turn right and cross the East Fork Lewis River on FS Road 41. Stay on FS 41 for approximately 9 miles to a large parking area atop McKinley Ridge. This is NOT the summit.
W7O/NC-113 (“good ‘ol 1783” as they say) is a small coastal peak in USFS Siuslaw Forest land. From Hwy 101 take the turnout at (45.065829, -123.948579) — Google calls it “Cascade Head Trail - North Trailhead” as it’s the road that leads to the trailhead. This is forest road NF-1861 and is nicely graveled and easy to drive with a passenger vehicle.
Note: this road is closed by the USFS from Jan 1st to July 15th, effectively making this summit inaccessible during that time.
Poor McDonald, like Rodney Dangerfield, it gets no respect. And honestly, that’s not fair. Sitting in line with the heralded Mt. Ashland (W7O/CS-019), McDonald is easy to access, has a great operating position, and spectacular views of the Siskiyous in all directions. If you are activating Mt. Ashland, you absolutely must make it a double if the roads are open and clear.
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.
Here's an out of the way summit south of Prineville, Oregon with nice views and plenty of quiet. The drive towards the summit on Highway 27 is along the Wild and Scenic Crooked River and is lovely in itself with nice camping opportunities.