Put it on your calendar, September 14th, PacNW SOTA VHF Summit to Summit distance event! The goal is to get as many LONG DISTANCE S2S contacts. We are timing this to cooincide with the ARRL September VHF contest, which starts at 1800 UTC, or 11am PDT.

We'll plan on starting around the same time, that way if anybody has trouble getting enough S2S contacts to make the activation count, there will still be people around you can make contact with. Plan on 2M FM, 146.58 for the primary frequency with a backup frequency of 146.56. 

On Sunday, July 21, 2019, my SOTA Buddy, Tim, KG7EJT, and I Activated for the first time Tucquala Peak.  This 8 Point SOTA Summit is on the East side of the Cle Elum River Valley, almost across the valley from Mount Daniel and Chimney Rock.  On USGS and Forest Service Maps, the peak is shown as Point 6821 for its elevation.  Almost 3,500 feet below the summit, lies Tucquala Lake, one of several lakes and swampy areas that lie along the Cle Elum River. 

This summit is a long ridge located between Vernonia, Oregon and Saddle Mountain. Here are the directions to get there.

I started from

2018 Discovery View Hill is a drive-up 2 point summit SW of Sequim.  While visiting family in the area, I was looking for a quick activation option in 2018.  Since 2018, more of the summit has been logged and the views were amazing from the south side.  You are able to see buildings from downtown Seattle, and have great radio line-of-sight to the Puget Sound and Canada.  

The Hike

Devil’s Peak is located in the Salmon Huckleberry Wilderness area on Mt. Hood.  The summit has an altitude of 5045 feet.  There is a decommissioned fire lookout at the top (which is available for camping).  There are a variety of ways of getting up there.  I chose to take the Cool Creek trail, which is short (3.7 miles) but very steep (3200 foot elevation gain).  I hiked up here on July 20th, 2019. Also see http://www.pnwsota.org/node/177 for another approach.

Bishop Mountain is an extinct volcanic vent on the rim of the Island Park Caldera. At the summit there is a fire lookout that is one of the few remaining towers in the Targhee National Forest. The 72-ft tower was constructed in 1937. Now on standby status, the tower saw extensive service during the Yellowstone Fires of 1988. The summit also has a couple of picnic tables, a cabin that is available for rent through the Forest Service and a fire pit.

The summit is a developed overlook with a large parking lot for turning around. Great views in all directions, from Pomerelle to Sun Valley, and beyond.

Pt 5635 (W7O/CE-276) is in the Ochoco NF approximately 1.5 miles east of Ochoco Divide Campground on Hwy 26.  The summit’s proximity to the highway offers a nice SOTA option when traveling through the area with FS campground accommodations nearby.  Another summit, Ochoco Mountains HP (W7O/CE-080), is also just a short drive from the campground. 

This area has been affected by recent fires, yet there are good sections of live trees along the hike and on the summit that offer shade.  The campground was saved and is in good condition.  

Black Butte may be a drive up. It is a six point former lookout in Grant County. Don't get it confused with the Black Butte near Sisters.