The Cedar Creek Fire is threatening the Waldo Mtn Lookout. The Middle Fork District (Willamette Nat'l Forest) wrap the lookout with a fire-resistant laminate foil. Hopefully the lookout escapes the nearby fire...
Pretty cool video of the wrap process: https://fb.watch/eNAnhAXa1-/
W7I/SI-151 is located near Lava Hot Springs Idaho. The summit is on Idaho Public Land but accessed through posted private land. You MUST get permission from the land owner who is generally reasonable when permission is asked and he has no cultivated crops.
I tried for this one after doing Cresent Mountain and was unsuccessful. Crescent Mountain | August 2022 | pnwsota.org
I left the main trail and bushwacked to the ridgeline. (44.48111,-122.08128)
Cresent Mountain can be approached via the north trail or the south trail. I took the north trail. South trail is described here. Crescent Mountain - Hike Oregon
You can get to the trailhead for the south trail by taking Lava Lake mdw road off highway 22. (44.4859,-122.00008)
Access and other info in my post on Quartz Creek Ridge
Continuing our hike from Quartz Creek Ridge, at the access trail junction Bill K7WXW and I retrieved my stashed water, had a small break from the aggressive climb up from the ridge saddle, and then continued north on the Summit Prairie Trail.
Activated Quartz Creek Ridge with Bill (K7WXW) this last weekend. This summit is easily doable with North Quartz Creek Ridge in the same day. Access for both summits is in the middle on a sometimes-not-mapped trail, TH at 46.24186, -121.72969 . This trail system is mixed-use. We saw ultramarathon runners (Dark Divide Ultra), mountain bikers, and dirtbikes. Prepare your ankles accordingly, the trail is often a narrow rut through the dirt because of the motorcycle traffic.
INACCESABLE SUMMIT
I attempted to activate this summit and as was advised by my good friend and ex-Forest Service person K7VK that it would probably be off limits and gated. Not to be discouraged I tried anyway and found the road gated. I have no idea if this ever opens up to the public. If I find otherwise I will update this post. See attached map I made to guide me to the summit. The summit is only 7 miles off of the 130 exit of highway 90 in Montana. The black "X" is where the locked gate was. Fortunately it was at the beginning of my attempt and not 6 miles into the excursion.
Trout Creek Mountain is an exposed summit amongst many similar looking peaks along a range. The only trees in the activation zone were consumed in a past fire and I would not suggest taking cover or trying to erect an antenna mast in the area. 20m was open and I made five (5) contacts in quick succession. After 20m went quiet I tried 40m with no success.
Driveway Peak is in Sanders County, Montana Northwest of Thompson Falls, Montana. It counts for both the SOTA and POTA program. SOTA reference W7M/LO-067 and POTA Park K-4507.
Sonyok Mountain (W7M/LO-115) is located on the Flathead Indian Reservation of northwestern Montana in Sanders county. It has a lookout tower at the summit that apears to be in good shape but was not manned the day I was there. A recreation permit is required to recreate off road on the reservation and the cost is $100 a season. Any local sporting goods store will have them. Although I did not encounter another person on this drive and could have gotten away without the permit, you DO NOT want to get caught by the tribal police, who do patrol their lands, without this permit.