1.6 mi, +1,300 feet, -40 feet

This is an easy off-trail hike.  There are likely nice views from the summit, but it was socked in when I was there, so I can’t say for sure.

A gentle pitch trail terminates at Savage Ridge.  Of interest to hams might be the Natural Resources and Conservation Service Snotel Site near the trail head.  This is snow water content and weather measuring station is complete with snow pillows and a 40-50Mhz meteor burst telemetry station/antenna. 

The hike to Eagle Cliff on Stateline National Recreation Trail #738 has many scenic views along the route including alpine cirque basins and alpine lakes, Cliff and Diamond, and some small unnamed lakes. Wildlife encountered along the trail were mule deer, several dusky grouse and a family of Clark’s nutcrackers. 

A steep trail climb breaks onto an open grassland with scattered Rocky Mountain subalpine fir makes this summit a great operating position.  Located on the Idaho/Montana border it has panoramic views of the regrown forest after the great burn of 1910.  Early season wildflowers can be abundant including glacier lilies, buttercups and western pasqueflowers.

Blackrock Peak is named for the dark gray to black lichens growing on the summit boulder field.  The rock itself is mostly light tan-colored and from a distance the dark lichen patterns appear like large stationary cloud shadows draped over the summit and adjoining ridges.

The first of three activations in a weekend - if you can activate this one, I recommend several other peaks in the area as well. This was a first activation, so subsequent attempts may find better routes.

I planned a weekend with three summits in a day, and by all accounts probably could have managed if it weren't for a few things.

Getting there:

Anyone have an opinion on this type or style of antenna?  With or w/o the gooseneck?

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZYXKWND/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=...

The Skinny:

 Trail head: 44.9022, -121.7979

 Trail Turn: 44.8958, -121.8424

 Hike Distance : 6 miles round trip

 Hike Elevation gain: 1600 ft

The Story:

Bad Luck Mountain is an old US Forest Service Lookout site that had a structure from 1939 till about 1980.  Only a few concrete blocks remain today.  The summit is mostly forested now with 25-40 year-old Douglas-fir and ponderosa pine.  Open grassland falls steeply from the summit to the south.

2.8 mi, +1,200 feet, -200 feet

The hike to this summit is off-trail through a thick lodgepole and fir forest.  Although the undergrowth is only calf high, there is a moderate amount of deadfall through most of the hike, which makes for slower going.