Easy Trail

I activated Holland Point, W7O/WV-017, on 13 May 2016. This is typically an easy hike to the top of the 1542 m (5057') Cascade foothill south of Cottage Grove, OR.  The directions are given below.  However, there can be obstacles early in the season before crews have cleared downed trees from the roads.  That was the problem I ran into.  There were downed trees not only on the gravel approach road, but on the paved through route that gets there.  There were patches of snow as well.

This is a nice spring hike on good trails.  To get there from Missoula:

Wind Mountain is a great hike with fantastic views near Hood River Oregon.  It is on the Washington State side of the river so your will need to cross the toll bridge to the Washington side if you are coming from Hood River, OR.

The toll is $1 I think and is well worth the price of admission for Wind Mountain.  You will pass the parking for Dog Mtn on the way to Wind Mtn if coming from Hood River.  Dog Mtn is another popular hike to a SOTA summit.

Crown Butte is one of several laccoliths that protrude from the prairie south west of Great Falls.  It is the smaller cousin of the nearby Square Butte, which figures so famously in Charlie Russell paintings.  The butte is primarily owned by the Nature Conservancy, as a preserve for native prairie grasses.  The summit grasses have been well protected from civilization by the ring of surrounding cliffs.  The Nature Conservancy allows public access, and no notification is required.  Pets, camping, fires, and mountain bikes are not allowed.  The access road and th

After wanting to get started activating peaks under the SOTA program, a push from Brett, KG7FFW got both of us out to do our first activation at Three Lakes Hill on Tuesday the 26th of April.  A frustrating discovery that there were no good place to park that did not require a Discovery Pass, forced a quick trip into Monroe to purchase one. Upon returning, we discovered that someone had spread nails all about the parking area.

This was the first activation of "Peak 4700" off Hwy21 on the way to Idaho City from Boise.  The peak rises right from the hwy, but access is from the opposite (South) side.  This was my second attempt at the peak as an impromptu mountain bike attempt late in 2015 was thwarted by snow.

3 X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3 = Three Activations in three days with three, 3X3 (weak signal) contacts, amongst about 50 contacts overall.  During an early Spring vacation in the Bend, Oregon area, we enjoyed all that Central Oregon is famous for!  Good spring skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, SOTA Activations, and a sampling of several of the more than 80 breweries that exist in the greater Bend area.  This report, number 3 of 3, deals with the Activation of Lava Butte, 5,020 feet, 1,530 meters." src="file:///C:/Users/Mark/A

3 X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3 = Three Activations in three days with three, 3X3 (weak signal) contacts, amongst about 50 contacts overall.  During an early Spring vacation in the Bend, Oregon area, we enjoyed all that Central Oregon is famous for!  Good spring skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, SOTA Activations, and a sampling of several of the more than 80 breweries that exist in the greater Bend area.  This report, number 2 of 3, deals with the Activation of Tumalo Mountain, 7,775 feet, 2,370 meters.

3 X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3 = Three Activations in three days with three, 3X3 (weak signal) contacts, amongst about 50 contacts overall.  During an early Spring vacation in the Bend, Oregon area, we enjoyed all that Central Oregon is famous for!  Good spring skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, SOTA Activations, and a sampling of several of the more than 80 breweries that exist in the greater Bend area.  This report, number 1 of 3, deals with the Activation of Mount Bachelor, 9,065 feet, 2,763 meters.

On midwinter trip to Southern California to visit family, once again we set aside time for several SOTA Activations.  This report details the Activation of Point 4202, off SR2, the Angeles Crest Highway, in the San Gabriel Mountains.  I had previously Activated many nearby SOTA Summits, and had driven right below and by Point 4202 without being aware of it.  Being our last day in So. Cal.