Exposed Summit

We had a couple delays getting to Dog Mountain but it was our own doing. We came from the east side opposite Dog Lake and took a road up which was not a proper access anymore. Burn scar, landslides and unmaintained roads made it impossible, and dangerous. You must enter from the west side of the mountain on Dog Mountain Rd. If you drive to the very top it is tight for parking. When we arrived the lookout was manned by a young man Lance who was very welcoming and let us set up on the lookout balcony.

This was the last of three for the day. By this time my memory is getting a bit blurry. We took RD 3780 off of RD 28. Hiked on the overgrown roads that are on some maps (3780 320) until it looked good to start climbing up. A lot of burnt timber on the mountain. Combination of boulder patches and timber but plenty of room. de AG7GP

Cougar Peak was another summit for the day I thought there may be better access on than there really was. Instead it was not much better than Yainax Butte which I did earlier in the day. There is a trail or road going up that can make for a good hike. It is an unusual mountain of piled shale. We drove further up than most would choose to. Steep drop off, brush in narrow road, driving on large flat shale, and 3 point switchbacks. My designated SOTA driver, Robin N7HAP, goes the extreme sometimes!

Yainax Butte, or as the surveyor pin says, “Yonna”, was a mountain I was hoping to drive up to the lookout and do a quick activation on my way to SOTA campout/"expedition" in the Fremont NF west of Lakeview. The roads were awful. There are a couple ways to get there, just follow the maps but once you get to the main access road to summit, it is extreme 4wd rutty, rock crawl for about 3 or 4 miles. We ended up going all the way but I do not recommend it. It would be better off as maybe a  day hike up rather than drive.

Eagle Point was a very enjoyable 6-point summit located just southeast of the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center in Olympic National Park.  After activating the very popular Hurricane Hill W7W/NO-086 last year, I wanted to explore a few summit options nearby along the Obstruction Point Road.  This road is a well maintained dirt road and is generally open from mid-July through October (it is alway good to check road access via the link below).  The road is accessed by turning a sharp left just before the parking lot to the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center.  

The trail to Spot Mountain is a typical multi-switchback route rising from the steep Selway River Canyon walls to long undulating ridges.  These ridges were used historically by American Indians as routes to bison hunting areas in the eastern plains from the lowlands of the Salmon and Snake river drainages that supported huge runs of salmon and steelhead. 

Indian ‘peel trees’ are still evident today on many large old Ponderosa Pine that dominate much of the area. 

Lookout Mountain is a US Forest Service active Lookout.  Though not has high as some surrounding summits, it is typical of lookouts having good forest views.  The summit is accessible by automobile.  Trees are available for hanging wire antennas.    

Apparently seasonal lookout personnel or visitors erect tipis frequently near the summit.  Along the Hugh’s Creek road you will pass a Historic US Forest Service Ranger’s cabin.  It was built in 1899.  It is worth a visit. 

Spectacular peaks of the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness are in view from this summit.  September visits are rewarded with brilliant yellow to orange needled alpine larch, a deciduous high elevation conifer and many times snowfall. 

The summit is an open scree with clumps of small <10’ tall whitebark pine.  Views are 360 degrees and the large open summit provides a fine area for antennas. 

I have to say, this summit is now at the top of my list. I went expecting an easy drive to 8 pt summit, but there was still about 3-5 ft deep snow drifts about 1 mile before summiting, but boy was the hike nice. The view is incredible. You can see just about all the regional highlights, snowy side of Mt. McLauglin with Fourmile Lake at its base right beside you, Crater Lake Rim, Thielson, Shasta, Upper Klamath Lake, Siskiyou Crest, Red Buttes, Aspen Butte, some big ones west of Crater Lake I did not get the name for, lava flows, and natural lakes.

Granite Peak is a picturesque summit with huge granite boulders with interesting eroded patterns.  It is a great operating location with outstanding views of the Great Burn of 1910.  The trail is easy to follow and in-season wanders through some good huckleberry patches. 

There are plenty of trees to erect antennas and room to stretch wire antennas in the activation zone around a somewhat difficult to scramble large boulder summit.