Trailhead has ample, free, accessible parking
There is an activation report link from Doug (N7NGO) on the SotaMaps Summit summary that is basically the information for driving access and the summit hike. Since there is not a PNWSota report, I thought I'd add a few notes.
The access road(s) are very well graded and certainly Prius friendly, whether coming to the City of Rocks National Reserve from the east (Almo, Idaho) or from the north (Oakley, Idaho).
Long Tom Mountain is a long forest road drive mostly through burned forest. The current Long Tom Lookout built in 1977 is ½ mile south of the SOTA summit. Interesting that reports from The Recorder Herald, Salmon ID, state that the Spring Creek Road to the Lookout was completed in 1932 and that the first radio receiving and sending unit was installed at the Lookout in 1934 and high frequency radio in 1950.
Devils Point is a mostly open snag-covered summit with excellent views of the surrounding Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness and the Hell’s Half Acre Lookout. Much of this area has experienced very large wildfires over the last several of decades and abundant snags exist. Operators should be aware of snag hazards when selecting your operating position and hiking especially on windy days.
Trail Miles: 3.0 Roundtrip
Elevation Gain: 700’ Loss: 200’
This was the first activation of Middle Stack Mountain in Nevada. A huge lesson learned (again) is that map resources conflict when it comes to roads, both roads that do not exist, and roads that do not appear on maps. Even when cross referencing maps with Google Earth you can’t be certain that a geological feature that “looks” like a road actually is one! As a first activation, there was no SOTA summit access information, though there were a couple of Peakbagger trip reports. These were somewhat helpful, but they provided no detailed information.
Peak 6100, which I am calling Lemcke Peak, as the only thing near it with a name is Lemcke Spring.
Cougar Rock is a six point peak near John Day Oregon. It is 3 miles round trip with 750 feet of elevation gain. Roads are good to the trailhead at 44.5806, -118.7918. The start of the hike is a rough road that was closed to motor vehicle travel when we were there. The road walk is about ¾ of a mile, but doesn’t gain much elevation. So enjoy that part of the walk. We turned off the road at 44.5825, -118.8026.. It’s a bushwhack from there. There are some dead fall to step over, but mostly its just steep. The summit itself is a pile of rocks with filtered views.
Coal Pit Mountain is a six point summit near Mt. Vernon Oregon. It is a 1.5 mile hike round trip with 600 feet of elevation gain. It starts on an old jeep track/ATV trail that climbs straight up to the ridge line. From there just follow the ridge to the summit. Trail starts at 44.2991, -119.1059.
Driving directions on the Ingle Mtn write up.
http://www.pnwsota.org/blog/wj7wj/2022-october-07/ingle-mountain-or-sep…
This was the first summit we did at the start of our 5 night camping trip, combining SOTA and CQP throughout the week. We camped just below the summit on road 3615-011. It was a beautiful drive in across a very large meadow then into the timber. From 3615-011 turn left on RD 208 and it is up to your vehicle how far you can make it up. We parked about 42.29882, -120.25346. Easy trek up an old road then a short final climb off track. Only about .75 mi RT. Great views of east through the timber, a little bit harder to see other directions.
On a recent trip to Idaho, I had the opportunity to activate Bernard Peak which is a drive up 45min or so from Coeur d'Alene.
The drive up was uneventful, though some sections of the road have quite a few potholes and washboards. I managed it in my wife's Toyota Highlander.
I accessed Johnstone Peak via trail 7121 just southeast of Ketchum. The trailhead begins at 6,528 feet and climbs for approximately 3-miles to a saddle at 8,628-feet (2,236-foot ascent – includes some undulating trail terrain). The trail is well maintained and a comfortable climb to the saddle where you leave the trail to begin the .80 mile / 1,337-foot ascent to the summit. This bushwhack climb is not for the faint of heart.
