Exposed Trail

A very long day to get ten points - the usual for the Northwest. Here in Oregon and Washington, we can't do several drive up ten pointers in one day - it might take 12 hours of hiking just to get to one ten-point summit and back down again.

We left Portland at 2:30am to drive to the trailhead at Marble Mountain Sno-Park off Road 83 a bit past Cougar, WA. Unusually great weather was predicted for this March day. For the majority of the climbing season, permits are sold advance. See https://www.recreation.gov/permits/4675309.

Gales Peak is probably on the "not recommended" list for activations near Portland. Although access is possible, you are not allowed to do it with a motor vehicle, making the six mile round-trip on a logging road fairly unattractive.

A near "drive-up" two-point summit in the Clackamas River drainage with good views. This area is likely busy in the summer but it was mostly quiet on this December day. Note that this area seems to be a popular place for target practice, although there are some areas where the discharge of firearms is prohibited.

A pleasant activation nearly any time of year near Draper, Utah. In January there was snow enough for snowshoes or cross-country skiing to the summit - in summer hiking or a mountain bike could work for the 1.4 mile one-way.

The trailhead starts at Maple Hollow Trailhead Park and the 'trail' is a partially developed road - Deer Ridge Drive. The Park is at the intersection of Deer Ridge Drive and Elk Glen Drive, Draper, UT.

Activation of Tahquitz peak, Riverside County, California - 8,828 Feet, 2,692 Meters.

On vacation with my wife in Southern California, it was possible to combine hiking with Amateur Radio / SOTA.  Based in Palm Springs, California, we ranged throughout the San Jacinto Mountains and Joshua Tree National Park for several days of excursions.

Activation of San Jacinto Peak, High Point of Riverside County, California - 10,843 Feet, 3,305 Meters. 

On vacation with my wife in Southern California, it was possible to combine hiking with Amateur Radio / SOTA.  Based in Palm Springs, California, we ranged throughout the San Jacinto Mountains and Joshua Tree National Park for several days of excursions.

5194 is very close to the two Findley Buttes and it would be very easy to activate all three on the same day (but see K7ATN's entry for Findley Buttes West as access is a bit ambiguous).

This has been the most popular SOTA activation in Oregon with about 64 activations as of October 2017. Easy to reach, it's a recommended 'first time' summit in the Portland area for new activators. The park is near 6 Nansen Summit, Lake Oswego, and parking can be found near 16 Becket Street or 3 Juarez Street, Lake Oswego.

Marys Peak...(no aprostrophe is correct) why bother, everybody has been there...execpt for me. So off we went this morning after deciding to activate at 11:30pm the night before. Nothing like planning ahead. Ah, life on the edge is far more fun!

I posted a video of the activation and hike.