Skookum Butte is an old US Forest Service lookout at 7215’ on the Idaho/Montana border. The summit and lookout rests on massive granite boulders. Not having enough room at the lookout to secure our long wire antenna, K7PX Steve secured one end of the End Feed Long Wire to the top boulder, pitched the other end over the cliff and operated the antenna from below as a sloper. The lookout offers a fine view of the northeast end of the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness.

We began our route from the west at the North Fork Blackfoot trailhead. Reaching the summit from here involves fording the North Fork of the Blackfoot River which can typically be accomplished in the later summer or the fall season. The other route is to go up the Bear Lake Trail and jump across a few small streams.

Patterson Mountain is a 4460’ asl summit a few miles west of Oakridge, OR. It is rated at two points. To get there, drive east on Highway 58 for 24.7 miles from I-5 Exit 188A. Between mile posts 24 and 25 turn right on gravel Patterson Mountain Road 5840 and drive  five uphill miles to a fork at Patterson Saddle. Turn left on Rd 1714 and go 3.1 miles to a left turn on 5847. Follow that for 200 yards and then turn left on possibly unmarked Rd 555 and go another 0.4 miles. The trailhead is on the left, but it was labeled “Lawler Trail”.

On a beautiful early October day, my XYL and I headed south to check out a W7O/SC-xxx summit. We chose King Mountain, a 5264 ft, four point peak with RF facilities on top. To get there get off of I-5 at Exit 78 and head east onto Speaker Rd. This road merges onto 33-5-10 which continues on past Azalea, OR. We used Google Maps directions which got us into the vicinity, but the road names become derivatives of 33-5-xx-xx and there are discrepancies in maps of the area. It is probably best to use a GPS and maps to find the route that ultimately gets you to the summit.

Table Rock, near Silver Lake, OR, is a distinctive flat topped butte that is visible for many miles away. It is a four point summit at 5621’ asl, that can be a drive up if you have a high clearance, 4x4 vehicle and some nerve. Its south central OR location is fairly remote, but I think it is worth the drive. My XYL, Christina, did most of the driving.

Peak 2445 - just another nondescript peak in Oregon’s Coastal Range, or is it? It turns out that this is an easy drive-up peak a little more than a half hour’s drive west of Forest Grove and should be considered a good peak for SOTA beginners.

Birkenfeld Mountain is a summit that can be done as part of a challenging three peak traverse that would include Three Corner Rock-W7W/LC-101 and Greenleaf Peak-W7W/LC-104. Or Three Corner and Birkenfeld and back the way you came - those two summits make for a 10 mile day.

Emergency Closure Effective Aug 5, 2021

Park is closed until further notice due to a failed footbridge on the trail. There is no estimated date for reopening at this time. Park staff are assessing options for repair. 

Mill Creek Buttes West is east of Mount Hood and inside the boundary for The Dalles Watershed. It is posted "NO TRESPASSING" and should not be activated. Nearby Lookout Mountain, W7O/CN-008 is a good choice.