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Mahogany Mountain, Idaho | October 2022

Submitted by KI7EMX on
Summit

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, Idaho | September 2022

Submitted by K7VK on
Summit

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, Idaho | July 2022

Submitted by K7VK on
Summit

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’ 

frog lake buttes or (via trails 530 and 484) | october 2022

Submitted by K7WXW on
Summit

Summary - Frog Lake Buttes doesn't have views but is a nice hike in the summer and a good snowshoe or ski destination in the winter.  Park at the Frog Lake Sno Park and you have a choice of three routes: a 2.5 mile service road (the usual winter route), a 4.5 mile trail hike that starts on the PCT and winds around to the northwest side of the butte, or a 2.5 mile trail hike up the east side.  Two meter contacts into Portland and Vancouver will be tough without a yagi or j pole, self-spotting is easy, and APRS digis ping.

big bull wa | october 2022

Submitted by K7WXW on
Summit

Summary - Big Bull is one of three peaks (LC-100, LC-091, LC-068) in the Northeast corner of Weyerhauser's Longview land. It is a drive up roughly two hours from Portland, much of it over logging roads. There is a very short hike (twenty yards)  to the densely forested summit and the best operating position is in an opening a little below the top.  Don't count on two meters to make your four QSOs. Cell phone service is marginal, and APRS pings get picked up.

3860 (mount binary) wa | october 2022

Submitted by K7WXW on
Summit

Summary - 3860 (Mount Binary) is one of three peaks (LC-100, LC-091, LC-068) in the Northeast corner of Weyerhauser' Longview parcel. It is roughly two and a half hours from Portland, much of it over logging roads. There is a short hike (less than a mile) up an unused logging road which ends on an open ridge with nice views.  Don't count on two meters to make your four QSOs. Cell phone service is marginal, and APRS pings get picked up.

3566 (mount diode) wa | oct 2022

Submitted by K7WXW on
Summit

Summary - 3566 (Mount Diode) is one of three peaks (LC-100, LC-091, LC-068) in the Northeast corner of Weyerhauser-owned land. It is roughly two and a half hours from Portland, much of it over logging roads that get rougher as you go higher. The summit is clear cut and covered with stumps and the best operating position is along the road.  Don't count on two meters to make your four QSOs. Cell phone service is marginal, and APRS pings get picked up. There are good views of the surrounding hills.

Lane Peak, WA | Oct 2022 (attempt)

Submitted by N7LFO on
Summit

Access:

Rainier National Park pass required, $30 per vehicle for the day. Nisqually Entrace is closest to I-5 and reached via Elbe WA. There are a number of routes to Lane Peak depending on road closures. Stevens Pass road closes for winter (even in the hottest October ever recorded). Parking available at several points along Paradise Valley Rd. We parked at the closure which is near Ruby Falls. This leaves you with about 1 mi of road walk before descending toward Tatoosh Creek directly toward Lane from the North of the peak.

Route:

1485 Cypress Island North Peak, WA | Sep 2022

Submitted by K7ATN on
Summit

Cypress Mountain North Peak (1485) was successfully activated September 18. Four of us climbed to the summit just under 1500’. We had 12 vhf 2M contacts including one Summit-to-Summit with Mt Thompson about 98 miles away. The approach from Eagle Harbor is about 3 miles going via Cypress Lake. At the lake continue on the old road on the south side until it turns into a use trail. About 300’ below the summit bushwhack up some rocky outcrops to a clear area and setup. You can see to the east south west as you move around.