Join us for a Central Oregon S2S Party - ready to go at 11am on Saturday, 27 August. Coordination for the event will be by Chris-KC7UJO as needed to reduce doubling and confusion - listen for his voice of reason.
If you will join us, post an ALERT on https://sotawatch.sota.org.uk for 27 August at 1800z for 146.58-FM with "Central Oregon S2S Party!" in the comment field.
WTA has a good Trail Report at https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/trip-reports/trip_report.2015-03-26.4118740807 with good general directions to PCT parking off the paved FS-5603 road.
This was the first activation of the summit. This was a straight-up bushwhack climb of around 500 feet and a ½ mile. Just before the summit there is a 15-foot vertical rock scramble. After searching around I found a route that I felt safe attempting. My fears far outweighed the reality. I tried to find a USGS marker but failed. What I did, however, was disturb a flying ant colony. The ants swarmed me but never bit. I moved away from the area and luckily the wind picked up and they dispersed.
This was the first activation of Spring Benchmark. Prior knowledge would have been helpful, but some early google earth research resulted in a successful ascent/activation.
Corvallis American Legion Post #91's, amateur radio club KG7SPL, presents the 2022 W7M six by six SOTA Rendezvous, starting at local sunrise (1240 UTC), Saturday, September 17th until local sunset (0102 UTC 9/19) Sunday, September 18th, in the Bitterroot Valley in western Montana.
Six by Six, simply means; climb a 6,000' or higher summitand activate it on 6 meters.
We want to see if the "Magic Band" is really magical.
We have club members who will be activating, and chasing, many for the first time.
It's rare to find trails that are as well worn as Quartzite in this area. This trail is basically an urban hill near Chewelah, WA and sees regular use. The first half mile is the steepest, with several forks to switchbacks. All trails lead back to the main trail. In every case, take the less steep fork and avoid creating an erosion a path. The campsite at the one mile point is a good rest stop with summit register. The real summit though (and AZ) is another 1/2 mile. Follow the trail as it traverses two false summits to the actual summit at 1.5 mi in.
The Cedar Creek Fire is threatening the Waldo Mtn Lookout. The Middle Fork District (Willamette Nat'l Forest) wrap the lookout with a fire-resistant laminate foil. Hopefully the lookout escapes the nearby fire...
Pretty cool video of the wrap process: https://fb.watch/eNAnhAXa1-/
W7I/SI-151 is located near Lava Hot Springs Idaho. The summit is on Idaho Public Land but accessed through posted private land. You MUST get permission from the land owner who is generally reasonable when permission is asked and he has no cultivated crops.
I tried for this one after doing Cresent Mountain and was unsuccessful. Crescent Mountain | August 2022 | pnwsota.org
I left the main trail and bushwacked to the ridgeline. (44.48111,-122.08128)
Cresent Mountain can be approached via the north trail or the south trail. I took the north trail. South trail is described here. Crescent Mountain - Hike Oregon
You can get to the trailhead for the south trail by taking Lava Lake mdw road off highway 22. (44.4859,-122.00008)