No View From Summit

McMurray Benchmark is a 1-point summit located near I-5, just northeast of Stanwood, WA.  I had driven by the entrance (where you turn north onto 12th Ave NW) in the past, but saw a no tresspassing sign and wasn't sure about driving up the road.  This time, after I turned onto 12th Ave NW and drove 0.5 miles to the parking area... I was surprised at how many cars were parked at the trailhead.  As long as you fill out the waiver form near the entrance, you are not tresspassing when you hike to the summit.  Below is a link with more information about the area.

I read Tim N7KOM's summit report from last week and decided to get while the getting was good.  Things were still pretty much as he described from the previous weekend.  The 2 trees were still blocking the road.  The good thing about that is that there is a wide spot in the road just around the previous corner to park.  There was only one other wide spot after that to park before the gate and nowhere to turn around. 

Treefall has been cleared! 

When I did this activation there was treefall at 45.64442, -123.54488. This added approx. 1.5-2mile-ish round trip to the hike. 

Roscoe and I headed up to Rodgers Peak for Winter Field Day. There was a mix of bare road and snow on the road hike up. Generally anywhere in the shade had snow. Snowshoes were not needed and I was not postholing during the hike. 

Buck is pretty much a drive up summit if you have the right vehicle. It is one I pretty much just do because I am near and its 6 points, nothing hugely spectacular. Maybe nice if looking to do a shaded one during the summer. There are 2 peaks to the summit that are both in the activation zone. I have always gone to the one the SOTA marker is on but the other I think may offer view? I'll have to remember that for next year.

Treed area, pretty flat, plenty of area to operate.

The summit of Biddle Butte (aka Mount Zion) is a drive-up radio site located on Corps of Engineers property. Public drive-up access is restricted due to private property and posted no trespassing signs. The private Mount Zion access road goes through the front yard of a residence with posted no trespassing signs at both ends of their property. Partway to the summit above the nearby residence is a locked gate. Radio site service personnel have an easement to travel to Biddle Butte.

This Wildcat Mountain is the one south of Mt. Hood and is just an hour east of Portland, reachable on a paved road. The 2 mile (OW) trail is pleasant with a bit over 1000 feet of gain. In a few places along the trail there is some nice scenery but the summit itself is surrounded by trees and thus has no views.  

Lookout Point is located on the western edge of the Bull Run Watershed Management Unit (BRWMU) and is restricted to the general public. Locked gates are at all road entry locations. Authorized access is required to enter any road access location.

Foley Peak is a short hike including a "choose your own adventure" bushwhack where there used to be a trail but there is no longer, up to the site of what used to be a fire lookout but is no longer. There might be ghosts.

Start either on HWY 101 near Garibaldi and take Miami Foley Rd Northbound, or near Wheeler on HWY 53 onto Miami Foley Rd Southbound. Turn west onto Crystal Creek Rd at ( 45.65115, -123.84824 ). It appears that in the past it might also be possible to go up Frank Crane Rd / Miami River Forest Rd, but when I went that road was closed at Miami Foley.

Summary --  The trailhead for 6001 is on Bennett Pass Road, about two miles from Windy Camp. It may be possible to hike it from Windy Camp on Gunsight Trail but we didn't test this assumption. Bennett Pass Road requires 4WD, low tire pressure, and high clearance and some patience.  6001 can be done with Badger Butte (CN-013). 2M contacts are possible, ATT cell and APRS both work. The summit is rocky and sparsely forested. Here's the summit:

Summary -- Badger Butte is broad, treed summit, with a fairly easy climb from the road. Getting to it by way of Bennett Pass Road requires 4WD, low tire pressure, and high clearance and some patience.  2M contacts are possible and both APRS and ATT digital service work for spots.  Can be done with 6001.