Iron Mountain is located east of Sweet Home, Oregon and is a very popular hike so expect a number of other hikers, especially on a weekend. TH parking may be challenging when it's busy.
There is a new, large observation platform built where the old firetowers used to be. This summit is quite exposed if the wind is blowing. The vistas are superb with precipitous dropoffs to the south and east. The trail is 2.4 miles RT and 700 feet gain.
Wolf Mtn is located southeast of Oakridge. It is a radio comm site with numerous VHF antennas (+ other transmitters) on one tower to the west. The other east tower is an ATT celltower (good coverage!). The access roads are good and 2wd passable with some careful driving especially on FS2316 which is narrow in places.
Getting There
A beautiful Fire Lookout on Huckleberry Mtn with great vistas of the Three Sisters. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy before the lookout becomes active for the summer.
Getting There
On 5 June, 2013 I headed up to Wildcat Mtn. in the Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness section of Mt. Hood National Forest OR for my first attempt at a SOTA activation. This is a quick and easy trip out of the Portland area, so give it a go!
Douglas Trail #781: route described below starts at Upper Douglas Trailhead
Driving Directions:
Just south of downtown Issaquah is Squak Mountain. It's a Washington State Park and so access is straightforward. From the north trailhead it's 2.3 miles one way on a maze of trails where it's a good idea to check the trail map carefully as there are several junctions on the way to the summit and one unsigned (very short) trail link.
Along this trail I observed the largest spruce trees I've seen in Oregon - the trail is nearly a perfect picture of the Oregon coastal rain forest. That being said, there are no expansive views, no place for your antenna, and no place to sit...but it is an nice hike on the Oregon coast and close to Highway 101.
Pinnacle Peak W7W/KG-126 – 2 points - May 9, 2013
This seemingly easy-peasy 2 point summit is right in my big backyard. The trailhead is about a mile from the Enumclaw Starbucks. Buzzed out on coffee the popular trailhead was found on the north side of Cal Manussun Park which is part of the King County (WA) parks system. Myself, Pat WT7N, and her brother Mike set out to have a nice walk in the woods.
The following text is from the King County Parks ‘Big Backyard’ map/pamphlet:
Most of the Oregon south coast summits are accessible only by dirt roads. access to summit bases are on un maintained dirt roads. Since the South Coast gets, on average, 6 feet of rain a year, well, you can imagine what a steep unmaintained dirt road looks like.
Note that there is another Idaho "Squaw Butte-W7I/SR-089" and that this "Squaw Butte" is also the name given to the long ridge just to the east of this two-pointer. However, the ridge and it's associated peak, "Squaw Butte South" doesn't have the required prominence for SOTA. But hey, the real peak is only a few miles away.
