I had recent occasion to visit Northern Idaho and was able to fit in a few activations.
For this summit, it seemed like there was no good way to access the Stimson property.
However, going around the back on Baker Lake Rd yielded a locked gate onto Sunrise Hill Lane around (48.209256, -117.265011) posted non-motorized access only about a mile from the summit.
Starting from State Highway 231 northbound towards Chewalah and turn right on Hafer Rd. The turn left on Cottonwood Creek Rd and then right on Horseshoe Lake Rd. Finally, there is a left turn on Mud Lake Rd. This is somewhat rough and I would not do it after a heavy rain. Alternatively, follow 231 into town and turn right on Flowery Trail Rd to the other end of Mud Lake Rd. In any case, you can park at the Quartzite Mt Trailhead. There are several spots available up and down the road.
I had corresponded with Matt W7MDN and he graciously sent me a GPS track for this summit. His previous account is here.
However, upon arrival at the gate, I was met with a No Trespassing sign which included rather explicit details about the lead that would be sent my way if I chose to ignore the sign.
I was unable to locate another way across the private property from Rail Canyon Rd to the WA Resource Management Area.
This one-point peak is located on a parcel owned by Nuveen Natural Capital, the current owner for what we used to call Lewis & Clark Timerland. Fortunately, the new ownership has continued to offer a generous public access policy with a free permit. Furthermore, Nuveen maintains a hunting season schedule wherin they open a number of gates for motorized access. We took advantage of this season to make for a nearly driveup, albeit in miserable late fall conditions.
Two summit summary here because these can easily be done back to back. Looking for any uniques to try to achieve my 200 unique goal, Robin and I drove north to check Malone and London Peak out. Both were very easy, near drive ups. These both are a possible quick break off I-5 on a commute.
The mountains near Marble Mountain hold snow for longer at a lower elevation than other nearby mountains, so keep that in mind. Even at 2600 feet elevation, which is pretty low, there was still 2 feet of snow on the road all the way up to where I left the road to bushwhack the rest of the way to the summit.
There is a bridge out but someone has laid the guardrails from the old bridge across the creek and that works for crossing on foot. You could carry a bike across if needed.
Willamette Pass is a really fun activation if you are a downhill skier/snowboarder. The resort uses a demand pricing model so you can get really smoking deals on tickets if you can buy early or go on off days. We paid $34 per ticket for our April Saturday, not bad considering they also gave us $10 per person credit at the ski shop or restaurant.
NO VHF!
Full report here
I'm not sure if Sheepy is technically "PNW" but I wanted to make sure those in the area know about this fabulous summit. It's a steep climb just over a mile up the SE ridge starting at the Tulelake NWR Headquarters-now I think Klamath Basin Refuges. It was an amazing experience of a hike with interesting plateaus and ridges and seeing and hearing plenty of songbirds, raptors, eagles, deer, etc. There is nothing to block your 360 view and it is absolutely amazing.
A couple years ago William, W6BIL, reached out to me through a local facebook hiking page because I had a bunch of free local hiking books to give away and he saw I was a ham. He too was a ham but had not been operating for years. We touched base and I found out he hiked Nugget Butte fairly regularly but was not a summiter. I got info from William on the legality of hiking, he never had an issue but I eventually gave Gold Hill a call.
Date: April 3, 2024
Overview:
On a glorious day filled with exceptional weather and remarkable views, I embarked on a SOTA activation of Mount Erie (W7W/SK-169). This report chronicles my journey, equipment used, band conditions encountered, and memorable experiences during the activation.
Weather and Wildlife Encounters: