Activation Reports

The trail was difficult at this time of year with significant blowdown from an ice storm in February. I actually turned back twice but then decided to give it one more try. (Well, two more.) The attached photo shows the obliterated trail - the blowdown went on for almost a mile. I also hit continuous snow at 2200 feet (Augspurger tops out near 3700). I eventually lost the trail again in the snow kicking steps and then was postholing for about an hour. I ended up being an hour and a half late to my activation altogether.

THIS Mount Scott (Scott, Mount in the ARM) is a volcanic cinder cone (extinct) southeast of Portland, Oregon. The summit is 1095 feet ASL. This summit is in a suburban neighborhood with little public space within the activation zone.

A good address for activating the summit is 11500 SE Ridgeway Drive, Happy Valley, OR 97086. Note that access is from the south and east - there are restricted streets on the west side of Mount Scott. SE Idleman Road to SE Taylor Road is a suggested route. 

Prune Hill is an extinct volcanic vent, 755 feet ASL, located in Camas, Washington, about 30 minutes from Portland, Oregon. This summit is in a suburban neighborhood with no public space near the summit itself. 

Dorothy Fox Park to the northeast is within the activation zone. The closest address to the summit appears to be 2702 NW 18th Avenue, Camas, WA 98607.

Fred Beckey's book, 'Cascade Alpine Guide' tells readers that Pinnacle Peak is not the highest in the Tatoosh peaks, but Pinnacle's central position and attractive form have made it the most popular ascent in Mt Rainier National Park.  He's right about that...

Let's start by making sure we are talking about Oregon's Larch Mountain and not one of the two Larch Mountains in Washington, and not the one in Idaho either.

UPDATE MARCH 2022 - Permits required weekends April 23 to June 12, plus Memorial Day. 

Dog Mountain is a wonderful climb nine months of the year - but in March we went from spotty sun and 38F to snow blowing sideways at 25 mph and perhaps 27F in a partial white out. It's a bit less than eight miles round trip with 2900 feet of gain.

Biddle Butte is also known as Mount Zion and is located in Skamania County, Washington, about 20 miles west of Portland, Oregon. Biddle Butte is 1,460 feet ASL and was named for Henry J. Biddle, an early conservationist of the Gorge.  Biddle was responsible for building the trail to the top of Beacon Rock, completed in 1918. There is no public access to this summit. 

This is a straightforward drive-up activation about an hour south of Bend with great views. Paulina Peak and North Paulina Peak are both in the Newberry National Volcanic Monument - you might consider a double activation of these peaks and an overnight stay in one of the campgrounds. 

This would be a great activation on a mountain bike - the single track looks like a good time. On busy weekends hikers might be outnumbered by bikes - however, for this early fall, late evening activation I saw no one on the trail. The trail is about 4.1 miles one way with about 0.3 miles of that cross country and 1300 feet of elevation gain. Here is a map of the trails in this area.

There's nothing particularly interesting about Pete's Mountain - it's essentially a suburban pavement activation for one point. There's no public space so one ends up standing on the public right of way a few feet from the road, pretty much in someone's front yard. I was across the street from the actual 'summit' that's in the front yard of a large house.