Activation Reports

I have been doing SOTA now since Dec. 2018..with the Winter months on the way I thought that I would submit summit info here in SE Idaho.  I am about the only station here that actively participates in SOTA so I thought I would pass these along..let me know if you are ever in the area and want to do some summits..or shoot me a email if you have any questions.....73's Bill-N0DNF.....

Peak 2020 is relatively easy-to-access summit near the city of Tillamook on BLM land. It's nearly or fully drive up depending on your transport. From the look of the area, it's probably a known go-to spot for offroaders and hunters in the local forest who want a good view and a place for an evening fire.

Kerby Peak is a summit that can be reached on a very well maintained trail with good instructions and descriptions already on the web:

The Hike: https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Kerby_Peak_Hike

The Trail head: https://www.oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Kerby_Peak_Trailhead

It’s rocky on top so I suggest bringing your own antenna support.

Brandy Peak is a short hike on a good trail. It is accessible in any vehicle. It’s not close to a population center. You knew there was a catch. The views from the top are spectacular and 360 degrees. It might be on your shuttle route if you are running the Wild and Scenic section of the Rogue or the Illinois Rivers. Road is closed in winter.

Bear Camp Summit is a name I have given this peak which is just off of Bear Camp Road (NF-23). Bear Camp road is famous to river runners as the shuttle road when doing the Wild and Scenic section of the Rogue river. It is infamous for the Kim family tragedy. Don't attempt this activation in winter.

Cedar Springs Mountain is a peak near Grants Pass that is an easy walk from a locked gate, 1.7 miles round trip with 500 feet of elevation gain. There is communications equipment on the summit, but I suffered no RFI because of it. It has a nice operating point with lots of options for stringing antennas including large and small trees and the communications area fence posts. I found an all natural pole support. View is nice, but is blocked a bit by the trees so a bit of walking around is needed to see it all.

Poly Top Butte is a good second summit to add on a trip to China Hat W7O/CE-053. Here’s a few notes from my activation:

If you’re driving to this area from Bend, I recommend that you take Hwy 97 south to La Pine and then take primary Forest Route 22 (paved) east to meet China Hat Rd (Rt 18).  This way you’ll stay more on paved roadways.  If you come straight down China Hat Rd from Bend, expect a long, dusty, and very bumpy ride.  While China Hat Rd is wide and graveled, it is heavily used and there’s significant washboarding.

At less than 4 miles of good road off Highway 93, Sula Peak is a popular ‘travelers’ summit for drive-up VHF DN25/DN35 and SOTA activations.  A modern US Forest lookout and a communications facility occupy the summit.  Frequently there are bighorn sheep grazing in the area and especially in the spring on the highway. 

Giveout Mountain's summit can be reached by car or truck on generally good logging roads. Portions of the drive up are steep and narrow; I recommend 4WD. There is recent evidence of a shooting range on the summit. During my visit several groups scouted the area and there were at least a dozen such ranges set up in the vicinity. I imagine that arriving in the late morning on a weekend day may lead to disappointment.

A 'sorta' near drive-up in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest north of Carson. You can drive within a mile of this unremarkable peak and likely have a nice quiet time playing radio.