Good Views From Summit

I was looking for a First Activation during the W7O campout and decided on Charlton Butte.  It was a relatively easy hike with great views.  I think the reason it wasn't previously activated is the plethora of other peaks in the area and the recent fire eliminated the bushwhack.  My wife (KE7HUP) and I were joined by Alison (KO6KZO) and here father (KM6AM).

Diving to the trail head is smoother from the west than the east.  The hike is an easy 1.5 miles with 800' elevation.  The trail is half on the PCT and half off-trail.  A gps is useful.

This SOTA summit is named after the male donkey. And if well trained, it would've been nice to have had one along on this trip.

Access the jeep trail along Frenchglen Highway 205 is here: 42.91903, -118.88723. You're within BLM land after under 100m, and for the rest of the trek. There was no gate to enter.

Shook Mountain is the apex on the north end of a small rib of mountains lying between the East and West Forks of the Bitterroot River, and the Idaho/Montana border to the south.  Having good views of both those valleys there are also fine views of rugged peaks in the Selway-Bitterroot Wilderness.

White Mountain, a US Forest Service Lookout since 1934, had been updated to an L4 Lookout cabin on a 41’ wooden tower in 1954.  It is on the National Register of Historic Lookouts. It has good views of the southern Bitterroot Mountains, the Great Burn Wilderness Study Area, the Idaho/Montana border and the Lolo National Forest.

Current access is hiking approximately 2 miles through forest and along a permanently closed road.

Stevens Peak is a forested summit overlooking Noxon Reservoir on the Clark Fork River. Much of the summit hike is along good loop Stevens Ridge Trail #1083. The summit is south of the small community of Noxon, Montana and the Noxon dam. The summit is a broad forested flat but there are good views of Noxon Reservoir and Cabinet Mountains on the northeast side of the summit where trees give way to steep rocky and grassy areas. 

Trail miles: 1.8 on-trail, 0.3 off-trail, both round trip

Elevation gain: 800’

This nondescript summit is almost indistinguishable from the surrounding ridges and summits.  It does have a rocky forested summit traversed by an old logging skid trail.  It also lies at the head of interestingly named creek, Dirty Ike.

Being close to Clinton, MT, just off Interstate 90 and having a logging road traversing south slopes to just below this summit makes an easy activation or possible easy winter activation.

Trees on the summit provide good support for hanging wire antennas.    

Trail Miles: 0.5 roundtrip

Dec 2025 Update: Access road to the Woodpecker Trailhead is now open. This road passes right past Forest Road 035 which is the turnoff described in the original trip report (http://www.pnwsota.org/node/681). Road 035 has been cleared of all large deadfall, but does narrow in places so suggest you walk this if you don't want paint scratches on the vehicle.

Dec 2025 Update: This area has been radically transformed by massive forest fires. Access roads to Timber Butte are now open after years of being closed (image below).  The burned trees near roads have been logged to keep them clear. The summit and all of Forest Road 812 is completely burned.  Summit views posted to SOTA Atlas.

Engle Peak has spectacular views of the southern Cabinet Mountains Wilderness Area. Peak access is over good roads and a lightly used trail. 

Access is via the Klootchy Creek County Park off of HW26 just 2 miles east of Hwy 101 near Seaside. There's plenty of parking. And a pit toilet.

The summit and access are on Nuveen Natural Capital (private) property, previously Lewis and Clark Timberland. A (free, as of 2025) access permit is required from https://nncpermits.com/ Get the one for NNC_OR_25.