Coming up Thursday evening April 27 - another PNW SOTA Virtual Gathering via Zoom. If you've registered on pnwsota.org and checked the "Newsletter" box, you've received the formal invitation. We'll have a presentation on the expedition to Mount Olympus, and another on efficient and effective wire antennas, plus upcoming events for summer! If you didn't get an invite, drop me a note and I'll get you set up.73, de Etienne-K7ATN
South of Bend is a little 2-pointer named Bates Butte. I had mapped out a route from the south side. Frome Bend take South Century Drive and make a left on Forest Lane, a paved forest road. Take a right at 43.80887, -121.50379 and make a short drive up a forest road. There was still a bit of snow when I was there, so 4 wheel drive recommended, but probably doable on 2 wheel drive when dry. I parked at 43.80536, -121.50776. From here look for a decent worn trail heading north up the butte.
This summit was just added to the database and it was a great hike. A nice ~2mi RT hike on a decommissioned road and dirt bike trail. Plenty of room to operate, shade or sun. Outstanding view of the Applegate Valley, Mt Isabelle, and beyond. This is the same parking location for hiking Isabelle so if you're feeling adventurous you could do both. Really adventurous Wellington Butte TH is just a couple miles away.
Maryhill Benchmark is on the east side of SR97 and in the middle of a giant windm9ll farm. From what I can find, all access is blocked by gates and no tresspassing signs. Undoubtedly for security purposes.
Goodnoe Benchmark is a unremarkable roadside activation - until you throw in the turbine blades whirring over your head. The summit proper is dominated by a wind turbine and the closest public place is only a fraction of a mile away - next to the gate for the property. Appropriately, the area is posted no trespassing, but there is a small pull off.
Happy Summer SOTA Goats! Now that we have the W7O Sota campout behind us, it is time to start thinking about the next High Desert SOTA event, the 2nd Annual PNWSota Central Oregon S2S Party, scheduled for Saturday, August 26th. I plan to camp up on Pine Mtn just below the Observatory starting on Friday Aug 25th. There are a lot of dry camping options of the dirt road that splits off NF-2017 @ 43.79365546734924, -120.94649652397455.
We are less than a month away from the 2023 Annular Eclipse that will cross Southern Oregon. Two 8-point SOTA peaks in Southeastern Oregon are in the path of totality: Drake Peak (W7O/CE-002) and
We detoured to Schonchin after going birdwatching at Lower Klamath NWR and Tulelake NWR, disappointed with so few birds and little water (Tulelake dry). It took a commitment to get over the Cascades from the Rogue Valley as there is a lot of snow, but once we reached the east side, the snow was minimal.
I activated these two peaks, NC116 and 118, during summer 2021. At the time, Weyerhaeuser had recently taken ownership of the parcel, and marked the area as open to public walk-in access. Unfortunately, Weyerhaeuser has now moved this land under a lease. Unless you can identify the lease owner and join their club for legal access, these peaks are no longer accessible to activators.
The recent update of the W7O ARM (Association Reference Manual) moved the activation zone of Frog Lake Buttes to the higher of the two butte summits, which gave me a reason to repeat one of my annual snowshoe hikes, notch another unique, and collect a winter bonus. This was my fourth trip to the summit (three in the winter, one in the summer).