Summary - Bird Mountain, in the Indian Heaven Wilderness, combines good trails and a steep bushwhack (not for beginners). While makes for a longish day, link it with Lemei Rock for a two summit, twelve point outing. The trip from Portland to the Cultus Creek Campground (day fee or pass required) is about two hours on mosly paved roads. ATT digital service is good, as is APRS.
Summary - Lemi Rock, in the Indian Heaven Wilderness, combines good trails, a steep bushwhack (not for beginners), and some optional ridge scrambling. While makes for a longish day, link it with Bird Mountain for a two summit, twelve point outing. The trip from Portland to the Cultus Creek Campground (day fee or pass required) is about two hours on mosly paved roads. ATT digital service is good, as is APRS.
Start the ascent at 45.99028, -121.80308 on the Thomas Lake trail. Initially the trail threads between two lakes then starts up an old logging road (my guess) before Indian Heaven became a wilderness in 1984.
Note that it can be very windy on the easterly exposed summit, especially if there is any kind of east wind in the Gorge.
Summary - East Crater is approached via good trails and a steepish bushwhack through burn terrainFrom the Thomas Lake trailhead, hike both East Crater and Gifford Peak as a ten mile outing with 2500 feet of gain. From Carson, WA take Wind River Highway up and all but the last bit of the two hour drive (from Portland) is on paved road. A NW Discover Pass is required and this is a popular area, so the parking will be tight on weekends.
Ball Mountain is a relatively easy drive-near summit in the Oregon coast range, east of Lincoln City. Your passenger vehicle will get you close to the summit, followed by a short walk and then a bushwhack, neither of which is challenging. The summit area itself is treed in with ample space to set up and plenty of trees for antennas.
Getting There: DO NOT USE GOOGLE MAPS TO GET HERE!!!! Google maps will lead you straight to a gated road. Have your GPS open or a map next to you while you try to navigate this. From highway 14, turn North on Rock Creek Driver like you're headed to Skamania Lodge. Continue half a mile and then turn left on Foster Creek Road. Next turn left on Red Bluff Road which will become CG-2000. Continue a little less than a mile until you see the intersection with CG 2022 splitting up the hill to the left.
This summit is best accessed via FR 4610, running east from the La Dee Flat OHV area. A high clearance vehicle with all-terrain tires is recommended, as the road is quite rocky and subject to rock slides and debris from steep hillsides. Note: as of this writing, there a section of 4610 that has been severely washed out, and may be impassable by anything but a 4x4 designed for off-road travel (45.21130, -121.95542).
This summit is best accessed via FR 4610, running east from the La Dee Flat OHV area. A high clearance vehicle with all-terrain tires is recommended, as the road is quite rocky and subject to rock slides and debris from steep hillsides.
Start on the game trail just east of the turnout at 45.21254, -121.98528, and follow the ridge to the top. It's a fairly easy bushwhack, with a steady climb of 423' over 0.75 miles.
The narrow summit was just barely long and open enough for my 67' EFHW. Nice view of Mt. Hood to the NE.
NC-069 is one of the handful of 2 pointers in the Oregon NC region, located in the Tillamook State Forest. It's fairly remote, past Cedar Butte or Triangulation depending on the route you choose to take, but it can be paired with either one in a day. It requires a short but strenuous climb with bushwhacking, and rewards you with a nice open summit area with good views of the surrounding peaks and valleys.
To reach 069 from Triangulation nc005 (distances given from Triangulation intersection at 45.62829, -123.64352) - Red route on the map below:
NC-130 is another of the recently added peaks during the 2023 ARM update, currently the last of the Oregon NCs. If that's a goalpost you're looking to achieve, or you're feeling particularly completionist, or you just like a good bushwhack, proceed on. Otherwise, maybe skip this one. It's on public land, and consists of a 6 mile forest road drive, combined with a 1.5 mile hike and bushwhack. This peak is easiy paired with NC-099.