NC-103 is a nice driveup in the Tillamook State Forest near Klichis River. It's easy to pair with NC-078, or if you want to do more work, pairs with Stanley Peak NC-030. If you're already at NC-078, it'll take only about 30 minutes to get over here. If you're already at the coast, this peak is only about 10 miles of gravel road driving outside of the City of Tillamook.
With the reopening of FR 45 in the Mt. Hood National Forest Clackamas Ranger District in Oregon, a set of previously closed peaks are available to activators again just in time for the summer SOTA season! I chose to activate South Fork Mountain, along with Wanderer's Peak (W7O/WV-052), in a single day double. The area was previously closed due to wildfire damage from the 2020 fires.
While the road up is rough, Kings Mountain is a great summit to setup and hang out for the afternoon near Usk, Washington. Take the road up from the Skookum Lake C.G. area, about 2 1/2 miles. The road could be a MTB ride as well; 4WD recommended due to erosion and rocks. There's room to park one or two vehicles at the top, plus a small area to turn around. Plenty of large trees for a arborist's throw line to rig your antenna.
Chumstick Mountain (W7W/CH-196) is a drive-up summit that can easily be reached out of the Leavenworth area. A high clearance vehicle should be used, particularly for the alternative route described below.
The summit is on the Entiat Ridge that also includes Sugarloaf Peak (W7W/CH-195), 5221 Twin Lead Mtn (W7W/CH-206), and 5774 Entiat Ridge Peak (W7W/CH-197). All four summits can be done in one long day. Two of the three summits (Sugarloaf and Chumstick) are drive-ups, Twin Lead is a drive-up or short hike, and Entiat Ridge Peak is a short hike.
2018 Discovery View Hill is a drive-up 2 point summit SW of Sequim. While visiting family in the area, I was looking for a quick activation option in 2018. Since 2018, more of the summit has been logged and the views were amazing from the south side. You are able to see buildings from downtown Seattle, and have great radio line-of-sight to the Puget Sound and Canada.
The summit is a developed overlook with a large parking lot for turning around. Great views in all directions, from Pomerelle to Sun Valley, and beyond. There are no trees on the summit, but many wood fenced informational viewpoints which made it easy to Velcro my antenna masts to.
Access is from paved Rock Creek Road (FS-515). After turning off of Rock Creek Road, the summit access is a 1.4-mile dirt/gravel road (FS-507). There is 642 feet of elevation gain. The road is improved and passable for most vehicles when dry. Google Maps provides good directions to the summit.
Bare Cone Lookout is a popular drive-up destination, motorcycle, quad 4-wheeler and auto, on the Bitterroot National Forest. Visitors travel here to visit an active US Forest Service Lookout and to experience the outstanding vistas of managed forest, wild forest landscapes and the rugged southern end of the Selway Bitterroot Mountains. A trail passes near the summit. The trail is on the historic southern route of the Nez Perce people, access to hunting bison on the vast Montana plains to the east.