It is with great excitement that I am announcing the 1st Annual W7O SOTA Campout here in beautiful Southern Oregon. We will be camping out at Hyatt Lake Recreation Area (42.168,-122.465) within the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument from July 8-11th, 2022. We hope that many will join us for a fun extended weekend with many great summits and sights to see in the area. Make your reservations ASAP as they are now filling up (originally this was going to be 15-18th but the campsite loop we hoped for was already half full). There are also cabins to rent available for the glampers at Hyatt Lake Resort(link below). The resort is not a part of the government campground but just across the road and very nice people. Being a 1st Annual-never-done-this-before event, we are winging it and just hope to fill the summits during the day and visit in the evening. Maybe a pizza night at the resort one of the evenings? Whatever works. There are many summits of all different ability and interest in this area. Something for everyone ranging from drive-up to wilderness treks. Of course all chasers are welcome to join us too!
July is usually a beautiful time of year up at these elevations for lush blooms, birds, wildlife and weather but can also be unpredictable. There still may be snow on some of the higher peaks or drifts on high roads, depending on our snow pack for the year, and hopefully we will beat any wildfires.
We are going to focus on making reservations in the B LOOP, sites 17-28. RVs are allowed at all sites but there is no electrical hookups. If you go to the details of each site it will give an approx. length of space, most 35’ but sites 27, 23, 20 are larger, and 17, 18, 21, 24 are smaller.I will be at 26, K7ATN at 24. I am happy to share or offer it back if sites become short since I can stay local. I believe there is a discount rate for those with Interagency Passes also.
UPDATE: Sites are near full in B loop so focus also on Loop A. I know 17,18, 22, 24, 26 27,28 are SOTA for sure.
http://hyattlake.com/default.asp
https://sotl.as/map/coordinates/42.220538,-122.410303/10.5
A little about the area. CSNM is a unique area basically where the ancient Siskiyou Mountains collide with the volcanic Cascades creating one of a kind ecology, geology, habitat, etc. Hyatt Lake is a reservoir fairly central to the monument. Unfortunately, we have been suffering extreme drought so this last year there was no lake and I cannot predict what it will be July 2022. Rogue River NF surrounds the area beyond the CSNM border. Some of the summits are also in Winema NF. Nearby Hyatt Lake Resort offers casual dining and cabins as mentioned above. There is also Greensprings Inn and Restaurant (I think a little more formal, new owners) further down the road. Hyatt Lake is located about 45 min from the town of Ashland and you can take Hwy 66 or Dead Indian Memorial Rd.
For those coming from afar I would recommend committing a day to see Crater Lake NP and maybe even doing Mt Scott or ??. I also love the Siskiyou Crest for SOTA activating. And can’t forget Sky Lakes and Mountain Lakes Wilderness too!
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/rogue-siskiyou/recarea/?recid=70354
We truly have a great assortment of summits here. Many do not have trails but have old closed roads to walk up. Here is a list of many in the area, only the ones that I have done. If there is no summary connected to the summit on SOTLAS/SOTAMaps feel free to send me any questions. I am trying hard to get info out quickly and can provide more details if needed. I love the area and mountains here, but I put an * by the ones I recommend the most, which is a tough decision!
Easier (<1mi)or drive up summits starting closest to camp:
Little Chinquapin W7O/CS-088 (view going up, forested)
Table Mountain W7O/CS-073 (VIEW, near drive up)*
Chinquapin Mountain W7O/CS-068 (forested)
Green springs Mountain W7O/CS-099 (mostly forested)
Old Baldy W7O/CS-058 (mostly forested)
Robinson Butte W7O/CS-083 (closed lookout, drive up, forested)
Burton Butte W7O/CS-074 (forested)
Surveyor Mt W7O/CS-049 (boulder summit)
Buck Mountain W7O/CS-061
Parker Mt W7O/CS-100 (drive up, in use lookout)
Rye Spur W7O/CS-053 (forested)
A little bit further but worth the drive:
Chase Mountain W7O/CE-073 (view, dirt driveup,old lookout)*
Hamaker Mt W7O/CE-051 (view, only paved 6pt drive-up in OR?, radar)* (Chase and Hamaker are frequently done together)
Smith Rock W7O/CS-042 (VIEW, boulder top)*
Pelican Butte W7O/CS-012 (VIEW, jeep road drive up)*
Moderate:
Soda Mountain W7O/CS-075 (VIEW, one of the best of Mt Shasta)*
Grizzly Peak W7O/CS-081 (VIEW but beyond true summit)*
Little Aspen W7O/CS-029 (mixed, some boulder)
Aspen Butte W7O/CS-006 (VIEW, Mountain Lakes Wilderness)*
Hard:
Mt. Mcloughlin W7O/CS-001 (VIEW!!)*
Brown Mountain W7O/CS-023 (view, difficult lava outcrop the whole way)
If interested in taking a day to the Siskiyou Crest, all relatively easy except Wagner, with outstanding views, just a drive to get there. All on my favorite list:
Mt Ashland W7O/CS-019 (drive up)*
McDonald Peak W7O/CS-030 *
Wagner Butte W7O/CS-027 *
Big Red W7O/CS-034 *
Dutchman Peak W7O/CS-021 (unique lookout)*
I truly hope to see you there!
73,
Amy
AG7GP
It might help us organize if you let me know which you have reserved. If we need overflow I might be able to make arrangements with the manager who has been very good to our club in the past. Also maybe let others know if you have room to share your site. I will tent camp and will have room for another vehicle at mine
Hyatt Lake below right 2020 from Table Mountain
