Potential VHF rover sites in Oregon and Idaho grid DN15.
Be careful. DN15 dimensions are 96.9 by 69.2 miles.
Explore this grid in Google Earth or equivalent:
Hover mouse over a map marker for more about the grid and site.
An easy stop along the Enterprise - Lewiston Hwy 3.
The drive north from Sled Springs is a beautiful
trip through mountains on good roads.
One of my favorite VHF rover locations in the state of Oregon.
This is a large flat clearing only short distance (half mile?)
off the main highway, which runs for several miles along this ridge.
There’s probably several other similar good campsites out there if this
one is crowded.
Also note that 7.5 miles north is
Joseph Canyon Viewpoint
(45.83499, -117.263867) with parking and a vault toilet.
You can park on the edge of a giant drop off for good low-angle
take off in N-E-S directions, and no major hills to the West.
If you move away from the
vehicle using a HT, and make four contacts, you can count two
points for Summits on the Air! It may not be high enough for you,
but it is very accessable with lots of room for camping, antennas,
all sorts of things.
SOTA info: W7O/NE-240 - 4940, 1506m / 4941ft, 2 SOTA points
Driving directions: Take Lewiston - Enterprise Hwy 3.
Look for unmarked turnoff at 45.73653, -117.273069 to the east
Follow winding unpaved road through sparse forest about 1/2 mile
"Weigh Station" is a quick open gravel pull-off from the
Enterprise-Lewiston Hwy 3, so named from the signposts.
However, no equipment of any sort seen when I travelled
through in 2015.
This is one of many possible places to operate
(or to duck into the national forest to a nearby drop-off)
along Hwy 3, which runs for several miles along the top of
a ridge.
At 5880', Bone Springs was home to a fire lookout tower until
the 1980s. On a (rare) clear day Hood, Adams, and Rainier are visible.
Western Oregon and Western Washington can be worked from here.
The Seven Devils in Idaho can also be seen toward the east.
The Boise area seemed to be difficult to reach, likely due to the
Eagle Cap Range blocking to the southeast. Cell coverage is okay.
Driving directions: The site can be reached from the north or south, but the best approach
is from the south via FSR 64 from Tollgate, passing by Jubilee Lake.
The last 3/4 mile of road is heavily rutted in places and snowdrifts
can linger on this section well into June. Once you reach the top via
a short spur road, you'll find a large flat summit with plenty of parking.
North Powder Park & Ride is a quick off/on at I-84 Exit 285
sometimes used by truck drivers as a rest spot.
The Park & Ride is a large, flat gravel parking lot with a good
horizon in all directions. It's a great spot to quickly set up and
activate DN15 on your way along the Interstate highway.
Being this is rural Eastern Oregon there aren't many VHF locals to work.
Cell coverage is excellent.
I tried unsuccessfully to find a good high point and ended up
at Flagstaff Butte, a difficult-to-reach ledge high up on the mountain.
This was a long slow trip with 4wd to get there.
The horizon is blocked by more mountain to the NW, N, E, SE.
Access is via the Cattle Creek Road off US 95 at Lucile, Idaho.
It has a clear take off in all directions except the south where the
Seven Devils Mountains about 15 miles away peak up over 9000'.
Near city of Wallowa, Wallowa County, ID,
Altitude 4500
See 
Last update: 2021-10-02
Comments by: Barry K7BWH
