Blogs

Pearls On A Necklace – SOTA Adventures in W6/CT.  Strung along the Angeles Crest Highway (SR 2, Los Angeles County, California), which runs through the San Gabriel Mountains, on the stretch between the Pasadena / Glendale area to the south, and the Apple Valley / Victorville area to the north, lie more than 20 SOTA listed summits.  Most of these SOTA list mountains are 6 to 8 point summits. Proximity to Los Angeles, relatively easy access and beautiful terrain, similar to east slope Washington and Oregon Cascades, make this a “SOTA tourist delight” area.  On 3 separate days, between October 31, 2014 and November 4, 2014, I activated five (5) of these SOTA summits. This report is #1 of 5.

Directly across Hwy 20 from Iron Mountain at Tombstone pass is peak 5436, CM-127. Its really a part of Browser Ridge extending towards the northwest from the other Browser Ridge peak CM-056.

Access to CM-127 is via NF-15 which turns off US Hwy 20 about 1000m west of Tombstone pass. Take NF-15 to the trailhead for trail 3409 which is located right where NF-080 splits off.

Tamanos Mtn – W7W/RS-015 – 8 August, 2014

Tamanos Mtn, in Mt Rainier National Park is accessed via the Owyhigh Lakes Trail, either from the White River Road TH or the Deer Creek TH along Hiway 123.

Mt Fremont – W7W/RS-005 – 2 October 2014

Mt Fremont is accessed from the Sunrise Visitor Center, elevation 6400 ft,  in Mt Rainier National Park.  My GPS tracks reveal that I walked 5.0 miles RT and gained approx 900 ft.

14 September 2014   Tahtlum Peak   W7W/MC-023

Directions are from the Seattle Mountaineers book-  Guide to 100 Hikes at Mt Rainier National Park:

Directions are from the Seattle Mountaineers book-  Guide to 100 Hikes at Mt Rainier National Park:  

19 October, 2014   Scarface   W7W/RS-029

Total elevation gain from the Damfino Lakes Trail 625 northwest trailhead on FS 31 via the northwest ridge trail of Cowap Pk to the activation location just northwest of Cowap Pk summit: 413 m (1356 feet). Approximate trail distance each way: 3.4 km (2.1 miles). The activation is a reasonable one-day trip, and, except for one spot just northwest of the actual summit, a problem-free climb.  The activation zone northeast of the summit is easily accessible, and a great family destination.

During the first week of October, I was delighted to receive an invitation from accomplished SOTA activator KR7W to accompany him to the not-yet-activated Huckleberry Ridge summit.  I expected to take my HB1B along, but testing my equipment, the day before our outing, I managed to toast something inside while trying to get a good antenna match.  So I petitioned Rich to let me pack along his trusty KX3 as an alternative to the HW7 he was planning to bring for his own use.

Seeing Red...and orange, yellow, blue and green.  The reference here is to fall colors and the ongoing hunting season.  Beautiful fall day, with mostly sunny weather, fall foliage on display.  Several hunting parties in the Teanaway, Beverly and Bean creek valleys necessitated wearing bright colored clothing, and making our presence known.