This was the first activation of "Peak 4700" off Hwy21 on the way to Idaho City from Boise. The peak rises right from the hwy, but access is from the opposite (South) side. This was my second attempt at the peak as an impromptu mountain bike attempt late in 2015 was thwarted by snow.
3 X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3 = Three Activations in three days with three, 3X3 (weak signal) contacts, amongst about 50 contacts overall. During an early Spring vacation in the Bend, Oregon area, we enjoyed all that Central Oregon is famous for! Good spring skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, SOTA Activations, and a sampling of several of the more than 80 breweries that exist in the greater Bend area. This report, number 3 of 3, deals with the Activation of Lava Butte, 5,020 feet, 1,530 meters.
3 X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3 = Three Activations in three days with three, 3X3 (weak signal) contacts, amongst about 50 contacts overall. During an early Spring vacation in the Bend, Oregon area, we enjoyed all that Central Oregon is famous for! Good spring skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, SOTA Activations, and a sampling of several of the more than 80 breweries that exist in the greater Bend area. This report, number 2 of 3, deals with the Activation of Tumalo Mountain, 7,775 feet, 2,370 meters.
3 X 3 X 3 X 3 X 3 = Three Activations in three days with three, 3X3 (weak signal) contacts, amongst about 50 contacts overall. During an early Spring vacation in the Bend, Oregon area, we enjoyed all that Central Oregon is famous for! Good spring skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, SOTA Activations, and a sampling of several of the more than 80 breweries that exist in the greater Bend area. This report, number 1 of 3, deals with the Activation of Mount Bachelor, 9,065 feet, 2,763 meters.
On midwinter trip to Southern California to visit family, once again we set aside time for several SOTA Activations. This report details the Activation of Point 4202, off SR2, the Angeles Crest Highway, in the San Gabriel Mountains. I had previously Activated many nearby SOTA Summits, and had driven right below and by Point 4202 without being aware of it. Being our last day in So. Cal. we looked for a short Activation with easy to get to trailhead. Point 4202 fit the bill easy, allowing us to get back to Burbank in plenty of time to catch our afternoon flight from Burbank Airport back to Seattle.
Here's an activation on the way to the coast for after hours or weekends only to comply with the timberland owner. There's a short hike of about 1.2 miles RT and 400 feet of gain. A GPS will be Very Handy to get you to the summit.
On Wednesday, March 2, 2016, I completed my first winter SOTA at Shafer Butte, Idaho (W7I/BC-064). Best way to get there is take the Bogus Basin Road 16 miles from Boise to Bogus Basin Ski Area, then continue about another couple miles to Pioneer (upper) Lodge parking lot. During ski season Pioneer Lodge has open restrooms, lunch room, dining area, and beer bar. From the Pioneer Lodge one can snowshoe or nordic ski up a ski trail or transverse the mountain from about 6,750' elevation for about a mile to Shafer Butte 7,582'.
Winter Adventures in Joshua Tree National Park, California. On a recent trip to California to visit family, we took some time to visit Joshua Tree National Park, and Activate a couple SOTA peaks. We made the town of Twenty Nine Palms our base, "roughing it" in the relatively new Holiday Inn Express facility, and making day excursions on February 1 & 2. This is report 2 of 2, detailing Activation of an unnamed peak, Point 5540.
Winter Adventures in Joshua Tree National Park, California. On a recent trip to California to visit family, we took some time to visit Joshua Tree National Park, and Activate a couple SOTA peaks. We made the town of Twenty Nine Palms our base, "roughing it" in the relatively new Holiday Inn Express facility, and making day excursions on February 1 & 2. This is report 1 of 2, detailing Activation of Ryan Mountain.
A return trip to Table Mountain, this time for a "winter" Activation. This SOTA Summit has a ski area at the peak of the mountain, Mountain High North, with the ski runs going downhill (north) from the summit. The ski area is part of the Mountain High complex of ski areas, near Wrightwood, California. Therefore, there are excellent roads leading to Wrightwood, and beyond to the ski areas, including Mountain High North. On this sunny winter day, a Monday, this particular part of the Mountain High ski complex was closed. This was one of the reasons we chose a weekday for the Activation. Nobody there! We had the entire place to ourselves.