Exposed Summit

A third summit I worked with my Dad while at Lemolo Lake KOA.

This summit is a careful drive-up with a nice turnaround at the top.

I put up the mast and EFHW antenna and proceeded to work a nice combination of 40/20m stations.

No 2m stations were heard.

We packed up and headed on to Bunker Hill (W7O/CS-090).

These 4 Lemolo Lake summits could be easily done in a day if you have the time.

I split them into 2 mornings as we were visiting Crater Lake during this trip.

Round Top is a nice mostly drive up activation. Being me, I had to do it the hard way: Mountainbiking from Gale's Creek Campground. It is an 18 mile round trip ride with ~3000' elevation gain. 

I recommend doing some stretches or warmups before heading out because the hardest part of this ride is the first few miles: steep trail that gets the blood moving. Overall the trail is a singletrack and mostly follows the creek through the forest. Not much for views, but there are the occasional waterfall and views of Gale's Creek. 

For more detailed information, check out AA6XA's blog at https://longgreentunnel.blogspot.com/2019/10/w7ici-089-deadline-ridge.html.

Here are some confirmations/corrections: 1) You can indeed drive close to the summit and can access the actual summit with a high clearance 4x4, 2) The actual summit is not at the fence line but the SOTAMAPS location appears to be the accurate high point, and 3) The summit provides no place to attach an antenna mast and if using a mast guy lines are required.

  Going South of Pocatello Idaho on I-15, also heading North on I-15 from Salt Lake City, take the Inkom Idaho exit. You will then need to take Rapid Creek road heading in a NE direction from Inkom. Rapid Creek Rd is a main road in Inkom. You will then go approximate 2 miles on Rapid Creek Rd until you see Inman Road on your right. Take this road another 2.5 miles and you will see a UTV/ATV Trailhead on your right. The pavement/oiled road ends here and turns into a dirt road. A 2 wheel drive can be driven on this road pass the winter gate.

https://kf7pxt.blogspot.com/2022/06/mount-conner-w7mli-091-sota.html

To get to Rocky Top from the Valley, take Hwy 22 in Marion County east past Gates, OR to Niagara Hts. Rd, across from Niagra Park at the intersection with the red and white waterwheel, well-known to area residents and weekend travelers to Central Oregon.  Watch out, the left turn approaches fast as you round the corner and I still miss it despite having been up there several times.

I can't believe I missed reviewing McDonald in the past. I love McDonald Peak. It is a beautiful stroll from RD 20 on a nice trail, great view, great flora in summer time. It was one peak I spent some time at in 2019 and realized SOTA was where I belonged in radio. Sitting in the flower covered slope enjoying the view. Easy set up among a mix of slopes and boulders.

I just noticed I never did summaries for some of my first summits especially if they had a previous review so with the 2022 campout coming soon I am trying to catch up on some. Mt Ashland is an easy, popular summit. Outstanding 360 view of NCA to CLNP rim to Josephine Co. Cool boulder stacks too. You can drive to the dome on the summit if you wish. Just go a little ways past the Mt Ashland campground and you will see the road on the right with a not so visible sign (it is on a tall post since it is used during deep snow).

Pretty easy summit, but you have to bushwack. Full Report here

As we were driving through Winnemucca, NV on the way back from AZ, I seized the opportunity to activate W7N/HU-089, which is a paved, slightly potholed drive-up summit.

There are a lot of electrical wires going ever which way around the summit so I picked a somewhat open area towards the south side of the activation zone and tied my fiberglass mast to the fence surrounding the communcations towers.

I was able to quickly raise 11 QSOs on 20m and then switched to 40m for another 8 including a S2S with N6AN.

2m was pretty much dead with only 1 QSO to my dear XYL.