Palouki (Παλούκι, stake or fencepost) is an easy summit within walking distance of Skopolestown on Skopoles Island. The T1 trail will get you there.
There's also a road towards Moni Sotiros that the trail crosses several times.
Velanidia (Βελανιδιά or oak tree) is a near drive-up near Volos, Greece.
Granite Mountain presented itself as a welcome relief to a string of unsuccessful summit attempts! The road access to long, but smooth. The trail is rocky, but passable. The summit is a double, but the views as quadruple! This was also the first activation of W7I/SR-038.
An 8 point SOTA Summit, activated on a beautiful, clear summer day, with good company, a successaful activation and capped off with a bracing swim in Dewey Lake made for a very memorable outing. Approximately 6.25 Miles total travel and 2,100 feet gain, including the side trip to Dewey Lake, and climb out of the lake basin back to PCT / Naches Peak Loop Trail junction.
Pine Mountain east of Bend, Oregon is a beautiful and relatively isolated summit in the summer. However, there is no defined trail so you have to find your own way through low density pine forest and scrubland.
A return Activation of Norse Peak. This time I was with Tim Nair, KG7EJT, two other non-Ham friends, Neal & Sherri, and Dexter the SOTA Dog. On probably the hottest day of the summer, 2015, we escaped the heat of the lowlands by starting relatively early, choosing an objective with substantial tree canopy and being at nearly 7,000 feet elevation. Good company, lively conversation and a successful Activation made for another memorable SOTA outing.
An Activation...yes. A great trip...undoubtedly! However no points to show for the effort, as I only managed to eke out 3 + contacts on 40M ssb... Yet I do not consider it a failure. I will return again, and give it another try. Round trip travel was 13.1 miles, with something over 4,000 feet gain, including some ups and downs along the very long summit ridge. Highlights included portions of the Wonderland Trail of Mount Rainier Park, a few creek crossings of the wildly flowing Fryingpan Creek, replete with slippery boulder hopping leaps, and being able to spend time with my son, KC7SQD, who was up visiting from LA LA Land.
On the first day of Summer, 2015, a short and easy hike up to a lookout tower providing one of the best views of Mount Rainier. Shady forest walk, a beautiful lake and a final ascent to a lookout tower that is periodically still manned. A fine weather Sunday made for crowds, however 90% + of hikers stop at the lookout tower, which is not quite the actual summit of Tolmie Peak.
Nice weather, good company and a successful Activation (including a summit to summit contact with VE7DB on VE7/FV-024) were high points. The route was not terribly ascetic, and the summit block is a large pile of Basalt talus. We elected to operate from the false summit to the southeast of the summit block. This was a joint Activation with Tim Nair, KG7EJT. Joining us was Masako, Tim's wife and Sharon, my wife. Rounding out the crew was Dexter the SOTA Dog.
Reprise on Jester Mountain, exactly 8 months later. We originally activated Jester on September 3, 2014. This time I returned with a different crew, and in a different season: Spring. The flowers were out, the views were incredible as usual, and the weather was sunny, with a slight cooling breeze which kept it very pleasant. Good company, successful Activation and sections of beautiful flower blooms made for a very nice outing.