See Upate June 2023.
Forested Summit
SOTA Activation: Monte Tamaro, Ticino Canton, Switzerland - July 31, 2014
Skunked In Switzerland!
My ambitions for activating several SOTA Summits in Switzerland fell far short. Switzerland has been experiencing one of the worst "summer" seasons in many decades. This is impacting tourism, and certainly impacted our plans.
Mount Walker, WA | August 2014
Mount Walker is a nice drive-up or summit hike just off Highway 101 on the east side of the Olympic Peninsula. There is a good view of Puget Sound from the summit and thus it makes for a good spot to try your hand at VHF/UHF contacts.
Big Butte | August 2014
Big Butte is a near drive-up (in an SUV - the higher clearance is necessary) in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest that you could do in a passenger car with a bit more hiking (less than 2 miles each way on a road). From Portland, take I-84 to Cascade Locks and cross the river on the Bridge of the Gods (toll). Or take Washington 14 out from Vancouver past the Bridge of the Gods, through Stevenson and continue east on 14 to turn north towards Carson about four miles past Stevenson. After 12.3 miles on this Wind River Highway you will turn right onto NF-3080 or Hollis Creek Road (paved).
Crater Benchmark, WA | August 2014
My general guidelines for off trail hiking are a mile or so across open sagebrush steppe, perhaps half a mile through open forests like ponderosa pine, and about a quarter mile for a western Douglas fir forest. This activation is a reminder to stay with these guidelines and not ever wander through a lava flow again.
I started from the Carson Guler Road, parking about 2.5 miles east of the gate for Red Mountain (W7W/LC-036 - a recommended activation).
Middle Butte, WA | June 2014
Here's another four-point summit north of Carson, Washington. You might be able to get within a mile or so in a carefully driven passenger car - perhaps only a little farther in a high-clearance vehicle.
Mount Zion Activation
Headed up to the hills for an activation with my two oldest daughters. Nice big parking lot at the bottom and a nice easy 2 mile walk to the summit. This is in forest service land so you can camp on the summit. Nice spot with small fire pit. One day I may try this. Trees are encroaching the summit so spotty views. Nice big area to set up on the summit. I used SMS text for spotting with success.
Setup: PFR3, SuperAntenna, TeNeKe.
Actual Directions here: http://www.pnwsota.org/node/435
Turtleback Mountain, WA | June 2014
Turtleback Mountain is a lovely forest hike with a nice summit spot for activating. Along with Mounts Constitution and Pickett, it is one of three publicly accessible summits on Orcas Island, Washington.
Chuckanut Mtn 20 May, 2014
Identified by SOTA as Chuckanut Mtn, this peak is better known as Blanchard Mountain and is part of the Chuckanut Range. it is located on State Trust Land managed by the DNR. More information about the area may be found at:
www.blanchardmountain.org
A DNR Blanchard Forest Block map can be downloaded at:
Lopez Hill Activation 4/26/14
All of our trips to Lopez Island seem to involve a bike ride, and today was no exception. After a brisk ride in this year's annual Tour de Lopez, KG7JEH and I left the latex-clad crowd at the finish line for some SOTA de Lopez action. As it turned out, that action didn't last too long before my battery was down to 10 volts and I called it a day.