Van Zandt Dike, Big Views, Light QRP Setup, and a Japan Contact
W7W/WH-193
Today’s trip up W7W/WH-193, Van Zandt Dike, started from the north side outside of Acme and turned into one of those classic foothill hikes that feels much bigger than the summit itself. The route covered 11.34 miles round trip with 2,541 feet of ascent over 4 hours and 29 minutes of moving time. Despite the modest summit prominence, the day delivered big views and just enough radio success to make the climb worthwhile.
The trail climbs steadily through second-growth forest, old logging roads, and narrow singletrack, eventually weaving into denser woods near the top. Parts of the route feel surprisingly remote even though you are never that far from the valley floor. One of the more interesting aspects of Van Zandt Dike is how quickly it transitions from open foothill terrain into thick forest and mossy understory. Ferns, cedar, and downed timber line much of the upper section of trail, giving the summit area a distinctly North Cascades feel.
As elevation is gained, the views begin to open. To the east, Mount Baker dominates the skyline with the Twin Sisters nearby, still carrying plenty of snow. Looking west, the Nooksack Valley stretches out below with layers of rolling foothills fading into the distance. It is one of those summits where the views come in short windows between trees, but when they do, they are impressive.
The summit itself is densely wooded, which makes antenna placement very easy; mast or throw line. I set up my 41-foot end-fed random wire antenna using a SOTAbeams carbon mast leaned into a tree in a sloping configuration, paired with the KX2. All contacts were made on CW at roughly 5 watts. T-Mobile coverage was surprisingly solid at the top, which is always welcome when operating from more remote North Cascades foothills.
Band conditions were not especially strong today, but four QSOs were enough to activate the summit. The highlight was easily a 559 contact with JG0AWE in Japan, which is always satisfying from a modest summit in western Washington, especially when conditions are less than ideal. The activation wrapped up in 25 minutes and 25 seconds, with four contacts total.
For a summit that does not get the same attention as many of the larger North Cascades objectives, Van Zandt Dike delivered a very good combination of exercise, scenery, reliable cell coverage, and just enough radio challenge to keep things interesting.