K0SSK's blog

Lost coast 4x4 trail and Chamisal Mountain SOTA activation

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Hello, friends and welcome back! Finally found some time to spare and write about Chamisal Mountain W6/NC-187 activation and my trip along the Lost Coast 4x4 trail.

The King Range Conservation Area in Northern California had been on my radar for what felt like forever. Here, Highway 1 veers away from the ocean, leaving the rugged shoreline to hikers and the occasional black bear. Other than some logging operations in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, this remote area remains largely undeveloped.

The jewel crown of the King Range is the Lost Coast hike - two-to-four days track along the shore. For detailed preparation tips, I recommend checking out HikingGuy blog post. Personally, I’ve always struggled with permits: only 60 hikers are allowed on the trail daily during the peak season (May 15–September 15), and just 30 in the off-season. Being a busy (and quite spontaneous) person I never managed to get the permit.

Well, the good thing is that there is a hack for the lazy people with a 4x4 vehicle: Lost Coast 4x4 trail! I wouldn’t say it is a one-to-one substitution, but you get to see most of the cool stuff and even squeeze a SOTA activation into your trip.

Lost Coast 4x4 trail

Before you depart, make sure Usal road is open - it is closed between November and April-May. Check the Mendocino county road closures and delays page.
Be black bear safe - I saw more bear poop in one day hiking Chamisal mountain than during my whole life before.
Do note: since the Usal road is quite overgrown and narrow at times it is a common agreement to ride it from south to north so no one has to backtrack yielding to the opposite traffic.
The trail is not too technical, I saw people do it in Sprinter vans and Outbacks. There can be quite a bit of mud early in the season though. The best time to visit is July to September.

Lost coast 4x4 trail map south

I would expect to be on the trail for 2-4 full days.

My itinerary

I was at the southern terminus on Friday evening, spent the night camping at Usal beach.
Saturday morning I did Usal road, visited Needle Rock, hiked in King Range Wilderness and spent the night camping at Wailaki campground.
On Sunday in the morning I activated the Chamisal mountain, visited Shelter Cove and rode north on King Peak road. I was in Punta Gorda, the northern terminus, in the evening, and hiked to the Punta Gorda lighthouse.
After that I scrambled and left for SF. As you may imagine Sunday felt somewhat rushed and long. I should have camped at A. W. Way county park campground and spent some time in Humboldt Redwoods Park on Monday.

Lost coast 4x4 trail map north

Friday

The trail branches off HWY1 between Rockport and Hales Grove as Usal road. Do note, there are no gas stations in the immediate vicinity of the trail starting point. Closest gas stations are in Legett, about 15 miles to the north-east and Fort Bragg, about 30 miles to the south. On my way in I overshot and lost about forty minutes returning to Legett.

It was already evening, and the haze of low clouds made the ocean, fir, and pine look somber, mysterious, and beautiful.

Usal beach as seen from above

Usal beach campground is ok. Facilities… Exist. If you’re (un)lucky enough, neighbors will be raving and setting off fireworks. Beach itself is off-limits for camping and wheeled vehicles. At least in theory. And, anyway, no one denies it is gorgeous.

Usal beach during a golden hour

Saturday

Usal Road to the north from Usal beach was pure magic in August - see for yourself.

Magical forest

At Four corners pavement begins. I turned left toward Needle Rock. There is a small visitor center where the ranger lives and where you can get some potable water. The center has a tiny museum and a “bone room”: quite a few animals fall off a cliff or wash out from the ocean and end up here. Be careful not to fall off a cliff yourself - as the ranger put it, “this month isn’t called Fog-ust here for no reason”.

On the Birceland road

There is also a small, old cabin, available on a first-come, first-serve basis. It only fits about four people and I would rather leave it to the Lost Coast hikers.

(A very) Lone Ranger

After a short hike to take photos of the Needle Rock proper I hit the trail again. Quite a good pavement road all the way to the Wailaki campground.

The Rock

After setting up a tent I hiked the Chamisal mountain loop - both to figure out how much time I’ll need on Sunday to get to the top to activate it and to see what’s up. You hike under the dense canopy mostly, but there are couple of clearings near Nick’s camp allowing you to see the ocean of fog from above.

Chamisal mountain loop hike map

Saw a lot of bear poop on the trail. Also, met a cheerful doggo. Looped back, prepared a supper and called it a day.

The doggo

Sunday

Hiking up from Wailaki campground took me about 45-50 minutes. Not too impressed with my activation - only four contacts, but I had little time to spare.

Descended and set off to Shelter Cove. The small town has general store with a gas pump, an airfield, restaurants and breweries. After having a lunch and a brief walk I was back on the road: now on the King Peak Road. You can either ride it all the way to the Wilder Ridge Road or, if you feel like spicing things up a bit, you can turn to the Saddle Mountain road. It is not very technical, but it is rocky, with some fairly steep sections.

Wilder Ridge map

On the Saddle Mountain Road

Wilder Ridge road, a good quality paved road, brings you to a hamlet of Honeydew, where you take left to Mattole Road and further to Lighthouse Road. Mattole campground is the northern terminus of the Lost Coast trail.

Truck-in-a-tree on the Lighthouse Road

Mattole river gorge

I recommend taking the Prosper Ridge / Windy Point dirt roads up to Punta Gorda, a cliff above the shore, a very windy place indeed. There I parked and hiked the remaining two miles to the lighthouse. Totally worth it: gave me a chance to experience the Lost Coast trail without having to commit for multiple days.

Punta Gorda lighthouse

After enjoying the sunset and having a dinner I was on my way home - through the Humboldt Redwoods State Park and looping south on hwy 101.

Chamisal Mountain W6/NC-187 SOTA activation

The summit is covered with wood and dense underbrush. I saw a bench on the photos made by people hiking there couple of years ago. The bench is gone now, so you’re free to improvise. My dipole was clearly not the best fit for the environment - the legs were pressed down by branches and this squeezed-down setup ended up having high SWR. Would much prefer to have a vertical antenna. The “portable shack” with a hiking chair and a table is really comfortable. I’m certain the chair is going to accompany me to most activations, still on the fence about table.

Station on the summit. The bench is gone

Stations worked from W6/NC-187

Only five contacts, but three of them were summit-to-summit and one of them with George KX0R! I am always glad to hear Darryl WW7D as well as all the chasers who help with the activation. Thank you very much folks.

Time UTC	Call sign	RST sent	RST received	Frequency	Mode	Summit-to-Summit
17:22	KX0R	559	559	14.063	CW	w0c/sr-052 Thorodin Mountain
17:24	WU7H	559	549	14.063	CW	w7w/CW-085 Snooze Peak
17:30	WW7D	449	529	14.063	CW	w7w/CW-085 Snooze Peak
18:05	K0TTW	559	539	14.063	CW
18:10	NK9G	559	559	14.063	CW

This is it for now. 73, K0SSK out.

Tom, Dick and Harry Mt. SOTA activation, Field Day 2024

Sun, 23 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

This is the Field Day time of the year and as it is customary already, I present you with a new SOTA activation report. My quest for the mountain goat brings us to Oregon, to the foothills of the Mt. Hood. Hiking to the summit of Tom, Dick, and Harry Mountain, also known as W7O/CN-032, is a nice half-day activity, and the vistas of Hood are probably the best one can get (given you chance upon a clear day) .

Mt. Hood view from Tom, Dick and Harry mountain

A wee bit of history

The first recorded peoples populating the area near Mt. Hood were Clackamas and probably other Chinookan peoples. First contact with europeans occurred during the Lewis and Clark expedition.

By 1846, with numbers of settlers traveling to the fertile Willamette valley increasing, the need for a land based wagon route was clear. Up until this point, immigrants traveled with wagons to The Dalles on the Columbia River, disassembled wagons, made rafts and floated belongings down to Fort Vancouver. This was expensive and dangerous. Today, the Cascades Rapids are submerged after the construction of the Bonneville Dam. But in the 19th century, the river dropped here about 40 feet (12 m) in 2 miles (3.2 km) and ran through a stretch approximately 150 yards (140 m) wide. Rafts had to be unloaded and carefully lowered on ropes, and all equipment had to be ported around the rapids. Conflicts with Native Americans hostile to the invading settlers were common.

This motivated Sam Barlow to construct Barlow road, providing an overland route to the Willamette valley. While easier than the river route, Barlow Road was still the most arduous leg of the Oregon trail. Both people and animals were exhausted by the time they got here; pioneer cemeteries along the road are a silent reminder how hard the travel was back then. The crux of the Barlow Road was getting down the Laurel Hill. Logs were dragged to slow down wagons navigating steep chutes, and chain and rope winches were also used. You can hike the old chute. In 1861 a better road was blasted though the hill.

In 1849, a military wagon train destined for Oregon forts passed over the road. It carried 230 tons of munitions in more than 400 wagons pulled by 1700 mules. From the beginning of Barlow Road to the camp the soldiers made at what has been known since as Government Camp, they abandoned 45 wagons after dozens of mules died of starvation.

Now it takes about an hour to reach the village of Government Camp from Portland via Hwy 26.

Among the other interesting things in the area is historic Timberline Lodge, which was used to film exterior shots of the Overlook Hotel in Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining.

The hike

The mountain is named for its three distinct peaks along the summit, forming the cirque that is now part of the Mount Hood Skibowl ski resort. The mountain has been called “Tom Dick Mountain” in the past, but the Board on Geographic Names officially decided to include “Harry” in 1969, making the mountain’s name a play on the phrase “Tom, Dick, and Harry,” a placeholder for a few unspecified people.

Historic warming hut

The trails you can take to the summit start in or near Government Camp. You can either do a loop or an out-and-back trail. Elevation gain from the parking lot is approximately 1,700 ft (518 m).

The trails are quite well-shaded; the mountain is forested all the way to the top.

Rhododendron bloom

The end of June is when rhododendrons here start to bloom. I also saw a lot of blooming wild strawberries and many huckleberry shrubs—hiking later in the season may be yummy!

Wild strawberries

Tom, Dick, and Harry Mountain, aka W7O/CN-032 SOTA activation

Cell phone coverage is good. There is a seismic activity monitoring station on the summit, powered with a solar panel. The summit meadow is quite big and flat, had no problem deploying the dipole. Also there are some logs one can sit on.

Summit meadow

To be honest, I am quite underwhelmed with my activation. On top of getting a bit rusty with Morse code, I was clearly lost in a pile-up. I heard a ton of people, but despite seeing my spots on the SOTA watch site, few people could actually hear me. Those who did hear reported a very poor signal. I need to take a closer look at my dipole antenna—probably it’s time to replace it. But anyway, I made four contacts, including a summit-to-summit one, so the mountain is activated.

Stations worked from the summit

Thanks to all the chasers!

Time UTC	Call sign	RST sent	RST received	Frequency	Mode	Maidenhead grid
18:50	K7RK	559	559	14.063	CW	CN88
19:00	VY1JA	559	559	14.063	CW	CP20
20:00	KN6RDC	559	519	14.063	CW	s2s W6/SC-371
20:20	K6HPX	559	519	14.063	CW	DM42

Contacts map

This is it for now, 73, K0SSK out.

North Sierra Buttes SOTA activation, Field Day 2023

Mon, 26 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Hello friends, It’s Field Day time of the year, providing a good excuse to venture deeper into the Sierras. So, here’s my SOTA activation report for the North Sierra Buttes, also known as W6/NS-139.

The weather was fantastic, with clear skies in the morning and a few clouds appearing in the afternoon. Despite the end of June shaded areas in the forest still had a decent layer of snow.

I can’t say everything went according to plan, but despite some hiccups, I managed to activate the summit and gained a few valuable insights about my antenna setup along the way.

Sierra County

The North Sierra Buttes are part of the northern Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. They are situated in Sierra County, near the border with Plumas County, within the boundaries of the Tahoe National Forest. The highest summit is 8,591 feet (2,619 meters) tall. The mountain is a remnant of a volcano and chiefly composed of metavolcanic rock.

North Sierra Buttes as seen from the Gold Lake highway

Sierra County is the second least populated county in California, with a permanent population of around three thousand people, the least populous Alpine County probably having a half of that.

Prior to the colonization by Europeans, the western part of the county was inhabited by Miwok people and eastern part, including the Sierra Valley, by Washoe people.

Starting in 1844 European colonists started to penetrate the area, in 1848 gold was discovered at Sutter’s Mill a bit to the south, leading to the California gold rush of 1849. Downieville, the county seat, emerged as a bustling mining town.

Nowadays, the town has a cozy atmosphere with its museum, serene historical cemetery, and a variety of dining spots.

Downieville downtown

However, in its heyday, Downieville was as wild as Wild West boomtown goes. The place gained questionable notoriety due to the lynching of a Mexican-American woman Josefa Segovia on 5th of July 1851.

The gallows

The gallows near the courthouse were used only once, on November 27, 1885, to execute the murderer of dairyman John Woodward.

The gallows plaque

This execution was the last legal execution in Sierra County.

Gallows mechanism

Over the years with exhaustion of riverine gold deposits placer mining was substituted with underground quartz mining. The Sierra Buttes mine, which started in 1851, yielded over $7,000,000 worth of gold in its early decades when the value of gold was below $16.00 an ounce. Mining activities continue in the area to this day.

The area is a perfect destination for outdoor enthusiasts who enjoy activities like fishing, off-roading, camping, hiking, and more. I saw quite a few folks with mountain bikes and shuttles ferrying them up a hill. There are many for-rent campgrounds near the lakes off Gold Lake Road. Nearby towns of Sierra City (closest), Graeagle, and Portola have commercial lodging available.

If you’re interested in delving into more historical details about the area, feel free to check out www.sierracountyhistory.org

Getting to the trailhead

In order to get to the lookout on the summit I took Sierra Buttes trail. The main trailhead for day hikers is Packer Lake. Take highway 49 eastbound from Sierra City, take the left turn off for Gold Lake road, then turn left and follow signs to Packer Lake. Before reaching Packer Lake follow signs to Sierra Buttes trailhead on a left turn-off. The trailhead is at about 6200 feet elevation, about 3 miles from the summit. The closest I could get to the trailhead this time was the Packer Saddle area - snow was blocking the road above.

Map of the North Sierra Buttes lookout trail

Note on the snow

Snow is no joke and kicks difficulty traversing any terrain a couple of notches up. Take it seriously - especially if you are a Californian and only see snow on a vacation.

First - be prepared - when a trail is covered in snow you don’t have a trail to follow. You only have a direction. Even if you manage to follow someone else’s tracks you can’t be sure they will lead where you want them to and there is no guarantee the person ahead was not as lost as you now or didn’t have much higher tolerance for a sketchy terrain. Which means you may end up losing time trying to find a better route. Have a good offline map on your fully charged phone - I use Gaia and I’m very satisfied. Have a backup GPS navigator and/or good compass.
Have microspikes in your bag. They are not bulky, not heavy and let you navigate the difficult terrain with more confidence. Confidence saves you time and a lot of effort. On my way down, right above the Packer Saddle, I caught up with a couple I saw on the summit while operating. The lady at some point slipped and fell into a deep snow depression formed around a tree, hurting her foot. They were ok, but I think they would be much okayer if they had microspikes.
Don’t be lazy to take microspikes off traversing exposed rock.
Finally - check snow conditions before you go - Gaia maps have snow layer overlay. Forest Service has an online snow depth map.

Snow and trees

On the trail

The trail follows the ridge and is fairly straightforward. Upper third is the steepest and goes through the forest.

Lower part of the trail is comparably mild

On the trail

Panorama toward the north, from the ridge

End of June snow

Panorama toward the east, Lower Sardine lake

Panorama toward the western approaches, hwy 49 is in the canyon

Summit and the lookout

On the summit

There is a metal staircase going to the lookout, definitely an experience not suited for agoraphobic people.

Head for heights is a must

Trivia plaque

Thanks to the folks who built the stairs!

Made it!

Upper and Lower Sardine lakes as seen from the lookout

North Sierra Buttes aka W6/NS-139 SOTA activation

I prefer to use a dipole antenna for my SOTA activity because

The dipole can be easily anchored to boulders so it is easy and fast to deploy virtually everywhere. I don’t have to rely on any trees or places to attach the mast to, this saves time I spend deploying and lets me spend more time on the air instead.
It gets windy when you get up to a prominent summit and the three legged design provides more stability and wind resistance compared to a freestanding mast with an end fed antenna.
End feds work best when you have a big flat with a good quality, reflective soil and a system of counterpoises under the antenna. This is never the case with SOTA in California, 6-10 point summits are rocky and fairly “pointy”, making a dipole more efficient system - it works best with as little reflection from soil as possible.
Other hikers and their dogs don’t trip over or get entangled in my counterpoises because there are none.
You don’t need an antenna tuner for the dipole.

Dipole deployed

But this time the best place to deploy the antenna was the lookout. With a metal roof. And metal railings. Lots of metal. Oof. I knew It won’t be pretty but decided to give it a try. Well, SWR 3.7 and output power cut from 11 to 6-7 volt. I still managed to make three contacts, one of them summit-to-summit with Daniel KA7GPP on North Mountain aka W7W/SK-142 in Washington, with Timothy KF4WKN from North Carolina and with Douglas WA6L, locally from Sacramento but signal reports were 229/339 and this was it, people didn’t hear me. I did have a backup end fed with me but since I didn’t touch it for years I was not even sure if the battery in the antenna tuner was still good and I could tune the antenna.

Instead of experimenting with an end fed I decided to stick to the familiar system and move to the small flat area right below the lookout. Lost about twenty minutes redeploying the antenna and reconnecting the transmitter.

Now the SWR was 1 and I could finally start in earnest. Made four more contacts, including Thomas W4JKC from South Carolina, Don AC7P from Texas, John K6YK from California (nice to hear from you again!) and Gary W2AZZ from Arizona - who said he’s using a dipole too.

All contacts were made on the 20 meter band. The 40 meter band was very noisy.

Lessons learned, going to practice and will try to activate my next, easier summit using an end fed to make sure I can use it when I need it.

Stations worked from North Sierra Buttes

Time UTC	Call sign	RST sent	RST received	Frequency	Mode	Maidenhead grid
20:33	KA7GPP	559	339	14.062	CW	CN88
20:40	KF4WKN	559	339	14.062	CW	EM85
20:45	WA6L	559	229	14.062	CW	CM98
21:05	AC7P	559	559	14.062	CW	EL09
21:15	W4JKC	559	449	14.062	CW	EM84
21:17	K6YK	559	559	14.062	CW	CM97
21:20	W2AZZ	559	339	14.062	CW	DM33

This is it for now, 73, K0SSK out.

Bay Hill SOTA activation 2023-04-02

Mon, 03 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Today’s post is about Bay Hill, aka W6/NC-434 SOTA activation. I can’t say that the summit is of any particular interest to me on its own. It’s just me trying to hit two birds with one stone: I’ve never been to Bodega Bay before, and Bay Hill is the closest SOTA hump.

A wee bit of Bodega Bay history

Located about forty miles north of San Francisco, Bodega Bay is neatly protected from visitor crowds by Muir Woods and Napa Valley. It takes about one and a half hours to get there driving on 101 and about two hours driving on the 1.

Cliffs below the Bodega Head Trail

The bay is named after Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Quadra, Spanish Peruvian explorer who charted this coast back in 1775. While most evidence points towards Drake’s Bay, some distance to the south, as the location of New Albion - the first English claim on the west coast of North America - some believe it could be Bodega Bay instead.

Find an arch

Like Drake’s Bay, Bodega Bay was home for coastal Miwok people when the Europeans were exploring the area for the first time. It also served as the main port for the Fort Ross and was one of the southernmost points of Russian-American Company activity back in the 19th century.

Cliffs below the Bodega Head Trail

After the Mexican-American war the territory was incorporated into the United States.

The comparatively secluded location made the place a fitting backdrop for Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Birds.”

Nice flowers

I was delighted to discover one of the prettiest corners of Central California’s shore here, hiking the short Bodega Head trail. The vistas are well worth the drive and you can get some decent oysters and crabs in town.

Doran spit

Getting there

I’d take 1 going north and 101 going back. Just drive to this point. Bay Hill road is a bit rough at times but nothing a Prius can’t handle.

Bay Hill aka W6/NC-434 SOTA activation

The activation is a fairly simple “drive-by” one. There are several pull-outs on the road near the summit from which you can work.

Operating from inside the vehicle but on the battery power

Make sure your antenna setup is neat, secure, and does not cause trouble for passers-by.

The summit is not super prominent

Stations worked from Bay Hill

Thanks to all the chasers!

Time UTC	Call sign	RST sent	RST received	Frequency	Mode	Maidenhead grid
20:14	WW7D	559	579	14.062	CW	CN87
20:16	N7LKK	559	559	14.062	CW	DN17
20:18	WU7H	559	559	14.062	CW	CN87
20:20	KF7SP	559	559	14.062	CW
20:22	KE5AKL	559	559	14.062	CW	DM65
20:24	WB7ULD	559	559	14.062	CW	DN40
20:30	WB6POT	599	579	7.032	CW	CM99

See you, K0SSK out.

Big Hill SOTA activation 2023-02-12

Sun, 12 Feb 2023 00:00:00 +0000

A quick and easy activation of the Big Hill aka W6/NS-290 in the Eldorado National forest.

Nice forest and lake vistas with a simple access. Not that far from the world famous Rubicon Trail, Jeep Rubicon is named after.

Getting here

The summit is here.

Just drive down hwy 50, turn to the Ice House Road here and then turn left to the Big Hill Lookout Road here.

The road is plowed in winter all the way up to the lookout. While I would definitely recommend a 4wd vehicle for any trip in winter Sierras I was really surprised how well the road is maintained.

Road state in winter

Big Hill aka W6/NS-290 SOTA activation

There is a heliport and a fire lookout on the summit. There is even a publicly accessible restroom! No wonder this summit was activated over 120 times already - the antenna farm allows you to get online and self spot. Lots of folks with radios pass by via hwy 50 between the Lake Tahoe and Sacramento areas meaning VHF activation should be a breather. Decent elevation and prominence make it a great HF activation spot as well. The easiest 6 points I ever got. No regrets though - the views are lovely and I had a chance to touch the snow.

Fire lookout and antenna farm

Heliport plaque

North-Eastern panorama, Lake Tahoe is right behind this range

Stations worked from Big Hill

Many thanks to all the chasers, glad to hear a lot of you folks again! Nice propagation, heard Lee K2LT all the way from New York state!

Time UTC	Call sign	RST sent	RST received	Frequency	Mode	Maidenhead grid
21:10	KD7DTS	449	559	14.061	CW	s2s W6/CT-098
21:18	W4RA	559	559	14.061	CW	EM92
21:20	N1CLC	559	559	14.061	CW	DM12
21:22	WW7D	599	589	14.061	CW	CN87
21:24	WB6POT	599	599	14.061	CW	CM99
21:26	WB8BHN	559	489	14.061	CW	EN52
21:28	N7CNH	599	579	14.061	CW	CN84
21:30	K6HPX	559	559	14.061	CW	DM42
21:32	WB5BKL	339	559	14.061	CW	EM00
21:32	NT6E	599	559	14.061	CW	DM03
21:34	W4ZXT	449	559	14.061	CW	EM77
21:36	K7WT	449	439	14.061	CW	DM25
21:38	K2LT	449	559	14.061	CW	FN24
21:40	NU7A	449	559	14.061	CW	CN97
21:42	KN6DMO	559	599	14.061	CW	DM04

This is all for now, K0SSK out, 73.

Briones Peak SOTA activation 2022-11-12

Sun, 20 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Welcome back folks, reporting on Briones Peak aka W6/NC-371 SOTA activation.

I hiked the loop from the western park entrance via Mott and Briones peaks.

Briones regional park is a decent sized park near Lafayette, CA. At the time of discovery by Europeans the area was inhabited by Sacklan Miwok but by the 1810s combination of ecosystem-disrupting ranching and smallpox decimated the community. The land was used for cattle grazing ever since.

The hike

Hike map

The views are great - the upleg of the loop does not feature many trees above the starting ravine. This is why I recommend to do the loop clockwise especially in summer - the down leg has some shade much needed in the afternoon.

No shade almost until the top

From the Mott Peak (1424 ft / 434 m) you can see Benicia-Martinez bridge connecting the banks of Carquinez Strait, cities of Martinez, Pleasant Hill and Concord. Right behind the prominent Tesoro refinery is located Port Chicago (in)famous because of the deadly July 17, 1944 munitions explosion.

Rolling hills

Once you pass the highest point of the trail, lovely Mt. Diablo vistas open.

Mount Diablo

Turn to the Seaborg trail is kind of easy to miss, I recommend using some decent map / GPS on your phone.

Briones State park map

Watch out for mountain bikers and snakes on the trail. Also makes sense to learn how to make cows move out of the way. Don’t get yourself caught between a cow and a calf.

How to get cows to move

Getting there

Getting there is fairly straightforward. Just drive to the Bear Creak Staging area. There are three decently sized parking lots. Parking is $3 but sometimes fees are not collected, check the entrance booth.

There are three parking lots

Briones Peak aka W6/NC-371 activation

Briones Peak is a very popular SOTA activation point (56 activations as of November 2022) - cities below are a home to a substantial ham population making VHF activations very easy.

Summit grove

Summit is well shaded. The fence makes for an excellent mast base and the bench allows deploying like a king.

Dipole on the summit

Do make sure you keep your setup tidy - a lot of people are hiking with dogs, you don’t want to get them caught in your cabling.

Portable shack

Stations worked from Briones Peak

Made two summit-to-summit contacts - one local with Elliot K6EL on Vollmer Peak and one with Gary K7UOU on Salt Benchmark in Arizona. Thanks to all the chasers!

Time UTC	Call sign	RST sent	RST received	Frequency	Mode	Maidenhead grid
19:04	K6EL	599	599	14.062	CW	s2s W6/NC-298
19:06	K7UOU	549	599	14.062	CW	s2s W7A/MS-060
19:08	KT0A	559	559	14.062	CW	DN83
19:10	W5ODS	449	599	14.062	CW	EM26
19:12	N7EDK	449	559	14.062	CW	DM49
19:14	AK5SD	559	429	14.062	CW	EM10
19:16	N7WM	599	339	14.062	CW	DN45
19:18	AC7P	559	449	14.062	CW	EL09
19:50	K7SO	599	579	14.062	CW	DM65

This is all I have at the moment, take care. 73 K0SSK out.

Richardson East Benchmark SOTA activation 2022-09-17

Sun, 25 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Hello friends today presenting a SOTA activation report for W6/NC-407 aka Richardson East Benchmark. Can’t say anything specific about this hump except it is a SOTA summit nearest to the Golden Gate bridge and it hosts a huge antenna farm.

Also - while I do believe losing some of your property in a smash-and-grab theft incident is a centerpiece of an authentic San Francisco experience, maybe you don’t feel like supporting someone’s drug addiction. Who knows?

Anyway if you are interested in how to enjoy the Golden Gate bridge responsibly - read on.

A wee bit of history

At the time of its opening in 1937, it was both the longest and the tallest suspension bridge in the world with a main span of 4,200 feet (1,280 m) and a total height of 746 feet (227 m). One of Art Deco architecture icons, it still looks impressive in 2022 except the moments when destroyed by some random wandering kaiju, or in some other (un)natural disaster.

John Fremont wrote about the strait connecting San Francisco Bay with Pacific ocean in his memoir:

“To this Gate I gave the name of ‘Chrysopylae’, or ‘Golden Gate’; for the same reasons that the harbor of Byzantium was called Chrysoceras, or Golden Horn.” - John C. Fremont

The strait in his vision was “a golden gate to trade with the Orient.”

The bridge is named “Golden Gate Bridge” after the stait but painted International Orange to pop out in the fog - allowing tourists to exercise their unorthodox and above-the-average wit commenting on this discrepancy.

Getting there

I do not recommend parking anywhere near the bridge, especially if you rent a car - there are a ton of thieves who target tourists and can spot specific rental car stickers a mile away. Cops don’t give a damn because jails in California are already at full capacity and this is pretty much all corporate penitentiary overlords care about. On top of that in order to reach very limited parking space near vista points you have to pass Baker-Barry Tunnel - or as I like to call it - “The Longest Five Minute Red Light Experience in the World”. To be honest if you are lucky you’ll get through in no time. You got to ask youself one question: “Do I feel lucky?”. Well do you, punk?

My recommendation is to take bus 101, 114, 132 or 150 to Spencer ave instead or park here or here. If you are taking a bus you may as well disembark at the Golden Gate bridge plaza and hike the bridge itself.

Hike map

On the map above is the hike I recommend. Point 1 is Richardson East Benchmark - in case you are planning to activate, if not feel free to skip and head straight to the vista points 2, 3 and 4.

Do note - the bridge and the vicinity is a no-fly drone zone - Golden Gate National Recreation Area.

Have a windbreaker and layers - winds and chill may surprise you any season but more so in summer.

The parking - not extremely spacious

Angel and Alcatraz islands in the Bay

Not much shade on the trail except in the start / end

Richardson northern panorama - mount Tamalpais on the horizon

San Francisco, Golden Gate bridge and Sutro tower

Dreamy San Franciso and Golden Gate

Alcatraz, Bay bridge, San Francisco

Angel island

Golden Gate - and the bridge

Richardson East Benchmark aka W6/NC-407 SOTA activation

Ample space to deploy an antenna and some cozy concrete blocks to sit on - anything a SOTA activator can wish for.

Portable shack - flat top allows for an easy antenna deployment

My humble addition to the antenna farm

Stations worked from the summit

Glad to hear folks again. Made three summit-to-summit contacts - line of sight with K6EL on Mount Davidson in San Francisco proper, AC1Z was heard from Blue Mountain in Colorado and KT0A from Boulder Hill in South Dakota. Thanks to all the chasers!

Time UTC	Call sign	RST sent	RST received	Frequency	Mode	Maidenhead grid
16:10	VE7HI	549	559	14.062	CW	CN89
16:12	AF7M	559	559	14.062	CW	DM42
16:14	K6EL	599	599	14.062	CW	s2s W6/NC-423
16:20	WW7D	599	559	14.062	CW	CN87
16:22	K7SO	559	559	14.062	CW	DM65
16:26	AC1Z	229	229	7.032	CW	s2s W0C/SP-123
16:28	W9SSN	549	229	7.032	CW	DM12
16:30	KTØA	559	599	14.062	CW	s2s W0D/BB-078
16:40	WB6AAJ	559	589	7.032	CW	CM97

This is it for now. See you soon 73, K0SSK out.

Round Top SOTA activation 2022-08-07

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Hi folks, it’s time for another activation report. Wanted to do some summit with a scenic approach and somewhat interesting mountaineering wise. This is why I chose Round Top aka W6/NS-055. The mountain is located right above Carson Pass in Sierra Nevada and quite close to Kirkwood ski resort.

I can’t recall when I was in the area last time - quite possibly never as I tend to take hwy 50 or hwy 120 to eastern Sierras. Was not disappointed and probably going to visit again soon.

The area is rife with early pioneer landmarks and I feel I learned a lot about early history of California following the stories behind them.

A rant

As I mentioned elsewhere in this blog I am myself a transplant to California and stories about the early exploration and European settlement excited me early on. What is even more fascinating is that there are still places here where you can be one with Nature as if it is the nineteenth century. I am forever grateful to the people who keep the backcountry wild.

As time passed however my perspective on the history of California shifted quite a bit. There is quite a bit of a dark undercurrent once you dive deep enough. We know the history is written from the winner’s perspective and all winner stories suffer from a survivor bias.

Taking hwy 88 provides you with some somber reminders - 1) you can’t bullshit a mountain 2) California was the wildest of the west back in the day.

A wee bit of istory

Maiden’s grave

One of the places I visited is Maiden’s grave. Designated as the California Historical Landmark No. 28 marker reads

BROKEN DREAMS AND HOPE, CARRIED 2000 MILES THROUGH SCORCHING DESERTS AND OVER LOFTY MOUNTAINS. AT LAST… THE SIGHT OF THE PROMISE LAND. THOSE WHO VISIT THE GRAVE CARRY THE TORCH OF LOVE AND HOPE (WHICH THIS YOUND GIRL LOST), AND PASS IT ON, TO GENERATIONS UNBORN. RECHALL MELTON WAS LAID TO REST HERE, ON A COLD AND FROSTY MORNING, OCT. 4, 1850. BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD.

There is a good article on Calexplornia providing much details about the story. In a nutshell, the 1849 California gold rush caused a large influx of immigrants from eastern states. Rechall Milton was a member of a party trying to cross Sierra Nevada via the Mormon Emigrant Trail and unfortunately succumbed to illness and was buried not far from the current marker.

By no means extraordinary this death on the doorstep of the golden state definitely enriched the dark frontier lore and romance. It appears the real person in the grave is one Allen Melton and the real maiden’s grave is some distance away on a private property.

Tragedy spring

Link to the place location on Google maps. As the Wikipedia article says

In 1848 a company of Mormons, some of whom had served in the Mexican–American War as part of the Mormon Battalion, were planning to leave the recently discovered gold fields near Placerville to join the new Mormon colony at Salt Lake City, Utah. Daniel Browett, president and lead scout of the Browett-Holmes Company, decided to ride out with two companions and scout snow conditions and a possible route over the Sierra Nevada against the advice of the rest of the company. When the scouts hadn’t returned by July 5, a party of 10 went in search of them without success. On July 19, the main group, now on its way to Utah, arrived at the spring and found a freshly dug shallow grave with broken arrows lying about. Upon investigation, they found their scouts' bodies in the grave, whereupon they named the spring “Tragedy.” The victims had been stripped, mutilated and robbed, according to journal accounts.

Another good article about the tragedy on Calexplornia site.

Carson pass

Kit Carson was a legend during his life already. Fur trapper, wilderness guide, Indian agent, U.S. Army officer, main character of dime novels, genocidal maniac - everything neatly rolled up into one figure.

On the parking lot you start the hike from there is a monument to the tree Kit Carson scrawled his name on while being a part of Frémont’s second expedition into California. I find it quite hilarious that Kit made a mistake writing his own name by missing the “i” letter - and this inscription is now preserved for later generations in bronze.

Kit Carson pass - a monument to the tree Kit Carson scrawled on back in 1844

A polarizing figure to say the least. Highly recommend checking the Wikipedia article and make your mind up yourself - there are plenty of leads to follow there.

The hike map and timings

Mokelumne wilderness is definitely worth visiting. Start early because finding parking after 0900 can be sketchy and you don’t want to be caught high up on the mountain in an afternoon thunderstorm. I would recommend camping in the area if you were able to book a spot.

Black Butte and Round top as seen from the shore of Caples lake

Here is my trek on Gaiagps - has the elevation profile, times etc.

Hike map - did it clockwise starting fromthe Carson Pass parking lot

Moving time is four hours twenty minutes. I generally plan my hikes involving 2000 ft and more of elevation gain with a 20 lb backpack assuming a pace of one mile per hour. In this particular case the whole 9 mile hike with SOTA activation, rest and just-chilling-in-the nature breaks took seven hours twenty minutes. Close enough for me.

Let’s go already!

Carson pass parking around 0900

Red Lake Peak catches an eye in the northern part of panorama

From left to right - Elephant’s back, Round Top, The Sisters

Winnemucca lake and Round Top

Round Top, The Sisters and Round Top Lake

As you climb above Round Top Lake there are no more trees

And as you go even higher there is no vegetation at all

High Desert - Short before noon

The mountain itself is what remains of an old volcano plug. I believe the blocky rock weathering patterns on the summit photos below hinting magma cooled fairly slowly otherwise crystals would be smaller but I am no geologist.

Do note - the photo below shows the crux of the trail - you need to cross this scree filled gulch and scramble up a fairly steep incline with a lot of exposure. If you are hiking solo but saw other people behind you on the trail it makes sense to band together just in case of emergency - as I did. Also remember there are way more routes you can climb up than routes you can climb down. Don’t be bold / dumb / hurt.

Definitely quite a bit of exposure here, lot of loose scree. Be careful

Right below the summit there is a steep part

Same terrain as on the photo above, as seen from the summit

Winnemucca Lake

Summit view toward East

Summit view toward South East, Upper Blue Lake

Summit view toward South West, Summit City Canyon (there is no City)

Summit puck, look around for an ammo can with the summit journal

The return leg of the hike is very picturesque

Needs some paint job tho

Blue, Green and Grey - in the vicinity of Black Butte

Didn’t expect so many wild flowers and lush vegetation in the mid August.

Near Woods Lake Campground

Round Top as seen from Hwy 88 near the Carson Pass

Round Top aka W6/NS-055 SOTA activation

Now as you likely read and saw above there is a legit Class 3 scramble right before the summit. I didn’t want to do it with a hefty backpack and activated from the ridge next to the summit as you can see. This place is within 25 vertical meters / 80 feet SOTA activation zone.

The top is quite round indeed - a dog and his man on the summit

I don’t really like my antenna deployment - there are no boulders on the ridge to tie to, I had to improvise around cracks. Also really didn’t want the mast blown away from the ridge so the antenna ended up fairly low with SWR around 2. Next time I’m going to try anchoring the antenna in a backpack.

On top of SOTA activation I had a WSPR beacon with me I tried with my dipole. Unfortunately no stations registered my WSPR calls so I’ll need to experiment more and figure out what was wrong with my setup.

Stations worked from Round Top

Thanks to all the chasers who helped to activate the mountain and to the folks I didn’t hear. I hope next time I’ll find a way to secure the mast better and answer you.

Time UTC	Call sign	RST sent	RST received	Frequency	Mode	Maidenhead grid
19:50	WB6POT	559	579	14.062	CW	CM99
19:51	W6CR	449	459	14.062	CW	CM96
19:52	K7RV	449	559	14.062	CW	DM04
19:53	KB7HH	559	559	14.062	CW	DM34
19:54	K6YK	229	229	14.062	CW	CM97
19:55	W4JKC	229	229	14.062	CW	EM84
19:55	W0MNA	599	599	14.062	CW	EM29
19:56	W0ERI	599	599	14.062	CW	EM29

This is all I have for today. 73 K0SSK out.

Field day 2022 Rocky Ridge SOTA activation

Sat, 25 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Rocky Ridge aka W6/NC-268 is located in Las Trampas Wilderness Regional Preserve, about an hour drive from San Francisco.

Was looking for a place to activate during 2022 ARRL Field Day June 25-26 and discovered I’ve never been to this preserve yet despite the fact that Mt. Diablo and vicinity are among my favorites in the San Francisco Bay area.

On top of that there are some nice lunch / dinner places in San Ramon just 15 minutes drive from the Las Trampas parking lot.

I did Rocky Ridge view loop taking a short radial to the highest point of the ridge to set up the station and activate.

Some notes and recommendations

Check the park hours - if you stay past the gate closing time you will be cited!

This grove is the highest point of the ridge

Summit grove and Mt. Diablo as a backdrop

Do note, in order to do everything by the book you need to get a trail permit from the East Bay Municipal Utility District because the point you activate from lies within a protected watershed territory.

Permit needed to enter the watershed land

Keep your eyes peeled for snakes on the trail and don’t tread on them.

Bring enough water, wear a hat, sunscreen and weather appropriate clothes - there is little shade along the top part of the trail and it can get scorching hot. There is a grove on the summit though.

I recommend taking the loop counterclockwise and starting early - this way you gain most elevation before it gets too hot. Elderberry trail looping back has some shade which was very welcome as temperature rose to about 90 F / 32 C in the afternoon.

Up the Rocky Ridge road - I recommend starting early before it is too hot

Lovely vistas - well worth baking in the sun for a bit.

Mt. Diablo and Bollinger canyon - note gorges that were used to entrap the game

Historical name “Las Trampas” is translated to English as “The Traps” and reflects the use of the steep box-canyons by the first nations people and early colonists to entrap elk and deer for easier hunting.

On the trail right below the antenna tower

By 1806 only a few native inhabitants remained in the area decimated by european diseases.

Initially inhabited by the members of the Saklan tribe, land was granted to Romero brothers Inocencio, Jose and Mariano in 1844 by the Mexican government. According to old histories “the new ranchero symbolized his ownership by pulling up grass, breaking branches of trees and shrubs and by throwing stones in four cardinal directions”.

Gorgeous Bollinger canyon

Due to the loss of original paperwork and pressure from US officials harassing Mexican rancheros after California annexation Romero transferred ownership to Andrew Jackson Tice in 1858.

Antenna tower on the left, Mt. Diablo on the right

In the mid 20th century some land in Bollinger canyon was bought from private owners and converted into a wilderness preserve.

A gorge running toward the Bay

Ups and downs

Would not call the ridge ‘rocky’ myself but rocks are definitely present

Elderberry trail takes you back to the parking lot and has some shade

Check the dock for more trivia on history, geology and wildlife of the area.

Rocky Ridge aka W6/NC-268 SOTA activation

Trees provide a lot of options to deploy an antenna but raising a dipole on a mast was a bit of a chore as the antenna caught on branches. Ended up with a quite low dipole. Surprisingly enough reported SWR was 1.0 but something tells me a higher dipole would get more contacts.

Antenna deployed, ready to activate

Portable shack

Stations worked from Rocky Ridge

To be honest I made less contacts than I expected on a Field day - could be too early? Could it be the low deployed dipole? On a bright side made a nice summit-to-summit contact with Paul K9PM/P on W7A/CS-022, Little Squaw Mountain in Arizona.

Time UTC	Call sign	RST sent	RST received	Frequency	Mode	Maidenhead grid
16:40	N0DNF	449	559	14.062	CW	DN32
16:42	WU0A	449	539	14.062	CW	DN70
16:44	N6PKT	599	559	14.062	CW	DM42
16:48	W6DER	599	539	14.062	CW	CM98
16:50	K6HPX	599	549	14.062	CW	DM42
16:52	K9PM/P	449	449	14.062	CW	DM35xj
16:52	WB7BWZ	449	549	14.062	CW	DN55
16:54	VA7UNX	339	339	14.062	CW	CN89
17:00	KN6SMY	449	559	14.062	CW	CM87

This is all I have today, take care. 73, K0SSK out.

Leviathan peak SOTA activation 2022-06-18

Wed, 22 Jun 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Leviathan peak aka W6/SN-039 is one of the most popular amongst SOTA enthusiasts (75 activations at the moment) and comparatively easily accessible eight point summits in eastern Sierra Nevada.

Wanted to do this activation a while ago - because of the majestic name and because some light offroading is involved. While appearing a mere hump from 89 the Leviathan is by no means a small mountain and provides excellent vistas - fire lookout on the top is the proof.

Getting there

Situated in the eastern Sierra Nevada mountains, some forty miles southeast of Lake Tahoe, Leviathan Peak was on my list for a year or so. Initially I was planning to do it as an addon returning from some Yosemite activation but fires last year threw a fat wrench into these plans and Leviathan stood unconquered.

Well, now is the time.

The mountain is an hour drive from South Lake Tahoe. If you have time and desire to explore eastern Sierras I would recommend staying near Topaz Lake. It is close by and gas stations on the Nevada side of the lake are the last chance to fill up cheaper before driving south to California.

Here is where you turn from 89 to Leviathan lookout road. The road is gravel with some rocks and was in great shape when I visited.

In 2022 road is in a great shape

Doable on a two wheel drive car with a decent clearance. If things do get spicy go back, park and walk up - the hike is not that long anyway.

Gate is approximately 150 feet from the summit

There is a gate some 150 feet from the actual summit. Here you dismount and soak up some terrific views. On the summit there are some solar panels, an antenna tower and a boarded fire lookout.

Summit - an antenna tower and a derelict fire lookout

Do note 8980 feet summit is quite high up and some people might find not only views but also the last 100 feet of the road quite breathtaking. Pace yourself.

Leviathan peak aka W6/SN-039 SOTA activation

Even in summer it can get chilly on the top - expect cold western wind. The temperature was 40 F / 4 C and I repeated a mistake I already made a couple of times. Instead of getting an idea where the wind blows from and setting up radio on the other side of the crest I just saw an inviting pile of rocks and deployed there.

Antenna deployed, let’s roll

It was a sunny day but in about forty minutes I was cold to the bone and had to take a break, hide from the wind over the mountain crest and jump some burpees to warm up. Could have missed some contacts but I’m certain next time I will pick a better spot.

Really enjoyed the high desert views - still some snow patches in the Sierras.

A shack with a view

Stations worked from Leviathan peak

Thanks folks, always glad to hear from you again. Making an s2s contact with Gary KT0A was a nice touch.

Time UTC	Call sign	RST sent	RST received	Frequency	Mode	Maidenhead grid
18:20	K6HPX	559	559	14.062	CW	DM42
18:22	WB6POT	579	559	14.062	CW	CM99
18:24	W0MNA	599	599	14.062	CW	EM29
18:28	WW7D	579	559	14.062	CW	CN87
18:30	W0ERI	599	559	14.062	CW	EM29
18:32	W5SJC	559	449	14.062	CW	EM15
18:34	N6PKT	559	599	14.062	CW	DM42
18:36	AF7M	559	559	14.062	CW	DM42
18:40	WU7R	549	449	14.062	CW	EM60
18:42	KT0A	559	559	14.062	CW	DN83
18:48	W7USA	599	599	14.062	CW	DM33
18:50	N6AN	559	339	14.062	CW	DM04
18:52	WW6A	339	559	14.062	CW	FN42
18:52	WA6YPE	549	559	14.062	CW	DM37

This is it for now, see ya. 73, K0SSK out.