On midwinter trip to Southern California to visit family, once again we set aside time for several SOTA Activations. This report details the Activation of Occidental Peak, very close to the famous Mount Wilson Observatory. I has previously Activated the adjacent San Gabriel Peak, and had observed Occidental close by.
Here's an activation on the way to the coast for after hours or weekends only to comply with the timberland owner. There's a short hike of about 1.2 miles RT and 400 feet of gain. A GPS will be Very Handy to get you to the summit.
Here's a drive-up activation on the way to the coast. A GPS will be very handy to get you to the summit.
This was once a drive-up activation that has been gated due to valdalism - it is accessable to non-motorized vehicles (see sign below). (Updated August 2023.)
On Wednesday, March 2, 2016, I completed my first winter SOTA at Shafer Butte, Idaho (W7I/BC-064). Best way to get there is take the Bogus Basin Road 16 miles from Boise to Bogus Basin Ski Area, then continue about another couple miles to Pioneer (upper) Lodge parking lot. During ski season Pioneer Lodge has open restrooms, lunch room, dining area, and beer bar. From the Pioneer Lodge one can snowshoe or nordic ski up a ski trail or transverse the mountain from about 6,750' elevation for about a mile to Shafer Butte 7,582'.
Winter Adventures in Joshua Tree National Park, California. On a recent trip to California to visit family, we took some time to visit Joshua Tree National Park, and Activate a couple SOTA peaks. We made the town of Twenty Nine Palms our base, "roughing it" in the relatively new Holiday Inn Express facility, and making day excursions on February 1 & 2. This is report 2 of 2, detailing Activation of an unnamed peak, Point 5540.
Deep Devil (W7W/KG-119) is a 2,500' 2-point summit located in the heart of the Snoquamalie Forest on private logging lands. With a proper entry permit, the activation zone can be reached by traveling along about 5 miles of gravel logging roads (each way) and about 1,400' of elevation gain. The summit offers broad views north, west and to the Cascade foothills and mountains to the east. Part of the summit is littered with logging slash that detracts from the surrounding beauty, but there are tall trees in some parts of the activation zones to escape the slash and to put up wire antennas.
Winter Adventures in Joshua Tree National Park, California. On a recent trip to California to visit family, we took some time to visit Joshua Tree National Park, and Activate a couple SOTA peaks. We made the town of Twenty Nine Palms our base, "roughing it" in the relatively new Holiday Inn Express facility, and making day excursions on February 1 & 2. This is report 1 of 2, detailing Activation of Ryan Mountain.
Lions Mane (W7W/KG-125) is an intriguing 2 point bump that sits between a gravel county road and the North fork of the Snoqualmie River. The trip is about 3 miles round trip with about 750' of elevation gain. Most of the hike is along an old overgrown logging road that presents few challenges. The last 200' of elevation gain is an 1/8 mile cross-country scramble through new growth and slash. There are some nice views and good coverage on VHF into the Puget Sound region.
A return trip to Table Mountain, this time for a "winter" Activation. This SOTA Summit has a ski area at the peak of the mountain, Mountain High North, with the ski runs going downhill (north) from the summit. The ski area is part of the Mountain High complex of ski areas, near Wrightwood, California. Therefore, there are excellent roads leading to Wrightwood, and beyond to the ski areas, including Mountain High North. On this sunny winter day, a Monday, this particular part of the Mountain High ski complex was closed. This was one of the reasons we chose a weekday for the Activation. Nobody there! We had the entire place to ourselves.