2. Ham Radio

Scott Peak (W6/NS-153) SOTA Activation 1/22/2013

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On the way up the Lakeview lift. Scott Peak is the bump in the trees on the skyline just to the left of the lift.
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On the way up the Lakeview lift. Scott Peak is the bump in the trees on the skyline just to the left of the lift.

  • Scott Peak is along the eastern edge of the Alpine Meadows ski resort near Lake Tahoe. This is a portion of the Alpine Meadows trail map, click the image to view it larger.
  • To get to Scott Peak, I first took the Summit Six express lift up from the base area to near Ward Peak.
  • The top of the Summit Six lift at 8440 feet.
  • Ward Peak at 8637 feet is 348 feet higher than Scott Peak, but it isn't a SOTA summit. The radio installation includes at least one ham radio repeater. That's Lake Tahoe to the left of the peak.
  • Scott Peak as seen from the top of the Summit Six lift. I skied down to the Scott Chair lift that climbs up the west side of the ridge to a point about 250 vertical feet below the peak.
  • Heading up Scott Chair. Scott Peak is to the right of the lift. I love skiing non-holiday weekdays as the resorts are practically empty and it feels like I own the place. :-)
  • I had planned to hike up to Scott Peak from the top of the Scott Chair lift, but the area was closed. I switched to plan B and skied down to the Lakeview Lift that climbs up into the activation zone.
  • On the way up the Lakeview lift. Scott Peak is the bump in the trees on the skyline just to the left of the lift.
  • Up at the top of the Lakeview lift, I discovered that Scott Peak was actually OUTSIDE the ski area boundary, even though it is shown INSIDE the ski area boundary on the trail map. Oh well, I was already inside the peak's 80 vertical feet activation zone, so I skied down about 100 vertical feet and hiked back up to the nice overlook of Lake Tahoe that is to the right of this shot.
  • I quickly set up my ALexLoop and Buddipole Shockcord mast. There was nothing to secure the mast to, so I stuck my ski firmly down into the snow and secured the mast to the tip of my ski using a bungee cord. The snow was firm enough that it made for a rock-solid mount. That's Lake Tahoe in the background and I am set up right on the edge of the ski area (hence the untracked snow beyond this point).
  • My AlexLoop with the top of the Lakeview chair lift to the right and one of the ski area boundary markers to the left. My KX3 is set up on my ski pack and I just sat on my gloves next to the pack to operate. The little elevated structure directly behind the center of my ALexLoop is a heated ski patrol shack.
  • Looking up toward Scott Peak with several ski area boundary signs behind my AlexLoop/mast/ski.
  • A closeup of the mast bungeed to my ski. The PVC to 1/2" pipe thread adapter is visible and it screws onto the top of the Buddipole Shockcord mast. I have about 6" of 1/2" schedule 40 PVC pipe glued into the adapter, with a few wraps of 10 mil tape on it for extra girth, and the AlexLoop tube slides snugly down over it.
  • Me with the KX3. I'm not really scowling, just holding the cord for my ear buds in my lips so the end wouldn't drag in the snow.
  • My SOTAWatch spots.
  • Logbook page 1. I had kept the book nice and dry, but was foiled when two of the ski patrol's dogs came charging over and excitedly pranced back and forth all over my stuff!
  • Logbook page 2. I made a total of 20 QSOs, all but one on CW. Thanks to all the chasers who took time to work me today!
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