2. Ham Radio

Pt. 8740 (W6/NS-134) SOTA Activation 9/10/2013

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Black Buttes W6/NS-170 to the west-southwest. <a href="http://www.grizzlyguy.com/HamRadio/SOTA-BlackButtes-W6NS270-2013">Activating that one was my toughest so far</a> due to its remoteness and vertical terrain near the top.
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Black Buttes W6/NS-170 to the west-southwest. Activating that one was my toughest so far due to its remoteness and vertical terrain near the top.

  • The SOTA Northern Sierra region logo. This logo is available on Northern Sierra T-shirts, sweatshirts, beer steins, mouse pads, etc. for SOTA participants who qualify for the Northern Sierra Award (offered by yours truly KU6J). The award rules are linked to from my page on QRZ.com.
  • Pt. 8740 as seen from near White Rock Lake. For information on how to get to this summit, first see the maps and directions that I included in my "SOTA Activation 7/31/2013 - Pt. 8812, CA (W6/NS-130)" album which is also where this photo is from. Pt. 8740 and Pt. 8812 are on opposite sides of the lake in a cluster of three 8-point summits that also includes Mt. Lola W6/NS-111.
  • There is no trail to Pt. 8740 and the south facing side of the mountain is quite steep. From the road shown in blue, I had originally planned to climb diagonally across the slope towards the northwest, gain the ridgeline, then hike bike eastward along the ridge to the summit. When I got out there, I changed my mind and decided to climb straight up to the summit. This wasn't as bad as I expected it to be, and it only took me 41 minutes to get to the top. Hiking poles are strongly recommended as the footing isn't good in a number of places. Per my GPS, the one-way distance is only 0.63 miles, with an elevation gain (per the topo) of about 800 feet. My Pt8740StartHike point is at 39.41989N, 120.39326W but you could really begin your hike from anywhere along the blue or red roads.
  • This map includes 3 other possible routes to the summit, shown as light dashed lines. Heading up Pacific Crest Trail (pink line) and then across the ridge top to the summit would be the least steep but longest route. Someone with bad knees or other issues that make downhill hikes difficult might consider that one, as coming back down along my direct route wasn't exactly easy. I only fell once, which I thought was pretty good, considering the footing (or lack thereof) on the steep slope.
  • Yours truly standing next to the summit marker. I thought its location was odd, since it was clear to me that the actual summit is about 20 feet behind me and a few feet higher than where the marker is. Oh well, no need to split hairs!
  • Close-up of the summit marker with three other SOTA summits visible behind it on the skyline. <a href="http://www.grizzlyguy.com/HamRadio/SOTA-CarpenterRidge-NS123-2013">Carpenter Ridge W6/NS-123</a> is the summit to the left (underneath the end of the stick), <a href="http://www.grizzlyguy.com/HamRadio/SOTA-Pt8812-W6NS130-2013">Pt. 8812 W6/NS-130</a> is the bump above and to the left of my hat, and Castle Peak W6/SN-038, up on the Sierra crest, is near the right edge of the photo.
  • I had some fantastic downslope to the east of the summit, so I set up my 88' doublet along the edge of it. The small cluster of stunted pines provided a great place to secure the 28' Jackite pole, and some great shade.
  • I tied off the north end of the doublet to a small pine tree, and the south end to my hiking pole as shown here. That's nearby Mt. Lola W6/NS-111 in the background.
  • My operating position tucked into the small pines with the Jackite pole and doublet behind it.
  • I didn't expect there to be any shade up on top, but was pleasantly surprised with my "shade cave" operating spot in the pines. The weather was perfect: temps in the low 70's with light wind.
  • If you walk a bit down from the summit, White Rock Lake becomes visible below to the southwest. The angle of this shot is almost exactly the same as the one I took of the summit marker. Carpenter Ridge, Pt. 8812 and Castle Peak are all visible on the skyline. By the way, this is the first day we've had in weeks that didn't have smoke from one of the big wildfires blowing into this area. It was SO nice to finally be able to see things again, and to not have the burning sensation in the back of your throat.
  • Zoomed in shot of Pt. 8812 on the other side of White Rock Lake. Note all the granite and big trees along the route up to that one (and see <a href="http://www.grizzlyguy.com/HamRadio/SOTA-Pt8812-W6NS130-2013">my activation album for it</a>). That is in stark contrast to my hike on this activation, which was up through sun-baked loose dirt, rocks and stunted sagebrush.
  • Zoomed in on Basin Peak with Castle Peak behind and to the left of it. This shot is looking SSE.
  • Black Buttes W6/NS-170 to the west-southwest. <a href="http://www.grizzlyguy.com/HamRadio/SOTA-BlackButtes-W6NS270-2013">Activating that one was my toughest so far</a> due to its remoteness and vertical terrain near the top.
  • To the southwest is Red Mountain with its <a href="http://www.grizzlyguy.com/HamRadio/SOTA-Activation-842012-Signal">Signal Peak W6/NS-179</a> on the left, and our "mini half dome" Old Man Mountain (W6/NS-184) on the right.
  • <a href="http://www.grizzlyguy.com/HamRadio/SOTA-EnglishMtn-W6NS151-2013">English Mountain W6/NS-151</a> to the west-northwest.
  • The <a href="http://www.grizzlyguy.com/HamRadio/SOTA-Activation-9202012-Sierra">Sierra Buttes (W6/NS-139)</a> in the distance to the northwest.
  • SOTAWatch spots page 1.
  • SOTAWatch spots page 2.
  • Reverse Beacon Network spots page 1.
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