SOTA outings by KØMOS and contributors

Author: kx0r

  • WØC/FR-Ø15 (Jasper Peak) – 3931 m / 12923 ft

    W0C/FR-015
    Mount Jasper
    3931 m / 12923 ft
    First Activation Sep 27, 2014

    By KX0R

    Mount Jasper is a challenging, potentially fun summit in the Indian Peaks Wilderness, high on the Divide, directly west of Boulder, Colorado. This is a wild summit with several ascent routes, and you will earn all of your 8 SOTA points if you manage to activate Jasper! I tried to activate it in 2013, and I made it to the top – but the weather looked tricky, so I descended without activating. This year I waited until a perfect day came along in late September, and I totally enjoyed activating this nice peak for the first time.

    Jasper First Activation South Side
    Jasper First Activation South Side

    There are some resources online with climbers’ trip reports, and Jasper is detailed by Gerry Roach in his book on the Indian Peaks. Study topo maps and climbing info before attempting this peak. There are no marked trails, only paths used by climbers; sharp navigation and good off-trail hiking skills are critical. In particular there are only a few good descent routes leading down to the east. Your ascent may take longer than you expect. I have climbed Jasper several times by different routes over the years, so I knew what to expect. It’s only about 8.5 miles round trip, with about 2800 vertical feet of gain, but much of the route is in the rocks.

    Man on Jasper Sub-Peak
    Man on Jasper Sub-Peak

    The standard access is from the Fourth of July Trailhead, located about 7 miles up rough dirt road 111 west of the town of Eldora (not Lake Eldora) – several miles west of Nederland. On busy weekends the parking spaces fill quickly. Start up the Arapaho Pass Trail, and turn left at the sign for Diamond Lake.

    Jasper Route from Arapaho Pass Trail
    Jasper Route from Arapaho Pass Trail

    Hike an additional 1-1/2 miles, until the route descends and crosses the main creek down in the valley. Cross the creek on a log bridge near a waterfall, leave the Diamond Lake trail, and head up the south side of the creek on a small path. Walk about 100 yards and then hike southwest on an unmarked, spotty trail up through the woods. Try to find and use game trails that run through the sub-alpine forest wilderness. Travel up the steep slopes to treeline, and then climb up several hundred vertical feet into a large cirque – stay on the south side as you head up toward this cirque.

    Route to Deep Lake and Jasper
    Route to Deep Lake and Jasper

    No rock-climbing is required. This route is easiest in late summer – it holds snow very late. At about 11,400 feet, head toward the un-named lake at about 11550 feet. This lake is called Deep Lake by some. This is a very special place.

    View East of Deep Lake at 11550 ft
    View East of Deep Lake at 11550 ft

    The remains of a crashed single-engine airplane are located about 500 feet west of the lake.

    From the crash site, you can see your future high above – you need to decide whether to proceed. If the weather is good and you’re enjoying the rich off-trail experience of this corner of the Indian Peaks Wilderness, by all means climb on up to the summit! On the other hand, if there is any doubt, try it again another day. From the airplane wreck, you can choose one of two viable late summer or early fall routes:

    1) Jasper Northeast Ridge – this is the long rocky ridge north of the Lake. It’s mostly a class 2 walkway up the dramatic ridge-top all the way to the summit. There are only a few spots where it approaches class 3, and there are ways around anything that seems tricky. The hardest part is climbing up to the ridge from the airplane. You will see climbers’ trails heading up through the rocks. If it’s really windy, the ridge might be rough or worse. This is an exciting climb with relatively little real exposure! At the top of the ridge you must go over a false summit to climb Jasper itself.

    Deep Lake and Jasper NE Ridge
    Deep Lake and Jasper NE Ridge

    OR

    2) Climb the valley to Jasper’s East Ridge – this pleasant ascent goes up progressively to a saddle at about 12,500 feet on the East Ridge. It’s mostly tundra at first, and it ends up on a pretty solid talus slope below the saddle. If there’s snow it would be more serious. From the saddle, head west up a climbers’ path along the ridge, and just to the right of the ridge, and climb 300 vertical feet up dirt, rocks, and scree to the northeast sub-peak. Head SW over the rocky sub-peak and climb a short slope up Jasper.

    Jasper North Slope Route
    Jasper North Slope Route
    Jasper East Ridge Route
    Jasper East Ridge Route
    Jasper East Ridge Climbers
    Jasper East Ridge Climbers

    The south and west slopes of Jasper are large grassy meadows. The West Slope and the Divide spread out for miles and miles, as far as you can see. The rugged east side of the Divide lies far below in sharp contrast to the gentler, less-glaciated western slopes.

    Jasper View to Upper Diamond Lake and SE Ridge
    Jasper View to Upper Diamond Lake and SE Ridge

    On a good day you can activate right near the summit; I set up on the south side, far enough below the summit to keep the area clear for visitors – people do travel up here, and usually you’ll meet some fellow climbers. The people I met were intrigued with the radio set-up. I used my 20-foot pole guyed to two rocks, with a 67-foot wire running down the south slope. It was a fine HF activation, with 45 contacts on 4 bands. If the summit is windy, you may have to set up in the lee of the peak – wherever you can find cover.

    Jasper Activation on the Divide looking South
    Jasper Activation on the Divide looking South
    Jasper Activation Rig
    Jasper Activation Rig

    Your best bet is to avoid this summit unless everything is just right! Bad weather up here could be deadly! This is a real mountain – don’t be fooled because it’s less than 13,000 feet high!

    I suggest descending only by a route that you have previously ascended. Most of the ridges have serious problems and may be too difficult. In particular, avoid going over Mount Neva – the craggy ridge north of Neva is difficult/technical.

    The long Southeast Ridge will work OK, provided you descend the steep north slope just southeast of Upper Diamond Lake – but the hike back to the Fourth-of-July Trailhead is much longer.  Going south along the Divide from the Jasper summit is a pleasant route, but you still have to get back to your vehicle somehow. Other descents are possible, but I say again – climb it first and descend what you know!  The routes described here via Deep Lake Cirque are the most efficient.

    It is possible to climb Jasper via Rollins Pass – Corona Pass. If you can drive to Rollins Pass from Winter Park, on the old railroad grade, park at the pass, hike north along the Divide over several smaller peaks. It’s about 4 miles over varied alpine terrain each way. Don’t try this except early on a good day. This might be the preferred route early in the summer.

    Any way you do it, activating Jasper is a SOTA Classic!

    73

    George Carey Fuller
    KX0R

     

    ATTENTION !! WARNING !! There are old mountaineers, and bold mountaineers… there are no old-bold mountaineers. Hiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required – enjoy!

  • WØC/FR-Ø87 (Bennett Mountain) – 2447 m / 8045 ft

    W0C/FR-087 (Bennett Mountain)
    2447 m / 8045 ft
    Activated Nov 8, 2014

    By KX0R

    Bennett Mountain eluded me the first time I tried to activate it; here’s how to find this easy SOTA peak.

    Start with the SOTA web page for Bennett. Study the maps showing where Bennett is. Google maps is pretty good; the DeLorme atlas is also useful; the Garmin GPS maps are good. The online satellite image is your best resource – it clearly shows the forest roads and the final path up the mountain.

    Drive southwest from Denver on Santa Fe, Highway 85, to Sedalia, and then head southwest on paved highway 67. Continue up steep Jarre Canyon, pass the marked Rampart Range Road, and drive almost 2 additional miles on winding highway 67 to a hilltop community called Moonridge. Look sharp to the northwest side of the road, find a dirt road with a sign that says “Archery Range”, and turn onto this one-lane road that looks like someone’s private driveway. This road goes up steeply and provides access to the Pike National Forest, but it’s not so marked! After passing several houses, come to a locked gate and a parking area next to the Archery Range. Park here and hike north on the closed forest road, as it climbs along a gentle forested ridge toward Bennett Mountain. Eventually you can spot the modest summit in the distance.

    The road climbs up a long ridge southwest of the summit and then descends slightly while heading northeast. Continue toward Bennett – you can see the summit not far away. To climb Bennett you must leave the road where it bends sharply to the left and descends, and then follow an obvious path northeast across a meadow on the saddle, and then climb up to the broad summit ridge.

    Bennett Mountain and Path to Top
    Bennett Mountain and Path to Top

    There are several places to set up in the large Activation Zone. Convenient trees and some shelter from the wind are available.

    Bennett Activation Rig
    Bennett Activation Rig
    Bennett Activation near Summit
    Bennett Activation near Summit

    This is a pleasant 2-point summit with an easy 1-1/2 mile hike, with only about 400 vertical feet of gain. Finding the forest road to the Archery Range is the key to the activation. Bennett has nice views of the surrounding terrain, including Devils Head to the south. Beware during hunting season!

    George Carey Fuller
    KX0R

    Devils Head from Bennett
    Devils Head from Bennett
    View West from Bennett Mountain
    View West from Bennett Mountain

     

    ATTENTION !! WARNING !! There are old mountaineers, and bold mountaineers… there are no old-bold mountaineers. Hiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required – enjoy!

  • WØC/FR-ØØ8 (Hagues Peak) – 4125 m / 13560 ft

    W0C/FR-008 (Hagues Peak)
    4125 m / 13560 ft
    First Activation
    Sep 2, 2014

    By KX0R

    Hagues Peak is a high, wild mountain in the northern part of Rocky Mountain National Park. It is the highest summit in the Mummy Range, and it takes a serious effort to climb and activate this peak.

    The Lawn Lake Trail is the standard approach to Hagues Peak. This trail runs from the Fall River Road all the way up the Fall River to Lawn Lake. In 1982 the old Lawn Lake Dam failed, and the Fall River flooded. Most of Lawn Lake came rapidly down the steep valley, causing a fatal flood and massive damage for miles downstream. Lawn Lake still exists, but the dam was not rebuilt, so the Lake is smaller than before the flood. It’s a beautiful place, so it’s a popular hiking and backpacking destination.

    Hagues from Lawn Lake
    Hagues from Lawn Lake

    The trail starts at 8550 feet, and it’s over 6 miles to Lawn Lake, at 11,000 feet. The trail was damaged in the September 2013 floods, so it’s rocky in spots, but it’s still a fast route up into the Mummy Range. The trail continues past Lawn Lake on the east side, and it efficiently ascends to “The Saddle” at 12,400 feet. From The Saddle it’s possible to climb Hagues Peak via the southwest ridge. This is mostly a rocks-and-blocks climb, and the crux is near the top. Depending on the amount of snow, there are several ways to access the summit from the southwest ridge – some scrambling may be required.

    Fairchild, The Saddle, and Hagues
    Fairchild, The Saddle, and Hagues

    The day I climbed Hagues it was dry, sunny, and very windy; I wanted nothing to do with The Saddle and the southwest ridge! I climbed via the steep tundra slopes south of the Hagues Summit. This unmarked route leaves the main trail at about 11,700 feet, just above where another trail heads southwest toward Crystal Lake. It is possible to climb gullies and steep grassy slopes, eventually heading diagonally, northeast up the slope. The immediate goal is to reach the long saddle between Hagues and Mummy. The higher part of the route up the slopes is easier to the east, but then the trip along the saddle back toward Hagues is longer. The slopes are mostly grass toward the east, and mostly steep scree and rocks toward Hagues. There are many ways to climb, and it’s just personal preference to pick a route.

    Hagues South Slopes
    Hagues South Slopes

    The route along the ridge between the Mummy-Hagues saddle and Hagues summit is mostly rocks and blocks, and it may be easier and safer to hike north of the ridge-top to avoid some of the larger blocks and occasional problems on the ridge. Eventually the ridge reaches the summit, which is a class 2 ascent if everything is dry.

    Mummy and Lawn Lake from Hagues
    Mummy and Lawn Lake from Hagues

    There is a solar-powered NPS repeater on top of Hagues. This is an excellent site with coverage of a huge area, and relatively few visitors climb Hagues, so the location of this device makes good sense. It’s best not to activate close to the repeater, to avoid any possibility of interference.

    NPS Repeater on Hagues
    NPS Repeater on Hagues

    I was able to set up about 30 feet below and north of the summit in a spot where the wind was reduced. Had I not been able to do this, I’m not sure I could have done a successful activation. The wind was gusty and harsh on the summit and ridges, but it was amazing how well everything worked in the lee of the Peak! I had to securely guy my pole and use the tension on the wire to help stabilize the dancing, gyrating mast. The temperature was about 40 degrees during my activation, the sun was bright, and there was corn snow on the shady rocks.

    Hagues First Activation
    Hagues First Activation
    Antenna, Rowe Peak & Rowe Glacier
    Antenna, Rowe Peak & Rowe Glacier

    The route I took to Hagues was approximately 18 miles round trip, with 5000 feet of vertical gain. It took about five hours to hike to the summit. With a normal activation this peak requires most of the day to do. While the weather is windier and colder in late summer, there are more dry days. Hagues and Fairchild Peaks have long approaches and are difficult to activate in mid-summer, because thunderstorms often develop by mid-day, so a very early start is required to reach the summit before storm clouds gather.

    The views from Hagues are some of the best in Rocky Mountain National Park. The entire Mummy Range is heavily glaciated, and it’s half a mile vertically down to Lawn Lake. Rowe Peak and Rowe Glacier to the north are a nice surprise, the Rawah Wilderness is impressive up north, and the Laramie Range is visible in Wyoming. The Plains are visible out east, from north to south, and most of the local high summits are easy to see.

    View Down Hague Creek to NW
    View Down Hague Creek to NW
    View off the Back Side of Hagues
    View off the Back Side of Hagues
    View North from Hagues
    View North from Hagues

    Numerous SOTA peaks in the Estes Park area and elsewhere stand far below!

    Bighorn Mountain from Hagues
    Bighorn Mountain from Hagues

    Fairchild dominates the view south, with the summit of Ypsilon peeping over. A vast wilderness fills the space north of the Mummy Peaks. Mummy Peak stands like Hagues’ sister 1-1/2 miles to the southeast.

    Hagues - Mummy Ridge
    Hagues – Mummy Ridge

    Unfortunately Mummy is not quite a SOTA peak, but Hagues and Mummy are a nice pair of high summits on the same very high ridge – they are often climbed together. It is not hard to go over Mummy on the way up or down Hagues. The south slopes of Mummy are a convenient, efficient route up or down from Mummy and Hagues. Bighorn sheep live up on these peaks.

    With a base camp at Lawn Lake, it would be possible to activate Hagues or Fairchild with the same hike up to the Saddle between the two big peaks. From the camp, with a dry day, activating both peaks is possible. They are less than 2 miles apart, but the rocky route takes time.

    Crystal Lake & Fairchild from Hagues
    Crystal Lake & Fairchild from Hagues

    All this alpine terrain above 11,500 feet is exposed to weather, and it’s a dangerous area in stormy, windy, or cold weather – check the forecast and be prepared!

    Hagues Peak is certainly challenging, and it’s a true SOTA Classic!

    George Carey Fuller
    KX0R

    ATTENTION !! WARNING !! There are old mountaineers, and bold mountaineers… there are no old-bold mountaineers. Hiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required – enjoy!

  • WØC/FR-Ø1Ø (Fairchild Mountain) – 4107 m / 13502 ft

    W0C/FR-010 (Fairchild Mountain)

    4107 m / 13502 ft

    First Activation Aug 04, 2013

    by KX0R

    Fairchild Mountain is one of the 4000+M Peaks in the Mummy Range in the northeastern region of Rocky Mountain National Park. It is a relatively easy mountain to climb, with a marked trail most of the way; however, a long, strong hike is required. Fairchild was my first 4000+M activation, but I had climbed the mountain twice previously.

    Fairchild and Crystal Lake from Trail
    Fairchild and Crystal Lake from Trail

    The hike from the Lawn Lake Trailhead to Fairchild is about 9 miles each way – 18 miles round trip. The vertical gain is about 5000 vertical feet. In order to have a good chance of a successful activation, you should:

    1) Choose a long summer day with dry weather predicted
    2) Start early – perhaps be on the trail before dawn
    3) Travel fast and light, but be prepared for alpine conditions
    4) Have the required ability and conditioning
    5) You’ll need most of your day – maybe more – for this classic SOTA peak

    The Lawn Lake Trail is the standard approach to Fairchild. This trail climbs up the Fall River to Lawn Lake. In 1982 the old Lawn Lake Dam failed, and the Fall River flooded. Most of Lawn Lake roared down the steep valley, causing a fatal flood and massive damage for miles downstream. Lawn Lake is smaller than before the flood, but it’s a beautiful place, so it’s a popular hiking and backpacking destination.

    The trail starts at 8550 feet, and it’s over 6 miles to Lawn Lake at 11,000 feet. The trail was damaged in the September 2013 floods – it’s rocky in spots – but it’s still a fast route up into the Mummy Range. The trail continues past Lawn Lake on the east side, and then it efficiently ascends north of Crystal Lake to The Saddle at 12,400 feet. From The Saddle the last mile is an alpine hike of about 1100 vertical feet up the broad northeast ridge of Fairchild, across tundra and progressively larger rocks, to the top. Early in the summer there may be snow along the route, especially above timberline; you may see bighorn sheep.

    Crystal Lake below Fairchild
    Crystal Lake below Fairchild

    The Fairchild summit is almost flat – the Activation Zone is huge. There is a rock shelter at the top, and it’s a good spot to set up a pole and activate, unless there are other visitors. This mountain doesn’t get a lot of traffic, but there are usually a few climbers on summer days.

    KX0R First Activation of Fairchild
    KX0R First Activation of Fairchild
    KX0R on Fairchild
    KX0R on Fairchild

    I started my hike just before 7:00 AM MDT. I was on the summit at 11:10. That was about as fast as I could go. I stayed over an hour, setting up, doing the activation, and dealing with issues. In retrospect I should have started earlier.

    Large alpine rodents called marmots live on Fairchild. These aggressive animals can be a problem for a SOTA activator! Not long after I was on the air, a large marmot tried to steal my Dacron antenna line and pulled my Black Widow pole down! My radio gear went flying across the rocks! I was lucky to get back on the air and continue the activation.

    Ypsilon Peak and Weather from Fairchild
    Ypsilon Peak and Weather from Fairchild

    The weather was nice when I started on the air, but 20 minutes into the run, a large cumulus cloud moved in from the west, and I heard hissing in the headphones. Within a minute I could hear no callers, as the corona discharge increased. There was no lightning nearby, but I had to get off the air and leave. I still managed to work 22 ops on 20M CW.

    Fortunately the dark cloud passed quickly, and the long exposed trip down the ridge to the Saddle went OK, with no close lightning and only a little rain. Another storm came through as I hiked out near Lawn Lake, and there was a lot of lightning up high. It rained gently for a long time – not bad weather overall. That was a typical summer day in the Mummy Range.

    Hagues Peak from Fairchild
    Hagues Peak from Fairchild
    Crystal Lake below Fairchild
    Crystal Lake below Fairchild
    View NW from Fairchild - Clark Peak in Distance
    View NW from Fairchild – Clark Peak in Distance

    Fairchild offers a Classic SOTA Summit with a long, spectacular hike, fine views, and a high-altitude wilderness experience – as well as a great activation with special challenges.

    George Carey Fuller
    KX0R

    Alpine Flowers below Fairchild
    Alpine Flowers below Fairchild

    ATTENTION !! WARNING !! There are old mountaineers, and bold mountaineers… there are no old-bold mountaineers. Hiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required – enjoy!

  • WØC/PR-Ø8Ø (11543) – 3511 M / 11543 ft

    W0C/PR-080 (11543)
    3511M / 11543ft
    Sep 21, 2013
    by KX0R

    Please see the trip report for W0C/PR-071 Ethel Mount for most of the details about the route used to climb 11543.

    Peak 11543 sits about 2 miles east of Ethel, but the peaks are on opposite sides of a deep glacial cirque.

    11543 can be climbed easily as a side trip from Trail 1130 that runs from the Divide to the Slide Lakes and Rainbow Lakes to the east. The summit of 11543 is less than a mile east from Trail 1130. There is a game trail or path up most of the northwest ridge of 11543, and it’s a pleasant ascent. The actual summit of 11543 is the rocky eastern summit, and there are other points up there that differ little in altitude. The broad top of the peak is right at treeline. Small trees and large rocks are available for some shelter from wind. There are several good spots to set up and activate. You’ll do better with an antenna pole.

    Please see the USGS topo map for this area, as Google Maps omit many key trails.

    Note that 11543 looks nice on top, but don’t be fooled into trying to descend by a different route than the NW ridge. There are steep cliffs around the west, south, and east sides of this large mountain.

    It is possible to combine an activation of 11543 with another nearby summit, but this requires an early start, a long day, and good weather.

    George Carey Fuller
    KX0R

    ATTENTION !! WARNING !! There are old mountaineers, and bold mountaineers… there are no old-bold mountaineers. Hiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required – enjoy!

  • WØC/PR-Ø71 (Ethel Mount) – 3627M / 11924 ft

    W0C/PR-071
    Ethel Mount

    3627 M / 11924 ft

    Sep 21, 2013
    by KX0R

    Mount Ethel sits atop the Continental Divide in the heart of the Mount Zirkel Wilderness in northern Colorado. At 11924’ it is very prominent, and it can be seen from some peaks of the Front Range. Climbing and activating Ethel is best done as part of an overnight backpack trip into the Wilderness. The trip up the peak is just a long hike, but it requires traveling above tree line for hours, with considerable exposure to weather.

    There are several practical routes up Ethel. I parked at the Rainbow Lakes Trailhead, on the east side of the Park Range, and camped at Big Rainbow Lake. This is an easy backpack trip of about 3-1/2 miles. I climbed Ethel as a day hike from Rainbow Lake, using the fine Trail #1130 that ascends to Slide and Upper Slide Lakes and then climbs up to the Divide. This is a fun, scenic route, and you can see Mount Ethel high above most of the way. At the junction with the trail to Roxy Ann Lake, at about 11,000 feet, I headed off-trail, directly west up to the Divide, via open meadows and gentle rocky slopes. Once on the Divide, I made an approximate beeline south, almost 2 miles, toward the gentle west slope of Ethel; from there I hiked southeast up to the summit. Please see the USGS topo map for this area, as Google Maps omits many key trails and has other serious errors.

    If you prefer to stay on marked trails, just follow Trail 1130 all the way to the Divide, turn south on the Wyoming Trail #1101, follow it to just west of Mount Ethel, and pick a convenient route to the summit.

    These routes require several miles of hiking across tundra above treeline. There is no shelter, and this is no place to be in bad weather. The day I was there was dry, sunny, spectacular, and quite windy. People climb Ethel often, as it is a short detour from the “Wyoming Trail” 1101, but you may not see anyone up there. The peak has gentle meadows on the west side, and steep cliffs on its northeast and southeast faces. The summit is on the Continental Divide; the north summit is considered the peak. There is a rocky outcrop at the top, and it provides some shelter from wind. It’s not hard to set up a pole on the east side of the peak, and tie the far end of the wire to the top of the peak. I had a great first activation up there, with 35 Q’s and strong signals on 20M.

    I combined activating Ethel with a first activation of W0/PR-080, 11543, which is east of the Slide Lakes and Trail 1130. This is practical if you have time, but it’s a long day, and it requires an early start. Please see the report for Peak 11543 for the additional route description.

    George Carey Fuller
    KX0R

     

    ATTENTION !! WARNING !! There are old mountaineers, and bold mountaineers… there are no old-bold mountaineers. Hiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required – enjoy!

  • WØC/FR-165 (Signal Butte) – 2877 m / 9459 ft

    W0C/FR-165 (Signal Butte) 2877M /9459 FT
    Feb 28, 2014
    by KX0R

    Signal Butte is a fine SOTA peak located in the southern part of the huge Hayman Burn area. I first saw it from the top of Thunder Butte, about 7 miles to the north. It looks like a little volcano. The 9459-foot summit is only about 570 feet above the saddle to the southeast – but the conical mountain is over 1000 feet above Trail Creek to the northwest. It stands high above endless tens of thousands of acres of burned forest, and it calls out to be climbed and activated!

    Reaching the trailhead on February 28, 2014 was harder than climbing the mountain. I drove down from up north via Highway 285, Highway 126 to Deckers, and via a network of forest roads SW of Westcreek. I drove down past Sheep Nose and Thunder Butte on road 68 – no problem there. I took route 33 in, and soon I found myself on route 367 in the middle of the burned area. Road 367 has hump-bumps and gradually degenerates as it goes south to Trail Creek. Rutted snow-piles across the road suggest that maintenance is minimal in winter. Signal Butte is visible to the south – it looks really cool with snow on its north side – it beckons for you to come closer. A sign warns “no trespassing” – but driving the OHV road through the posted land is apparently OK. At Trail Creek there’s a huge wood fence and a 4-way intersection. If you have a 4WD vehicle this place is paradise! However, I was driving my 1970 VW bug – actually just fine until I got to Trail Creek.

    My original plan was to take forest road 364 up the hill north of Signal Butte, then meet road 362, and take that south to the Butte. Road 362 accesses the trailhead east of the Butte and is suggested by others who have described this mountain online. When I saw the start of 364, it looked very jeep-trail, and knowing that it goes up 500 vertical feet in a gully on the northwest side of the hill, I decided to change my plan and take Road 3 that runs SW down Trail Creek. As soon as I started down Trail Creek, I encountered slimy, cheesy mud and huge puddles that looked to be a couple of feet deep. A sign proclaimed “End OHV Area” – that seemed like good news, except the road got worse than what I’d already driven! I was able to drive at least half a mile before I came into a very wet, soft, cheesy section that seemed to be getting wetter and softer the further I went. I could see deep ruts and puddles ahead, and I decided that I’d better turn around before I got stuck trying to turn around!

    If I’d ever done these roads before, the story here might be different. On a cold morning, with everything frozen, there would be no problem with cheesy mud. On the other hand, when you don’t know what lies ahead, where few people go in a burned-out forest on a weekday in February, you better play it safe if you want to activate and get home OK. So I turned around and drove back to the 4-way intersection with a plan to park and walk up the roads to Signal Butte.

    Just for kicks I tried driving road 364 up the gully – I cleared the hump-bumps OK – don’t try this road with an ordinary road car – but there was more of that cheesy mud from the melting snow all along the road. When I came to a particularly steep, slick spot, I decided to turn around and park. I looked at the map, got my pack and pole, and headed up the muddy road, wondering how long it would take to walk to Signal Butte.

    Of course it turned out that the road got steeper but less muddy just past where I had parked. However, up on the ridge there were rutted snowdrifts with shiny ice, so walking was the right plan. Your results may vary – if you have a 4WD vehicle, this area of roads and trails may be a fun place to mess with, as long as the snow isn’t really deep.

    I walked the 2-1/2 miles to the Signal Butte trailhead in one hour. I could see a trail leading around the snowy north side of the mountain, but the wind was blowing steadily from that direction; I realized that if I went directly up the cone from the trailhead, I could avoid most of the snow, and the peak would block the wind.

    The direct route was easy at first, just a steep slope with rocks and downed burned trees. Most of the soil is gone, exposing more rocks, but visibility up the hill was great. In a short time I was up near the top, where snow drifts covered the rocks and logs, so I had to pick through that part carefully. I followed the snow tracks of a recent climber, likely a fellow activator.

    The summit was sunny and spectacular, but the wind was the boss. I was a little late for my activation, so I chose a place to operate just off the top, on the east side, in a pleasant sunny spot among rocks – almost free of wind. I tied my pole to a dead tree and strung the 66 foot wire north along the windy summit ridge, climbing over rocks and in and out of the snowdrifts. In a few minutes I had the big end-fed wire up and ready to go.  Even though the north end was only 6 feet up, the wire was well above the summit ridge, and I knew I was going to be OK. The temperature was well above freezing, I had sunshine, the weather was stable, and what had seemed like a dubious adventure was looking pretty good all of a sudden. It’s amazing how things change when the antenna is up!

    I matched up the wire on 15M, and N4EX called me before I signed my call, as soon as I sent “QRL?” He spotted me, and then there was a pile. Propagation was great with the solar flux at 170. After about 10 minutes of Q’s, I heard DX, and EA2IF called and worked me. After I worked 21 stations, things came to a stop, so I tuned up on 20M, and there was an instant pile – signals were great – EA2IF worked me again – and then I heard Steve, WG0AT, not far away, out east across the Rampart Range. Near the end of the run EA2LU worked me. I finally went down to 40M but contacted only K5ACO in Arkansas – suggesting that band conditions and the antenna were OK – just no chasers. I was tempted to try other bands, but it was 2:30 and I had a long way to go home, and a cold front was expected to arrive before I would get there. I packed up, hiked down the cone, then back to the car – I enjoyed Road 367 knowing I was going home!

    Although I haven’t driven it, I suspect that Road 362 from the south is the preferred access route. I don’t know if it’s OK for ordinary cars or not – it’s likely a high-clearance road, but since it’s on the south side of the ridge, it may be better than the northern route I used. The southern end of 362 is accessible from Divide. If you can drive 362 to the trailhead, the only thing you have to do is climb the 560 vertical feet up the cone, set up, and activate. Since there are some dead trees near the summit, activating without a pole is possible – but a pole makes it easier. In warm weather the trail on the north side may make the ascent easier.

    The origin of this odd mountain is fascinating. It’s not a volcano – but it’s the remains of a Tertiary intrusion of light-colored igneous rocks that pushed up through the much older Precambrian rocks about 40 million years ago. I found a fine summary of the geology of Signal Butte.

    The 360-degree view from the summit is worth the trip. Thunder Butte stands prominently about 7 miles to the north, and Pikes Peak dominates the picture, roughly 16 miles to the southeast. Some high peaks of the Sawatch are visible about 60-70 miles across South Park to the southwest. Burned-out forest fills the scene to the north and west, almost as far as you can see. The horror of the Hayman fire is beyond our ability to understand – it is what it is. Signs of recovery are everywhere, but I’m glad I never saw that area before it burned.

    George Carey Fuller
    KX0R

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    ATTENTION !! WARNING !! There are old mountaineers, and bold mountaineers… there are no old-bold mountaineers. Hiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required – enjoy!

  • WØC/SP-Ø98 (10140) – 3085M / 10140 ft

    W0C/SP-098 (10140) – 3085M / 10140 ft
    Oct 24, 2013  First Activation

    by KX0R

    Summit 10140 is the little sister of W0C/SP-090 (Crooked Top Mountain) 3183 M / 10465 ft. 10140 is about 1 mile west of Crooked Top. Both mountains can be climbed using the same approach to the 9550 foot saddle (pass) between them. When climbed and activated along with Crooked Top, 10140 provides a rewarding dual SOTA outing.

    The route to 10140 and Crooked Top begins with a drive west from Denver on Highway 285. 10140 is located about 4 miles NW of Bailey, but the best road approach is via Road 43, the Deer Creek Road. The marked turn to Road 43 is about one mile east of Crow Hill. From 285, turn right (north) on 43A, continue north about 0.4 mile to 43, and then drive northwest on 43 about 6 miles. Find Saddlestring Road, turn left, cross over Deer Creek, and follow Saddlestring past several other roads to a large parking area and a marked 4WD road (997/P-63) leading uphill – south – into the Pike National Forest. The entire route is shown accurately on Google Maps. Follow FSR 997/P-63 about two miles, first west and then south, to a marked junction with FSR 105, where it becomes FSR 101. Continue left, southeast, on 101, approximately along the 9400 foot contour line, for more than a mile.

    Road 101 has two junctions with FSR-105, a 4WD loop road leading over the ridge to the SW. There is a large gate at the second (SE) junction. When I went up there in late October, that gate was closed across road 101. If the gate is open, you may be able to drive all the way to the Pass at about 9550 feet between Crooked Top and 10140; if the gate’s closed, just park there and walk up the gentle road to the Pass.

    A couple of key points:

    1. The route from Saddlestring Road to the Pass at 9550 is called a 4WD road on signs, but it’s not a true 4WD road – 2WD vehicles with medium to high clearance can handle this road, as long as conditions are OK and the driver is careful. There are plenty of rocks and other problems, and it’s over 4 miles of bumps, but there are no really steep spots, big humps, mud-holes, or large rocks. It appears that dispersed camping and fires are permitted along the road.

    2. There is no open road from the 9550 Pass to the southeast. You cannot drive NW from Crow Hill (285) and reach the 9550 Pass from the south. There may have been such a road (101) through Crow Gulch – as shown on some maps – but it’s no longer an option. Google Maps is correct – FSR 101 continues SE down from the Pass for about 1.5 miles, but it’s closed. There also was a locked gate at the Pass the day I was there, and there’s a fence across the Pass. Despite the barriers, much of the land immediately south of the Pass, including 10140 and Crooked Top Mountain, is in Pike National Forest.

    From the Pass, head west up the moderate east ridge of 10140. This forested slope is easy to climb, and it’s less than 600 vertical feet and about ½ mile to the top. The route is more open just south of the ridge, and there are game trails near the summit. Note that there is another summit about 2000 feet south of 10140 that is almost as high – but the SOTA summit is the northern one, as shown on USGS maps. 10140 is a local maximum on a long, high ridge that runs for miles, from Mount Logan to Crow Hill.

    The 10140 summit has convenient spots to set up a rig, with good trees and some shelter from wind. The view is nice, but the view from higher Crooked Top is more impressive. It looks like there’s another hiking route up 10140 via the NW ridge, from either FSR 101 or jeep trail FSR-105.

    10140 and Crooked Top offer a classic dual SOTA activation – weather and time permitting. These two peaks are very convenient to each other. Start early and do them both!

    George Carey Fuller
    KX0R

    ATTENTION !! WARNING !! There are old mountaineers, and bold mountaineers… there are no old-bold mountaineers. Hiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required – enjoy!

  • WØC/SP-Ø9Ø (Crooked Top Mountain) – 3183 M / 10465 ft

    W0C/SP-090 (Crooked Top Mountain) – 3183 M / 10465 ft
    Oct 24, 2013 – First Activation
    by KX0R

    Crooked Top is well-hidden, but it’s a fine SOTA peak. It takes some effort to find it and climb it, so it gets few visitors. When climbed and activated along with its sister summit 10140, W0C/SP-098, Crooked Top provides a rewarding outing.

    The route to Crooked Top begins with a drive west from Denver on Highway 285. Crooked Top is located about 4 miles NW of Bailey, but the best road approach is via Road 43, the Deer Creek Road. The marked turn to Road 43 is about one mile east of Crow Hill. From 285, turn right (north) on 43A, continue north about 0.4 mile to 43, and then drive northwest on 43 about 6 miles. Find Saddlestring Road, turn left, cross over Deer Creek, and follow Saddlestring past several other roads to a large parking area and a marked 4WD road (997/P-63) leading uphill – south – into the Pike National Forest. The entire route is shown accurately on Google Maps. Follow 997/P-63 about two miles, first west and then south, until it becomes Forest Road 101, at a junction with FSR-105. Continue southeast on 101, approximately along the 9400 foot contour line, for more than a mile.

    Road 101 has two junctions with FSR-105, a 4WD loop road leading over the ridge to the SW. There is a large gate at the second (SE) junction. When I went up there in late October, that gate was closed across 101 – if the gate is open, you may be able to drive all the way to the Pass at about 9550 feet, between Crooked Top and 10140. If the gate’s closed, just park there and walk up the gentle road to the Pass.

    A couple of key points:

    1. The route from Saddlestring Road to the pass at 9550 is called a 4WD road on signs, but it’s not a true 4WD road – 2WD vehicles with medium to high clearance can handle this road, as long as conditions are OK and the driver is careful. There are plenty of rocks and other problems, and it’s over 4 miles of bumps, but there are no really steep spots, big humps, mud-holes, or large rocks. It appears that dispersed camping and fires are permitted along the road.

    2. There is no open road from the 9550 Pass to the southeast. You cannot drive NW from Crow Hill (285) and reach the 9550 Pass from the south. There may have been such a road (101) up Crow Creek in the past – it is shown on some maps – but it is no longer an option. Google Maps is correct – 101 continues down SE from the Pass for about 1.5 miles, but it either dead-ends or is blocked. There also was a locked gate at the pass the day I was there, and there is a fence across the Pass. Despite the barriers, much of the land immediately south of the Pass, including Crooked Top Mountain, is in Pike National Forest.

    Crooked Top Mountain towers about 900 feet above the 9550 Pass; from the Pass, head up east along the fence until you come to the remains of an old road. Follow this road up SE a short distance until it ends, and then climb directly east, up the moderately steep west slope of Crooked Top, all the way to the ridge just NW of the summit. Once on the ridge, follow the ridge SE up to the summit. There are several rocky knolls on top – the actual summit is toward the SE. There are great views there, as well as nice spots to set up and activate. With some shelter from wind, ample space, and trees suitable for antenna supports, the summit is friendlier than many. This wild peak sees few visitors – but it’s a classic SOTA peak.

    The descent is the reverse of the climb. Strong knees are required to descend – it’s 900 vertical feet down to the Pass, and 700 of those feet are directly down the slope. The west side of Crooked Top is relatively open, with little talus, no cliffs, and few fallen trees – but avoid the steep south slopes below the summit.

    After returning down to the Pass, you can decide whether to activate 10140. See the trip report for that peak – the route is simpler and easier than Crooked Top, so doing them both for 8 points is a great idea if weather and time allow. These two peaks make for a classic dual SOTA activation!

    George Carey Fuller
    KX0R

    ATTENTION !! WARNING !! There are old mountaineers, and bold mountaineers… there are no old-bold mountaineers. Hiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required – enjoy!

  • WØC/SR-Ø54 (Tremont Mountain) 3160M / 10388 ft

    W0C/SR-054 (Tremont Mountain) 3160M / 10388 ft
    Sep 7, 2013 First Activation

    Tremont Mountain is conveniently located near Gap Road in beautiful Golden Gate Canyon State Park, west of Golden, Colorado. I climbed it from a designated parking spot about ½ mile east of Panorama Point, on the south side of Gap Road. A fee and pass are required to park in the State Park.

    For this trip you need a topo map, compass, and good navigation skills; a GPS is helpful. The hike is moderately strenuous, but it’s only about a mile each way.
    The route appears to be an off-trail bushwhack trip almost 1000 vertical feet all the way up. However, if you’re sharp, you can find old abandoned logging trails that go directly up, almost to the top. I found two of these trails.

    Go south from the parking spot and immediately intersect the hidden Mule Deer Trail. Hike west and climb slightly on this maintained trail about ¼ mile, and find an old trail or trails heading off uphill to the south. I found two of these unmarked trails. If the Mule Deer Trail is descending to the west, you have gone too far. The western of the two routes works pretty well – I descended that way. The route goes up directly, east of the craggy northern ridge of Tremont Mountain. These trails resemble gullies and may have been used decades ago to drag logs down from the mountain. There are old cut stumps near the summits.

    Climb up the old trail, and try to stay with it through occasional thickets of new growth. There are significant trees growing in this trail – but it’s a much better route than the off-trail ascent I did through fallen trees, rocks, and bushes. The old route is an obvious game trail. Stay east of the northern ridge, until you get near the summits.

    The name “Tremont” may mean “three summits”, because that’s what’s up there. The northwestern summit at 10,388 feet is the highest – but I couldn’t see through the trees, so I climbed the southeastern knob first, then the middle one, and then the northwestern summit before knowing which crag was the top. It’s easy scrambling over large rocks up the northeastern side of the northwestern summit. The actual peak is out at the northwestern end of the slightly exposed granite summit ridge. It’s a spectacular place, with views of the high Front Range peaks, Boulder and Gilpin Counties, Thorodin Mountain, Pike’s Peak, Mount Elbert, and the Eastern Plains.

    Despite being included in the Sawatch Range group of SOTA peaks, Tremont is far from the Sawatch area – it’s really in the eastern Front Range.

    Tremont is a fine SOTA peak! There are small trees along the summit ridge, and if you bring an antenna pole, you can just stick it in a tree. Even with no pole, the trees could support a wire 6-8 feet above the granite ridge-top. I used a 66 foot end-fed wire supported by a Black Widow pole at 18 feet above the rock, with the NW end tied to a tree. I got 57 contacts of 40, 20, 17, and 15M CW. The solar flux was only 101, and I still managed to get six S2S contacts on 20M, 42 contacts on 20M, DJ5AV on 17M, and 5 contacts on 15M.

    This eastern peak has nice coverage of much of the Denver Metro Area, and I made good local contacts, as well short and long skip Q’s. This is surely a great VHF/UHF peak.

    Tremont is very prominent and should be avoided if there is any threat of electrical activity! It was nice while I was there, just breezy, but it’s often very windy during the colder months. There are sheltered spots near the ridge-top with some protection from the wind. Since the ascent described here is totally on the cold north side of the mountain, a winter ascent would probably require a strenuous hike on snowshoes. A much longer and stronger south-side ascent might be practical as well.

    I would never have climbed Tremont were it not for SOTA, but it ranks high on my list of fun summits!

    George Carey Fuller
    KX0R

     

     

    ATTENTION !! WARNING !! There are old mountaineers, and bold mountaineers… there are no old-bold mountaineers. Hiking and mountain climbing are potentially hazardous activities particularly in Colorado with its extreme elevations. I am not accepting responsibility for any death or injury resulting from activations based on my trip reports. Proper training, experience, and personal capability assessment is required – enjoy!