SOTA outings by KØMOS and contributors

Tag: Lost Creek Wilderness

  • W0C/SP-061 (Payne Benchmark) – 3591 m / 11780 ft

    W0C/SP-061
    Payne Benchmark
    3591 m / 11780 ft
    First Activation
    Oct 27, 2016

    By KX0R

    Payne Benchmark is a fine SOTA peak in the wilderness near Bailey, Colorado.

    Key Points:

    • Pike National Forest
    • Platte River Mountains
    • Lost Creek Wilderness
    • Good marked trail much of the way
    • Off-trail final climb, about 0.6 mile to a pleasant summit
    • Nice scenery – wilderness
    • Summit is rarely visited
    • ~ 15.5 miles round-trip
    • ~ 3750 vertical feet
    • “SOTA Classic”

    Driving Directions:

    • Drive west from Denver via Highway 285 to Bailey
    • Turn south on CR 64, at a bridge next to the lumber-yard
    • Where the road forks, continue left, mostly west on 2WD dirt road CR 64
    • After about 2 miles, look for Payne Gulch Road on the left (closed to public)
    • Drive past Payne Creek on CR 64 about 0.2 mile
    • Turn left, south, on a small forest road, and continue about 100 yards to the parking area
    • Park here – this is the Brookside-McCurdy Trailhead
    • There is no charge to park or enter
    • Google Maps shows the roads in this area OK

    The Hike and the Climb:

    • Google Maps only shows fragments of the trails here – the Trails Illustrated/National Geographic maps are much better.
    • The trail first leads roughly south – it’s not very efficient, because it was built to bypass private land.
    • At about one mile from the trailhead, the trail splits.
    • Head southwest on Brookside-McCurdy Trail 607.
    • Follow Trail 607 as it leads across a small creek, crosses a large ridge, and climbs high into the Lost Creek Wilderness.

    • The trail continues up McArthur Gulch and gains plenty of vertical feet.
    • Eventually the grade moderates, and the route reaches a broad saddle at about 11,250 feet, near the crest of the Platte River Range.
    • Be sure you have a good map and/or a GPS unit with topo map data for the final off-trail climb
    • Leave the trail and head southeast into the forest – the summit is not visible
    • Hike steeply up the slope toward the peak – the exact route is not critical – it’s about 500 vertical feet to the top.

    • The route ascends to a broad bench at 11,600 feet – this area is covered with young bristlecone pine trees

    • Climb east from the bench, up through a thick forest of much older bristlecone pines, and finally up a few rocks to the craggy summit.

    Details:

    The summit’s small, but it has a convenient flat spot right at the top. A few live and dead trees are available for supporting a pole or a wire. Since the weather was perfect, I decided to set up right next to the summit block, so I guyed my pole to the rocks.

    I tied the far end of the wire to an erect dead tree, the old SOTA trick for a second pole! Payne Benchmark is a near-perfect HF radio site – very prominent and RF-quiet. I logged 48 CW contacts on 4 HF bands during my activation.

    UHF/VHF coverage probably is significant, because the peak looks east across lower mountains to some large areas out on the plains.

    The peak feels even higher than it is. The vast, open views into the Lost Creek Wilderness reveal peaks and other features not visible from the highways in the valleys below.

    Many SOTA peaks are visible. Lost Platte Peak stands a few miles to the east, and Pikes Peak is visible in the south. Windy Peak and Buffalo Peak are not far away; Green Mountain, Wellington Lake and The Castle stand far below! South Twin Cone and North Twin Cone command the western view, along with higher peaks on the Divide further west. Peaks X and Y stand right across the immense glacial valley of Craig Creek that runs 1000 feet down below.

    These views pulls you in – the more you look, the more you see. As a relative newcomer to the Lost Creek Wilderness, I was stunned by the vastness and intricacy of the views. This is true wilderness – there’s no one else – and it’s all perfect and incredible – for too short a time. Only the radio connects you to civilization.

    Payne Benchmark is a true “SOTA Classic”. The excellent challenging hike, the fine scenery, the pure wilderness, the summit climb through the bristlecone pines, the small rocky summit looking out across incredible views for miles in every direction, and the perfect radio site make this one of the best SOTA peaks around!

    Save this summit for the best day you have free.

    Please don’t visit this summit when cumulus clouds threaten. It’s certainly a dangerous place in a storm. The tiny summit is the highest point for miles, and it’s just reaching up toward the clouds for a lightning strike. Most of the central trunks of the old bristlecone pines there have been struck and killed hundreds of years ago – it’s obvious. Only a few branches are still alive on some – and many others are all dead.

    Lost Platte Peak W0C/SP-086 is only about 4 miles east of Payne Benchmark, and it might be reached by hiking along the heavily-forested top of the Platte River Range, but activating both peaks in one day would be difficult.

    Lost Platte Peak can also be reached from the same trailhead as Payne Benchmark, via the Payne Gulch Trail 637.

    73

    George
    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!

  • W0C/SP-086 (Lost Platte Peak) – 3248 m / 10657 ft

    W0C/SP-086
    Lost Platte Peak
    3248 m / 10657 ft
    First Activation
    Oct 14, 2016

    By KX0R

    Lost Platte Peak is a fine SOTA peak in the wilderness near Bailey, Colorado.

    Key Points:

    • Pike National Forest
    • Platte River Mountains
    • Lost Creek Wilderness
    • Good marked trail much of the way
    • Off-trail final climb, about one mile to a pleasant summit
    • Nice scenery – wilderness
    • Summit is seldom visited
    • ~ 12 miles round-trip
    • ~ 2500 vertical feet

    Driving Directions:

    • Drive west from Denver via Highway 285 to Bailey
    • Turn south on CR 64, at a bridge next to the lumber-yard
    • Where the road forks, continue left, mostly west, on 2WD dirt road CR 64
    • After about 2 miles, look for Payne Gulch Road on the left
    • Payne Gulch Road is gated and closed to the public
    • Drive past Payne Creek about 0.2 mile
    • Turn left, south, on a small forest road, and continue about 0.1 mile to the parking area
    • Park here – this is the Brookside-McCurdy Trailhead
    • There is no charge to park or enter
    • Google Maps shows the roads in this area OK

    The Hike and the Climb:

    • Google Maps only shows fragments of the trails here – the Trails Illustrated/National Geographic maps are much better.
    • The trail first leads roughly south – it’s not very efficient, because it was built to bypass private land.
    • About one mile from the trailhead, the trail splits.


    • Head left, southeast, on Payne Gulch Trail 637. This trail is less traveled than Trail 607.
    • Follow Trail 637 as it leads toward Payne Creek and up into the Lost Creek Wilderness.


    • The route climbs along old logging roads to a broad pass or saddle.


    • It’s over 4 miles from the trailhead to the pass at 9900 feet:


    • At the pass, leave the trail and climb east-souteast through aspens
    • Ascend the nearby ridge at about 10,100 feet, and follow the ridge southeast toward Lost Platte Peak.

    • It’s more than 1 mile from the saddle at 9900 feet to the summit.
    • The ridge is mixed aspen and conifer forest, with some deadfall.
    • Most of the route is easy, with useful game trails.
    • Climb over a small sub-peak at about 10,280 feet, and Lost Platte Peak comes into view.

    • The final climb to the summit is about 500 vertical feet – just follow the ridge; stay slightly left, north, of any craggy spots.

    Here’s an excellent report on a winter expedition to Lost Platte Peak.

    Details:

    Lost Platte Peak has several rocky points, and they’re all in the large activation zone. Many trees are available for holding a pole or a wire. Because of wind, I set up slightly below the top in a nice aspen grove.

    The peak is a fine HF radio site – very prominent and RF quiet. I logged 58 CW contacts on 4 HF bands during my SOTA first activation.

    UHF/VHF coverage probably is limited to the area around Bailey, plus a few places out east.

    The peak feels very high when you’re up there. The open views into the Lost Creek Wilderness reveal peaks and other features not visible from the highways around the area. Windy Peak W0C/SP-056 and Buffalo Peak W0C/FR-032 stand high in the southeast; Wellington Lake and The Castle W0C/FR-161 stand far below!

    The summit of Bison Peak W0C/FR-021 stands behind other mountains. There’s even a glimpse of the Plains far to the east, as well as a few peaks on the Divide in the west.

    Despite being so close to the Denver Metro Area, the Payne Creek Trail leads to some wild country not visited by the masses. This is a special place; it provides intense solitude and wonderful vistas for the fortunate few who go up there.

    Payne Benchmark W0C/SP-061 is about 4 miles west of Lost Platte Peak, and it might be reached by hiking along the top of the Platte River Range; but activating both peaks in one day would be very difficult. Payne Benchmark also can be climbed from the same trailhead as Lost Platte Peak, via Brookside-McCurdy Trail 607.

    Mount Bailey W0C/FR-062 is only a few miles east of the Brookside-McCurdy Trailhead, and it’s a practical second summit to combine with Lost Platte Peak for a dual activation.

    73

    George
    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!

  • W0C/SP-068 (11423) – 3482 m / 11423 ft

    W0C/SP-068
    11423
    3482 m / 11423 ft
    First Activation
    Oct 24, 2016

    By KX0R

    11423 is a fun sub-alpine SOTA peak in the Lost Creek Wilderness east of South Park.

    Key Points:

    • Pike National Forest
    • Lost Creek Wilderness Area
    • Tarryall Mountains
    • Good trail more than half the way
    • Moderate off-trail climb to the summit
    • Fine scenery
    • Excellent HF site
    • ~ 5.8 miles round-trip
    • ~ 1500 vertical feet

    Driving Directions:

    • Drive down 285 and cross Kenosha Pass
    • About 2 miles beyond the Pass, turn left, south, on CR 56, the Lost Park Road
    • This unpaved road is rocky and rough, but it’s normally a 2WD road, and high clearance is not required
    • Follow the road about 16 miles to the end at the Lost Park Trailhead
    • Park off the road and well back from the gate
    • Don’t go east into the campground, etc.
    • There’s no fee to park at the trailhead

    The Hike and the Climb:

    • Google Maps is inadequate for hiking in this area – trails are missing
    • The Trails Illustrated/National Geographic maps are fine
    • GPS is useful and recommended
    • Follow marked trail 607, Brookside McCurdy Trail, a short distance downhill from the trailhead and west to the South Fork of Lost Creek
    • The trail crosses the creek on a small wooden bridge


    • The trail meets Trail 609 at a T-junction south of the creek
    • Continue right at the fork, southwest, on Trail 607
    • This nice old trail leads uphill and into the forest


    • The trail climbs roughly SSW along Indian Creek
    • Hike about 1.4 miles from the bridge on Trail 607
    • At about 10,440 feet, leave the trail, and hike roughly southeast up through the forest to the ridge southwest of the summit – try to hit the saddle at 10,960 feet


    • From the saddle, hike northeast up the ridge – go slightly north to bypass a few rock outcrops
    • Climb up the ridge to the rocky summit of 11423

    Additional Details:

    From leaving the trail to the summit is about 0.8 miles, with a vertical gain of 1000 feet. This is steep but practical in the open sub-alpine forest. A bit of easy rock scrambling may be required to reach the summit.

    A sister summit with a rocky pinnacle stands about 1000 feet northeast of the actual summit. It’s almost as high as the main peak. Both summits and the connecting ridge appear to be within the Activation Zone. Most of the peak is orange Pikes Peak granite.

    There’s a summit register in a jar on the actual summit. Most of the trees are healthy bristlecone pines. The views south of massive Bison Peak are awesome, and other parts of the wilderness are visible for miles around.

    The summit area of 11423 is ideal for setting up and HF SOTA station. There’s enough room for a long wire antenna. The space is open and convenient, with a flat spot to operate from; nice trees are available to hold a pole.

    The peak is a near-perfect HF site. Miles from any development, the noise level is very low. The summit’s quite prominent and falls away quickly in all directions. The only significant blockage for HF skip signals is Bison Peak, about 2 miles south of 11423. VHF/UHF coverage is probably limited to a few places in South Park.

    Once I got on the air, I made 55 CW contacts on 7-10-14 MHz.  These included a summit-to-summit (S2S) contact with KH7AL on W0C/FR-134 on 7 MHz, and a DX contact with CT1HIX on 14 Mhz.

    I first climbed this mountain by an interesting but longer route. I hiked more than 2-1/2 miles on trail 607, all the way around the rocky southwest corner of the mountain, before I left the trail. I entered a large meadow southwest of the summit.

    After crossing north through the meadow, I continued north up through open forest to the saddle on the southwest ridge; then I followed the ridge up to the peak. My descent was via the route described above.

    A short, direct route up the north side of the mountain to the northwest ridge might be practical – however, I have not tried this.

    11423 might be combined with other local SOTA peaks for a dual activation:

    11060                       W0C/SP-075  less difficult, not far north

    Topaz Mountain         W0C/SP-062   less difficult, further north

    North Tarryall Peak     W0C/FR-029  more difficult, further north

    Bison Peak                 W0C/FR-021  much more difficult, nearby

    Be aware of possible hunters in the fall – wear bright orange.

    73

    George
    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!

  • W0C/SP-069 (Lake Park Peak) – 3476 m / 11403 ft

    W0C/SP-069
    Lake Park Peak
    3476 m / 11403 ft
    First Activation
    Oct 20, 2016

    By KX0R

    Lake Park Peak is a challenging sub-alpine SOTA peak in the Tarryall Mountains east of South Park.

    Key Points:

    • Pike National Forest
    • Lost Creek Wilderness Area
    • Good trail most of the way
    • Challenging off-trail climb to the summit
    • Great scenery
    • Excellent Radio site
    • ~ 12.5 miles round-trip
    • ~ 3000 vertical feet

    Driving Directions:

    • Drive Highway 285 west from Denver, cross Kenosha Pass, and continue to Jefferson
    • Turn south on Highway 77 and go about 16 miles to Tarryall Reservoir
    • Continue south on 77 for about 10.7 miles to the trailhead at Spruce Grove Campground
    • This campground is about a mile south of Tarryall Ranch
    • Look for a sign for the USFS Spruce Grove Campground on the east side
    • Park outside the campground, away from the gate
    • There is no charge to park

    The Hike and Climb:

    • Google Maps is inadequate for hiking in this area – trails are missing
    • The Trails Illustrated/National Geographic maps are fine
    • GPS is useful and recommended
    • Walk from the trailhead down into the campground, and head slightly east and down to Tarryall Creek
    • Cross the creek on a large footbridge
    • Immediately head left, upstream, on trail Lizard Rock Trail 658
    • The route passes through a tunnel under a large boulder


    • Continue north through open meadows and up a small canyon on Trail 658


    • Where the trail comes to a T-junction, turn right, east on Trail 630 toward Hankins Pass. The trail signs were missing or damaged when I was there.
    • Follow the trail up more than a mile to Hankins Pass.


    • At the Pass, turn left, north, and follow marked Trail 639 as it climbs switchbacks up toward Lake Park.
    • Near 10,900 feet the trail reaches an obvious saddle – Lake Park is visible below
    • Head right, off the trail to the east, and climb toward the ridge southwest of Lake Park Peak
    • Near the top of the ridge, at about 11,100 feet, contour around to the east, to the south side of Lake Park Peak


    • Climb up through forest and rocks until you see the summit, and then head up the knobby Pikes Peak granite to the top.
    • This route avoids rock climbing and scrambling along the craggy southwest ridge
    • Note that the western summit is slightly higher than the steep eastern sub-peak, which stands about 500 feet away

    In the image above, look carefully at lower right for the white wire antenna running all the way up to the rock at upper left.

    Additional Details:

    The off-trail part of this ascent is harder than it looks on the map, and it may take longer than you expect! I climbed via the southwest ridge, which involves route-finding and some class-3 moves in several spots. The orange granite is good rock, and the ridge up to the summits is interesting, with many weird rock formations. Lake Park Peak is rarely visited, but it’s visually fascinating.

    The actual summit is all granite, and setting up a pole there may be difficult. I moved down to the east and tied my pole to a pine tree; I ran the wire up to the ridge near the summit. I had shelter from the wind, warm sun, and an excellent spot to operate from.

    Lake Park Peak is a perfect HF site. Miles from any development, the noise level is very low. The prominent summit falls away quickly in all directions. No nearby mountains cause significant blockage of HF skip signals.

    My SOTA First Activation was fun. I made 26 CW contacts on 3 HF bands.

    The peak may be a useful VHF/UHF site as well. It’s high enough to see parts of the Eastern Plains, Pikes Peak, and across South Park to the Collegiate Peaks.

    Check this link for more info on the Lost Creek Wilderness.

    Be aware of possible hunters in the fall – wear bright orange.

    73

    George
    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!

  • W0C/FR-038 (South Tarryall Peak) – 3416 m / 11206 ft

    W0C/FR-038
    South Tarryall Peak
    3416 m / 11206 ft
    Oct 12, 2016

    By KX0R

    South Tarryall Peak is a challenging sub-alpine SOTA peak in the Lost Creek Wilderness, east of South Park.

    • Pike National Forest
    • Lost Creek Wilderness Area
    • Good trail most of the way
    • Challenging off-trail climb to the summit
    • Awesome scenery
    • Excellent Radio site
    • 10.0 miles round-trip
    • 2700 vertical feet

    Driving Directions:

    • Drive down 285, cross Kenosha Pass, and continue to Jefferson
    • Turn south on Highway 77 and drive about 16 miles to Tarryall Reservoir
    • Continue south on 77 for about 10.7 miles to the trailhead at Spruce Grove Campground
    • This campground is about a mile south of Tarryall Ranch
    • Look for a sign for the USFS Spruce Grove Campground on the east side
    • Park outside the campground, away from the gate
    • There is no charge to park

    The Hike and the Climb:

    • Google Maps is inadequate for hiking in this area – trails are missing
    • The Trails Illustrated/National Geographic maps are fine
    • GPS is useful and recommended
    • Walk from the trailhead down into the campground
    • Head slightly east and down to Tarryall Creek
    • Cross the creek on a large footbridge
    • Immediately head left, upstream, on Lizard Rock Trail 658
    • The route passes through a tunnel under a large boulder

    • Continue north through open meadows and up a small canyon on Trail 658

    • Where the trail comes to a T-junction, turn right, east, on Hankins Pass Trail 630. Some trail signs were missing or damaged when I was there.
    • Follow the trail up more than a mile to Hankins Pass.


    • At the Pass, turn right, south, and hike off-trail, past a campsite, and up into the forest
    • Follow a social trail up toward a large rock formation about 200 yards to the south


    • Stay on the right (north) side of the rock formation and ascend south
    • From the southern end of the rock formation, continue climbing south along a ridge
    • The ridge leads south to the saddle east of South Tarryall Peak
    • There’s a path with occasional cairns almost all the way up to the high saddle


    • At the top of the ridge, break out of the forest and climb up to the wide saddle at 10,960 feet.

    • The saddle and the peak have been burned by a fire; numerous dead trees stand or lie on the slopes

    • Climb west from the saddle up the rocky ridge to the summit

    Additional Details:

    The trails to Hankins Pass are excellent; this part of the hike is relatively efficient.

    The off-trail part of this ascent is easier than it looks on the map, provided you go up to the large rock formation and then follow the ridge route up to the saddle, as described above. The mountain is all Pikes Peak granite, with numerous knobs and bumps.

    An old triangulation station stands on the peak – it’s a large pole with a cross. The USCGS benchmark stands underneath the cross, and the steel guy wires are still holding up the pole. Incredible views spread out in all directions.

    South Tarryall Peak is a perfect HF site. Far above development below, the noise level is very low. The prominent summit falls away quickly in all directions. No nearby mountains block HF skip signals, except perhaps a couple of higher peaks to the east. Several good spots are available for setting up a pole and operating radio gear.

    The peak may be useful for VHF/UHF communication as well. It’s high enough to see areas to the south and across South Park to the Collegiate Peaks.

    I had a fun SOTA activation, with 40 CW contacts on 4 HF bands.  These included a summit-to-summit (S2S) contact with NS0TA on W6/CN-002 (Lassen Peak), 9A7W Ozren in Croatia, and John ZL1BYZ in New Zealand.

    It might be possible to combine South Tarryall Peak with nearby Lake Park Peak W0C/SP-069 for a dual activation.  This would be a long, hard day!

    Be aware of possible hunters in the fall – wear bright orange.

    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!

  • W0C/SP-049 (South Twin Cone) – 3761 m / 12340 ft

    W0C/SP-049
    South Twin Cone Peak
    3761 m / 12340 ft
    First Activation
    Aug 19, 2015

    By KX0R

    South Twin Cone Peak is a prominent alpine summit in the Lost Creek Wilderness, about 4 miles east of Kenosha Pass.

    Key points:

    • Pleasant alpine peak
    • Seldom climbed
    • No trail to the top
    • Navigation and route-finding required
    • Access via dirt road from Kenosha Pass
    • Road requires moderately high clearance vehicle
    • Accessible in summer and fall
    • Fine HF site
    • ~11.4 miles round-trip to the summit via my route
    • ~ 2000 feet total vertical gain
    • With a 4WD high-clearance vehicle, the hiking distance can be reduced

    Driving Directions:

    First drive to Kenosha Pass via Highway 285. Turn east onto Forest Road 126 at the Pass. FR 126 begins as an easy 2WD dirt road.

    Follow the road into the Kenosha Creek drainage and continue upstream. The road crosses a ford in the creek – this is a big pile of rocks. Only cars with adequate clearance – at least 5 inches – can drive over these rocks without possible damage. Some of the land in the valley along the road is private, but it’s OK to pass through to the National Forest.

    About three miles from Highway 285, at 10,400 feet, FR 126 leaves the creek and heads up a series of steep switchbacks. The road quickly gets steeper and rockier. Depending on your vehicle, you might be wise to park near the first switchback, before the road gets more serious – I did this. There are more large rocks as the road ascends, but a careful driver should be able to drive a high-clearance vehicle higher than I did, even without 4WD.

    Either drive or hike up the switchbacks as the road climbs the southwest side of North Twin Cone Peak. Continue along the rocky 4WD road toward North Twin Cone. There are several nice campsites along this road.

    After climbing above 11,300 feet, the road descends east about 200 vertical feet for about 2/3 mile into the upper Kenosha Creek drainage, south of North Twin Cone and west of South Twin Cone.

    From the obvious turn-around and parking spot, FR-126 ascends a long, steep, rocky 4WD hill.

    Only experienced drivers with very-high-clearance vehicles should attempt to drive up the rough trail toward North Twin Cone Peak. It’s more practical to park and hike up!

    Hiking Directions:

    To reach South Twin Cone, leave the jeep trail south of North Twin Cone at about 11,800 feet, and hike east across the tundra. There’s no marked route, but there are hints of a path. Heading east too soon leads into a big willow swamp.

    It’s not necessary to climb all the way east, up to the ridge between North and South Twin Cones. The upper part of the willows area is sparse, and animal paths lead through the thickets. The best route to South Twin Cone may depend on the season and conditions.

    It might be possible to short-cut east from the jeep road at 11,200 feet and climb up the forested southwest ridge of South Twin Cone, but I don’t know if this is a practical route. I chose to hike via the North Twin Cone road, because it’s mostly easy and open all the way.

    Above about 11,600 feet the area is mostly alpine meadows filled with rocks and wildflowers. The upper part of South Twin Cone is an easy climb over tundra and large rocks. The large, rounded summit slopes gently to the east – the activation zone is spacious. Some shelter from wind is provided by large rocks and the summit itself. The views are spectacular. Alpine terrain extends southeast for miles into the wilderness.

    Details:

    South Twin Cone is a fine HF radio site. There’s little blockage of HF signals in any direction, and the ground slopes down at a nice angle. The HF noise level is very low – there’s almost no development for miles. This high site probably is not a very good VHF/UHF site; but it may have limited coverage of the Front Range foothills, parts of the eastern Plains, some of the Denver Metro area, and areas to the southeast. Coverage of South Park is likely good.

    There’s a small solar-powered radio facility on North Twin Cone. I experienced no HF noise from this site.

    I made 23 HF contacts on four bands during my SOTA activation of South Twin Cone. It was fun to operate from this wonderful high spot on a sunny, dry day. I saw no one after I left my car. It’s surprising how many nice, accessible mountains are seldom visited!

    In bad weather, South Twin Cone may experience lightning storms, high winds, hail, and snow; this mountain is best climbed in dry, stable weather. The descent route is high and exposed to the weather for a long distance.

    I started the hike at 10:22 AM from where I parked on the road at 10,400 feet, and I reached the summit at 12:58 PM. On a day with storms this would have been way too late for a SOTA activation! Because of the drive and the length of the hike, South Twin Cone may require a very early start if storms are likely. It will be a long day.

    While there are other SOTA peaks in the area of South Twin Cone, it would be difficult to do a dual activation with another summit. Possibilities include:

    W0C/SP-070 11356 6 miles NW, off Hall Valley Road
    W0C/FR-062 Mount Bailey 10 miles east, off 285 near Bailey

    Camping nearby might make it practical to activate multiple summits in the area. Numerous forest campgrounds and campsites are within a few miles of Kenosha Pass.

    South Twin Cone is a fine SOTA peak with reasonable access. The low-noise alpine summit and wildflower-meadows are really nice! The only reason it’s not quite a “SOTA Classic” is that the long hike runs for miles along a jeep road. I’m planning to come back!

    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!