SOTA outings by KØMOS and contributors

Tag: Trip Report

W0C/FR-111 (Chiefs Head) – 4139 m / 13579 ft

W0C/FR-111
Chiefs Head
4139 m / 13579 ft
First HF Activation
Aug 23, 2015

By KX0R

Chiefs Head Peak is a classic alpine peak west of Longs Peak.

Key Points:

• Rocky Mountain National Park
• No marked trail much of the way
• Navigation and route-finding required
• 16 miles round trip
• 5200 vertical feet
• High altitude
• Spectacular summit and views
• Superb HF site

Chiefs Head from Mt. Orton North Ridge

Chiefs Head offers a challenging, high activation with proportional rewards. Climbing this big mountain requires a long, sustained, non-technical hike through scenic terrain; only activators with off-trail experience and good fitness should attempt Chiefs Head. Much of the route is on a long ridge, high above tree-line, and this trip should be reserved for a day with good weather. The summit is most accessible in summer and fall.

There are two standard hiking routes for climbing Chiefs Head. I had climbed this mountain twice prior to 2015, first via the eastern route, and later via the western route. I chose the shorter eastern route via Sandbeach Lake for my 2015 ascent. The trail starts at the Sandbeach Lake Trailhead, just west of the Peak-to-Peak Highway, Route 7. This route climbs to Sandbeach Lake, ascends west through the forest up Mount Orton, and continues across the alpine “North Ridge” between Orton and Chiefs Head. The unmarked route then climbs up the southeast slope of Chiefs Head to the east ridge, and then up the ridge to the top.

Chiefs Head Ascent Route Looking Back South along “North Ridge” to Mount Orton

This journey is Grade II, Class 2. More than half the route is not on marked trails; there’s some bushwhacking on game trails leading up Mount Orton. It took me almost 12 hours to climb Chiefs Head, do a 3-band HF CW activation, and return to the trailhead via the Sandbeach Lake route.

The western standard route is completely different – it starts at the Wild Basin Ranger Station trailhead. The hike initially follows the main trail west toward Thunder Lake; then it turns north up the Lion Lakes Trail to the Lion Lakes. The climb continues off-trail up the long ramp-like ridge northwest west of Lion Lakes, all the way to the Continental Divide at about 12,500 feet. The route then goes north and then east along the Divide, and finally up the west ridge of Chiefs Head to the top. The Lion Lakes route is longer than the Sandbeach Lake route, but the vertical gain is slightly less, about 5000 feet. The one-way distance is about 9.5 miles, 3 additional miles total for the round-trip; but no bushwhacking is needed, and the rocky parts are not as steep.

Both routes are incredibly spectacular, with close views of Longs Peak, Mount Meeker, Pagoda Mountain, Copeland Mountain, and Mount Alice. Chiefs Head has stunning views in all directions; the north face drops over 1500 feet. This is some of the most rugged, beautiful terrain in the National Park.

Chiefs Head North Ridge to McHenrys Peak

Chiefs Head East Ridge, Pagoda, Longs, and Meeker

Details of the Sandbeach Lake route I used in 2015:

The excellent Sandbeach Lake Trail starts at about 8400 feet elevation; it climbs about 4 miles west through the forest to Sandbeach Lake, a popular destination at about 10,300 feet.

Sandbeach Lake

At the north end of the Lake, it’s necessary to bushwhack up through the trees for almost ½ mile to the open east slopes of Mount Orton above. Avoid going north of the Lake – that area is a tedious, rocky moraine. The forested gully northwest of the Lake leads steeply up where you need to go. An old trail is hidden under fallen trees, but there are game trails. Be sure to carry enough water, or pump it from the small creek; this is the last good water, except for snow up high. At 10,800 feet the route opens up into high flower meadows, and it’s a simple climb up toward Mount Orton at 11,700 feet. Occasional cairns help navigate this section. Work through the numerous rocks and traverse around the top of Orton – I went around the east side. There are only a few cairns, but it all works out.

Flower-Meadow above Sandbeach Lake

South Side Route up Mount Orton

After Orton, the hike is a pleasant, fast trip for about a mile across “North Ridge”, the long, barren, broad ridge between Orton and Chiefs Head. Pagoda, Longs Peak and Mount Meeker stand high and close!

Chiefs Head, Pagoda, and Longs Peak from Orton North Ridge

At 11,900 feet, climb any convenient route up the rocks and blocks on the southeast slope of Chiefs Head. Most of this slope is pretty solid, with a few climbers’ trails; climb 1400 vertical feet to the high, narrow ridge east of Chiefs Head. Then ascend west for about 1/3 mile to the top.

South Tundra Route up Chiefs Head

South Slope Rocks and Blocks up Chiefs Head

The rocky summit is not large, but there’s space to set up an HF antenna. Bring a pole for an HF antenna. There’s a convenient rock shelter near the top, and it’s easy to erect and guy a pole there. The site is miles from any development, and the RF noise level is very low. Chiefs Head has a view southeast across the Denver metro area, it’s a good VHF/UHF site in that direction; it’s blocked in most other directions. In good weather this mountain is a pleasant alpine SOTA peak!

Chiefs Head Activation in Wind Shelter

KX0R SOTA Antenna on Chiefs Head

I made 30 CW contacts on 3 HF bands from Chiefs Head. Setting up was relatively easy, and the 45-minute activation was a nice break after hours of hiking!

It’s possible to continue west across Chiefs Head, descend the west ridge to the Continental Divide, and then continue down into the Lion Lakes cirque via the long ridge northwest of the Lakes. Some navigation – or prior knowledge – is required to find the trail leading down into Wild Basin from the Lion Lakes. Unfortunately the Wild Basin route ends up at the Ranger Station, a couple of miles west of the Sandbeach Lake Trailhead at Copeland Lake; therefore the total distance from the summit back to Copeland Lake via the west route is 11.5 miles! This is too long for an ideal loop hike.

Mount Alice and Lion Lakes from Chiefs Head South Slope

Both routes up Chiefs Head are long and hard, and an early start is required, even on a day with perfect weather. In order to have time for a good activation, the summit should be climbed before noon. On a day with storms, noon is usually too late. It took me almost 5 hours to do the climb – this included breaks for water, food, and navigation. This required an average of over 1000 vertical feet per hour, with a higher rate on some slopes. I saw no one after Sandbeach Lake until I returned back there!

In some ways the western Lion Lakes route is better than the Sandbeach Lake route. It might be worth starting earlier in the morning to climb the longer route up the west side of Chiefs Head; this avoids the rough off-trail route from Sandbeach Lake to Mount Orton.

It might be possible to do a dual activation of Mount Alice and Chiefs Head, but only if you’re Superman. Both peaks are accessible from the spot where the long ramp ridge from the Lion Lakes meets the Divide. A dual activation would require a very early start, or part of the descent might be after sunset.

Chiefs Head is one of the more difficult SOTA peaks I’ve activated. The weather was pleasant, except for some gusty wind along the ridge north of Mount Orton. In bad weather this summit should be avoided! The entire area around Longs Peak and Wild Basin is prone to serious lightning storms in summer! Rain, snow, hail, and high winds are possible any time of year.

Chiefs Head is a SOTA Classic in every way. Climbing and activating this spectacular peak, while surrounded by even higher and more rugged summits, is an incredible experience! Only activators with high-altitude experience, sufficient fitness, and light-weight gear should attempt this mountain.

73

George Carey Fuller
KX0R

Chiefs Head View North

White Gentians on Chiefs Head

!! 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!

May 11, 2016
W0C/FR-116 (Isolation Peak) – 3998 m / 13118 ft

W0C/FR-116
Isolation Peak
3998 m – 13118 ft
First Activation
Aug 29, 2015

Isolation Peak stands high on the Continental Divide, among huge glacial cirques at the western head of Wild Basin, in the alpine wilderness of Rocky Mountain National Park.

• Long, challenging hike
• High altitude
• No marked route or trail to the summit
• Considerable navigation and route-finding
• Incredible alpine scenery
• Fine HF summit
• ~ 17 miles round trip
• ~ 4620 vertical feet

Isolation Peak from Pipit Lake

Of all the SOTA peaks I have climbed, Isolation Peak is the most accurately named. This was one of my best activations! The hike was huge, everything went incredibly well, and I made 30 contacts from the summit. My son Tom hiked with me all the way, we had a good day, and it was a long one!

Tom Fuller on Isolation Peak Summit

I climbed Isolation Peak back in 1971, when I was much younger. It was the longest and most difficult climb I had done at that time. I had the USGS topo map “Isolation Peak”, and on a dry day in September, I found my way to the top – it was incredible! I was a little late getting to the summit back then, and I still remember marching out the last couple of miles in the twilight as fast as I could walk, with very sore feet.

When Tom and I got to the trailhead early in the morning, we were ready for the expedition. The hike is almost 17 miles round trip, from the Wild Basin Ranger Station at about 8500 feet, to the summit at 13118 feet, for a vertical gain of 4618 feet. The first part of the trip is on a good, popular trail up North Saint Vrain Creek and Ouzel Creek to Bluebird Lake at about 11,000 feet. We started hiking at 6:26 AM, and we were at Bluebird Lake by 9:30; that was the easy part. Isolation Peak came into view, over 2000 feet above us, and almost 2 miles away. We crossed at the lake outlet, and then we picked our way around the rocky north shore of the lake and up the slopes toward Pipit Lake. There’s no marked route, but there are a few cairns. Not many people go up beyond Bluebird.

We followed the north side of the beautiful creek up the drainage above Bluebird, through the alpine wilderness. We were alone. We ascended 600 vertical feet up the open slopes north of scenic Pipit Lake; at 10:42, we were standing at Isolation Lake, in its rocky cirque at 12,000 feet. The Peak stood silently in the sun, over 1100 feet above us.

Isolation Peak South Side

After a short break to pump water, we climbed a steep slope above the west side of Isolation Lake; we continued up the rocks and tundra to the south shoulder of Isolation at 12,800 feet. It’s mostly all rocks after that – up the south ridge and then to the summit. Tom led around to the west side as we approached the top – that worked OK. At 11:43 we were next to the summit block at the top – it took 5 hours and 17 minutes for the entire ascent. We were both pleased with our climb!

KX0R near Isolation Peak Summit

KX0R on Isolation Peak Summit

The weather was perfect, and we stayed on the summit for two hours. Tom climbed the summit block, we took pictures, ate food, drank water, and marveled at what we could see from the high peak. I got busy and set up my 20-foot Black Widow pole, connected up the rig, and got on the air. It was already a race against the clock!

I was on by 1821Z – 12:21 MDT – calling CQ on 15M CW. I made just one contact, so I went to 30M and ran through 13 stations in 12 minutes. Then I went to 20M CW and ran through 16 stations in 14 minutes. I would have enjoyed operating on more bands, but our time was limited. I logged 30 Q’s, including an S2S with W6AH on W6/CT-009, in just over 40 minutes – that would have to do. There certainly was no problem getting contacts up there!

KX0R First Activation of Isolation Peak

The summit of Isolation Peak is a pile of large boulders on a long, narrow, east-west ridge. The activation zone has plenty of room to put up an HF antenna; I set up in a flat area among large rocks, just west of the summit block. This was a comfortable spot in the sun! The RF noise was very low – there’s no development for miles – and there were no storms in the area. There was only a breeze, and activating Isolation was almost an ideal alpine SOTA experience. Experience and light-weight gear were essential to activating such a remote peak and making it back to the trailhead at a reasonable time.

Isolation Peak View NW

Pipit Lake below Isolation Peak

We headed down from Isolation at about 1:43, picking our way down the rocky south ridge; we wasted little time on the long trip down the valleys. We reached the parking lot at 7:20 PM MDT; our descent took 5 hours and 37 minutes. We were on the summit for two hours – a long time for such a peak; but we were on the trail for about 10.9 hours. The average speed for the 17 miles on the trail was about 1.56 mph, including all breaks and stops. While we were generally hiking about 2.0 to 2.5 miles per hour on the trail, sometimes even faster, we really slowed down off-trail. We averaged less than 1 mph in the steep rocks and thin air above 12,000 feet.

We made no errors – what a fine day!

I don’t recommend Isolation Peak, or similar wilderness peaks with long hikes and lots of vertical distance, for most SOTA activators. Almost everything has to go right, or such a trip can turn into a disaster. There’s very little margin for error!

Reasonably careful preparation helps control risks related to navigation and weather. Having established routines and familiar gear are essential. Taking too much equipment is as bad as not having enough, especially when the air is thin. Lots of experience is critical, but sometimes it creates a false sense of security.

On the right day, at the right time, the alpine wilderness can be lots of fun. Add a good SOTA activation on a high summit, and a rich, intense experience is possible.

Isolation Peak certainly is a SOTA Classic – but this summit is right for a small minority of athletic operators, and only on a limited number of days with safe weather. Most of the high, remote peaks of Rocky Mountain Park and the Indian Peaks are in the same class. There are listed SOTA peaks in this region that are much more difficult than Isolation, and some of them may never be activated!

73

George Carey Fuller
KX0R

Columbine near Isolation Lake

!! 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!

May 11, 2016
WØC/FR-Ø44 (Green Mountain) – 3170 m / 10421 ft

W0C/FR-044
Green Mountain 3170 m / 10421 ft
First Activation
Sep 20, 2014

by KX0R

There are many Green Mountains in Colorado, but W0C/FR-044 is one of the best for SOTA. What it lacks in points, it makes up for in prominence and satisfaction for the successful activator. Best of all, it has reasonable access from the Denver Metro area, and it makes a nice day trip. This is a true SOTA “Classic”!

Green Mountain West Side

Start by driving up Highway 285 to Bailey, and at the bottom of Crow Hill, turn left where the road curves to the right as it enters the town. Pass the Liquor, Tobacco, and Firearms store and take Road 68 southeast. This road is paved a short distance, but after it enters the Pike National Forest, it becomes dirt. Follow 68 for several miles, up and over some large, steep hills, and through the scenic forest. Follow the signs to Wellington Lake. Road 68 forks into Road 105, which leads through some ranches to the Lake. Wellington Lake is a private resort, but it’s OK to drive past the lake on the bumpy road, in order to reach the Stoney Pass Road at the SE corner of the Lake. If you pay a fee you can camp or fish at the Lake – it is spectacular. Huge rock formations called The Castle tower above the Lake. The Castle is W0C/FR-161, and it has not been activated at this writing.

Wellington Lake and The Castle

Follow Road 105 along the shore to the T-intersection with Forest Road 543. Go straight on Forest Road 560, and continue to the far SE corner of the Lake. First ford a small creek – this pool is several inches deep, and OK to cross in a car in summer or fall, but it might be more serious during the spring runoff- or after a heavy rain. After the ford, Road 560 passes through posted private land for a short distance, and then it enters the Pike National Forest again. The road climbs steeply up to Stoney Pass, which is not as bad as it sounds. In cold weather, this north-side road may be gated or impassable due to snow and ice. Access might or might not be available from the south side of the Pass. At Stoney Pass there is parking and dispersed camping in the aspen trees. This area was minimally burned in the recent fires, so it is special – the huge burn area begins a couple of miles south of Stoney Pass.

From the pass, hike along a closed forest road that leads roughly east up to a plateau area with open pine woods. Follow the main fork of the road until it begins to descend SE, down toward a meadow area in a valley. From the apparent high point of the road, head slightly left, and follow an easy game trail east along the obvious gentle ridge, keeping Green Mountain in mind and in view, and gradually climb up a draw northeast, through open aspen forests toward the distinct south ridge of Green Mountain.

Green Mountain Hike through Aspens

I headed up the draw southwest of Green Mountain’s South Ridge, and then I went up steep slopes to the craggy ridge. Pick your way up the South Ridge through prickly bushes and over rocks and fallen trees, following game trails, and go either left or right of any problematic cliffs or large blocks – there are several.

Green Mountain Ridge Route – Typical

There is no serious climbing required, just use good judgment and look for alternatives; go back down a little, and try another route if you come up against anything worse than a bit of Class 3. The part from 10000 to 10,200 feet is the crux. Much of this route is fun, and it leads very efficiently up to the summit. It all gets better near the top. It’s all south-facing, so it looks like it would be hot in summer – be sure to carry enough water. It’s about 2000 vertical feet and about 3 miles from Stoney Pass to the top of Green Mountain.

Green Mountain and Buffalo Peak

After a small sub-peak you come to the summit. This area is forested and has limited views – but after the wide-open South Ridge, you may be happy to trade for the security and peace that exists up there. Few people climb this mountain, despite the fact that it dominates the landscape and looks really high from below.

Green Mountain Activation with Antenna in Tree

Green Mountain Activation Gear

The activation zone is large and convenient, with plenty of trees and rocks, and some shelter from wind. It looks like this summit would work for UHF/VHF as well as HF skip, since the view includes most of the South Platte Drainage, as well as the eastern Plains and some of the South Denver area. Green Mountain looks dangerous if lightning is a possibility – especially the South Ridge! Plan your trip for a good weather day to make sure that you make the best of this wonderful summit.

Green Mountain Summit

Green Mountain USGS Benchmark

When descending, try not to be too creative – there surely are many other workable routes than the South Ridge, but it would be easy to get off course in bad weather or after sunset. GPS is very useful for accurate backtracking.

Beware of hunters in the fall – there are deer and elk up here. I met some courteous bow hunters the day I climbed on September 20.

73

George Carey Fuller
KX0R

Green Mountain View Northwest

Green Mountain Aspens

!! 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!

January 23, 2015
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

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 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

View West from Bennett Mountain

!! 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!

January 23, 2015
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

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

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

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

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

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

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 off the Back Side of Hagues

View North from Hagues

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

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

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

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

!! 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!

January 22, 2015
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

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

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 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

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

Crystal Lake below Fairchild

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

!! 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!

January 22, 2015
WØC/FR-Ø72 (Mt. Olympus) – 2679 M / 8808 ft
W0C/FR-072 (Mt. Olympus) 2679 M / 8808 ft
May 3rd, 2014

by KØMOS

Mount Olympus stands tall right between Big Thompson Canyon (US34) and Little Thompson Canyon (US36) on the east side of Estes Park (CO). It’s a stunning mountain even though it’s elevation is not even 9000 ft (~2800 m) – and therefore only a two pointer in the WØC association.

Mt. Olympus – 2679 m / 8808 ft

I have driven by this mountain numerous times in the past but since it is all bushwhacking to the top and only rewards two SOTA points it had lingered on my ‘to-do’ list… for way too long in turns out. The hike is prettier than expected and the summit provides some unusual views towards the continental divide and Rocky Mountain National Park. Definitely recommended – if you have the necessary route finding skills.

The approach from the south (US36) is difficult since this side belongs to the Crocker Ranch and is therefore private property. So is the actual summit (according to the USGS map) but it is possible to get into the activation zone on NF land from the north. There are no signs, barbed wire fences or any other indication that the summit is on private property. It seems that the owner does not mind hikers reaching the very top.
```
 Trailhead:  7351 ft / 2241 m
 Summit:     8808 ft / 2679 m 
 Elev. gain: 1575 ft /  480 m
 Roundtrip:  2.1  mi /  3.4 km
```
Compare this summit with my other activated summits

How to get there:

Drive east from Estes Park towards Loveland on US34. After passing Lake Estes, the road goes into the Canyon. There is a little gravel pullout on your right with a NF sign, indicating that you are entering Roosevelt National Forest. That’s your best bet to leave your car.

Parking/Trailhead

Red Tape:
Keep in mind that the summit is on private property, but as mentioned above, there is no indication that the owner has any issue with you climbing to the top.

The Ascent:

The elevation profile

Park at the sign

I climbed up the steep slope just behind the sign, keeping my route to the NE (downriver). I traversed numerous rock outcroppings and stayed way left of the steep couloir. Eventually the terrain became less steep and the forest opened up a bit. Plenty of rock outcroppings everywhere, giving you a chance to climb up and take a peek towards the Continental Divide. I ignored the stone cairns here and there since they they did not indicate a clear path and just followed my gut and navigational instincts.
About half way up the terrain flattens out even further, making for a nice hike through the woods. The cairns became more numerous and they seemed to lead into the right direction. I started to follow them, a wise decision since the slope became steeper and the underbrush more dense. Following the cairns led me comfortably through some really thick stuff right to the summit.

The Summit:

The Crocker Ranch below

If you look at the profile of the summit it looks as if somebody took a knife and cut off a piece at the highest point. The south face is very steep and more inclined towards rock-climbing. It allows some great views toward Estes Park, Rocky Mountain N.P and the Continental Divide as well as to the Crocker Ranch just below the rocky face.
The summit is rocky, quite small with a few ‘trees’ to tie your mast to, and a steep drop-off to the south. I was carrying a 16ft fishing pole with a linked EFHW which I wedged between the rocks at the highest point – perfect. With hardly any wind and mostly sunny skies the activation was very pleasant. The rocks even provided some nice options to sit on.

I found two historical photos taken from about the same spot. Take a closer look at the three pictures below… interesting to see the huge changes over time:

Photo taken 2014

Photo taken ~1940 // Courtesy of the OldEstes Collection – Dave and Carol Tanton

Photo taken ~1900 by Enos Mills

The Descent:
I followed the cairns on my way down. At some stage I missed some of them and just followed the general direction to the TH. I missed the car by ~50ft.

Some video impressions:

[weaver_youtube http://youtu.be/M8BhegARSmU id=M8BhegARSmU sd=0 percent=100 ratio=0.5625 center=1 rel=0 https=0 privacy=0]

If you would like to leave questions or comments, please do so through Youtube.

!! 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!
July 8, 2014
WØN/PH-ØØ5 (Scotts Bluff) – 1417 m / 4649 ft
W0N/PH-005 (Scotts Bluff) – 1417 m / 4649 ft
March 31, 2014

by KØMOS

A high wind warning was in effect for northern Colorado for the last day of March and so I decided to head north-east towards the newest SOTA Association in NA: WØN or Nebraska. Scotts Bluff or WØN/PH-005 is the closest and most accessible WØN summit for me and had not yet been activated. Weather forecast predicted mostly cloudy skies, high winds and a 40% chance of snow for the area. The summit lies within the Scotts Bluff National Monument and even has an established hiking trail from the visitor center to the top.

Oc course I did not seriously expect to avoid the high winds by traveling north through Wyoming to the plains of Nebraska, but it was as good as any excuse to make the long trip and activate a new summit in a new association. As far as I know, it was the first activation in WØN.

Scotts Bluff National Monument
```
 Trailhead:  4118 ft / 1255 m
 Summit:     4649 ft / 1417 m
 Elev. gain:  531 ft /  162 m
 Roundtrip:  3.2  mi / 5.2 km
```
Compare this summit with my other activated summits

How to get there:
From my QTH (Fort Collins) I took I25 north towards Cheyenne, WY. I took exit 17 onto US-85 N/Canam Hwy/Torrington Rd. Make sure you have enough fuel in your tank. It’s going to be lonely a lonely trip with only sparse signs of civilization.

After 46 miles, turn right onto WY-151 E which becomes NE-88 E after about 10 miles. After another 20 miles, turn left onto NE-71 N/State Hwy 88. After another 11 miles, follow the signs towards Scotts Bluff National Monument.

There is a visitor center with a parking lot on the north side of the road.

There is hardly any traffic on these roads. I passed the time by trying to avoid as many tumbleweeds as I could. With the high winds, it seemed that I was constantly under attack. Tumbleweeds of all sizes rolling over the hills in troves, jumping over fences and crossing the roads with no respect for oncoming traffic. I had to stop twice and pick the under-carriage clean from the remnants of all the collisions.

Red Tape:
There is a $ 5.00 entry fee/car which is valid for seven days. Bikers/Hikers get away with a$ 3.00 fee.

Make sure to check their opening hours, they change depending on the season.

The Ascent:
The trail to the summit starts right behind the visitor center (NE corner). I began my journey with cloudy skies, high winds and a temperature of 29 degrees Fahrenheit (~ -2C)

The trail to the summit – Overview

There are no challenges on this hike. Heck, it’s paved all the way to the top :) – you can’t go wrong. The path heads towards NE and hardly gains any elevation for the first 0.6 miles before it eventually heads up a ridge on the east side. With the cold and windy conditions it took me 35 minutes to cover the 1.6 miles to the top, but at least I stayed warm. You end up (almost) at the highest point of the plateau.

Elevation Profile

An interesting and rather unusual aspect of the hike is that you get a good view of more than 500 feet (> 150 m) of continuous geologic strata that spans about 11 Mio years into the past. Scotts Bluff is a remnant of an ancient high plain, several hundred feet above than the current plains. It was formed by erosion, well after the continent interior and after the uplifting of the Rocky Mountains.

The Summit:

Highest Point

The winds were howling – around 40 mph (~65 km/h). Sand was in the air due to the geological properties of the mountain (sandstone). It took me no time to find the highest point on the rather large plateau but I moved on quickly to find shelter and to erect my fishing pole holding a linked EFHW antenna. I tried a few different locations before I found a large rock to hunker down behind at the right distance to a tree for my antenna.
It was immediately clear that I would not last very long on this summit under these conditions. The windchill, hovering around 10 degrees F (~ -12C) made the activation unpleasant. The mini sand storm did not help either and I was seriously afraid that the fishing-pole would not survive the gusts (up to 69 mph [111 km/h]).

How do I know all these numbers, you might ask? I went to the visitor center to warm up and to learn about the history of the place before hitting the road again. The ranger on duty had access to two weather stations and since I was the only visitor, she had tons of time at her hands to go through the data with me. Highest gust was at 10:07 (local time), just when the first chasers got into my log.

Shack on a summit

The upper portion of the 20m band was packed but my QSOs with an ongoing NET attracted a few SOTA chasers. Moving away from the frequency in order not to hijack the NET left me high and dry… nobody followed me to the new frequency and no spot either. I left the summit shortly after my last QSO with icy fingers and sand everywhere… and I mean everywhere. Just seven QSOs in the log but happy that it worked out after all and happy that my pole and antenna survived the beating.

The Descent:
Just follow the paved path, all the way to the parking lot.

A few more photos:

View from the summit

Selfie on the summit

My car @ the visitor center
Eagle Rock in the background

Final Remarks:
Don’t miss the exhibitions in the visitor center incl. the movie (on request). It gives you a nice overview of the significance of the place (Oregon Trail) and of course the fauna, flora and geology.

There is also a road to the top if you decide against hiking. During the high season, there is a bus service which allows you to hike up and take the bus down to visitor center.

Until next time….
73, Matt/KØMOS

Feel free to leave comments and/or questions below.

!! 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!
March 31, 2014
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

Signal Butte Summit

Signal Butte East Side

Signal Butte Climb

Signal Butte N Side

Signal Butte

Signal Antenna

Signal Summit and Pikes Peak

Signal Station Gear

Forest Road 364

!! 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!

March 1, 2014