San Gabriel mountains Columbus Day activations

[Adam Kimmerly]

I'll be out bagging as many peaks as I can tomorrow from Hoyt to Kratka. Not 100 % sure which will be targeted, but I'm hoping for at least 4 summits, if not more. Please listen for me on 146.520.  Will be carrying the MTR if VHF doesn't get the job done for some odd reason.

Adam

[Adam Kimmerly]

On my way up from San Diego. Should be on kratka around 7am.

Adam

K6ARK

[Adam Kimmerly]

Good day out there today, thanks to some great chasers on 2m. It was interesting to see the 2m noise conditions degrade (increase) as I got closer and closer to Mt Wilson. There were a number of stations today that could hear me, but I couldn't hear them. Some friendly folks on the frequency we're kind enough to relay that they were calling for me. 

Still, I managed to activate 5 peaks - Kratka, Waterman, Vetter, Strawberry, and Lawlor - and got back to San Diego before 8pm.  Not a bad day!

I started the day on Kratka Ridge, leaving the car at around 6:15am and arriving at the summit just before sunrise. It was a gorgeous morning up there with brisk temps in the low 40s when I started hiking. Mike, KX6A, came back to my call and passed the radio around his household to get me the 4 contacts I needed.  Two more stations came back to my calls before I shut down and hiked back to the car.

Mt Waterman was next. I started at the trailhead across from the picnic area but decict to just head up the road.  I assume the trail is a nicer hike, but I figured the road might be more direct. Got KX6A again, KK6VWO, David in Little Rock who ended up chasing me on multiple peaks, and Jerry, NG6R among others.  I headed back down the road, jogging part of the way. 

Vetter was up next. The road up is so gradual, I even jogged part of the ascent (the flat parts) and made it to the summit quickly.  It's sad to see nothing left of the historic fire lookout. Hopefully they'll rebuild it at some point. Contacts included a number of regular chasers and friends - KM6CEM, KX6A again, W6DRU, and K6TW, Tim, who I climbed Shasta with a few years ago - and a few others.

I hiked and jogged back to the car and drove down to red box. About a half-mile up the trail, I remembered that I hadn't put sunscreen on and figured my ears were getting roasted by now. Still, I pressed on, summiting Strawberry Peak by around 1pm. Contacts there included KX6A, W6DRU, NG6R, and KK6VWO again, as well as W6RIP Kevin among others.

I was starting to run low on water, and worry about my sunburning ears had me thinking I might just head back to the car and skip Lawlor, but I fashioned some sun shades for my ears out of index cards in the summit register, and pressed on.

Lawlor was a pretty quick climb, and similarly quick activation. I missed KX6A on this one, but got W6DRU and KM6CEM again, as well as others to complete the activation. Again, people were calling me that I just couldn't hear over the RFI.

All in all, a good day bagging 5 local peaks. Thanks again to all the chasers, and my apolot to those I just couldn't hear.

Adam

K6ARK 

[Tim Goodrich]

Good job Adam. I’d love to see a selfie with those index card ear protectors if you have one J

 

BTW, I have a conference in Portland next year from June 17-21. Mark your calendar for a Mount Hood activation on 6/22!

 

Tim

K6TW

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[Adam Kimmerly]

Of course I do...

[Tim Goodrich]

Nice- now you just need to figure out a way to protect your tongue from sunburn! J haha