Triunfo Lookout

29 SEPTEMBER 2020 W6/SC-219

After helping my friend Brian (WA6JFK) activate his first summit a week ago, we decided to try doing separate summits, Brian on 4020′ in the San Gabriel Mountains and me on Triunfo Lookout. I had not been on Triunfo since February 12, 1974 when I first hiked it with my old friend, Allan Gardner back when we were in high school.

The hike follows an old access road that is grown over with mountain lilac (ceanothus) and redshanks. The first half of the trail escaped the Woolsey fire and the lilac grows overhead and makes a nice canopy. The trail is .77 miles to the summit with a modest 500′ of elevation gain.

The summit affords a nice view of Sandstone Peak and Boney Ridge with Santa Cruz Island off the left side. Hines Peak and the Sespe/Topotopo mountains are off the right side and a view of Balance Rock and the Sandstone Peak rock climbing areas are plainly visible. Santa Catalina and Palos Verdes are visible to the south. The concrete foundation of the old lookout tower remain and look like some kind of ancient Greek cabana.

I immediately made contact with Brian, summit-to-summit and both my signal and reception was improved by using the roll-up J-pole I made. He was 59, full quieting. We both proceeded to make and share contacts all over the LA basin. Our furthest contact was with John, W6FE in Chula Vista. John joked that I should homestead the location because it was such a great radio site. He was armchair copy.