KG6MZS

Santiago Peak

Looking north past Modjeska Peak to the San Gabriel Mountains.

5 NOVEMBER 2022 W6/CT-023

One star – Nothing special but I’d do it again.

Elevation:	4,689′
Route:	Drive up
Hike Distance:	n/a
Elevation Gain:	n/a
Navigation:	Easy
Steepness:	n/a
Vehicle:	SUV High clearance recommended
Road:	Forest Service dirt
Cell Coverage:	Good (Verizon), APRS Excellent

Hike basics

Lots of people crowded this “techno summit” on the Saturday I decided to activate Santiago Peak. My last trip up to this summit was on December 3rd, 1994. Access to this drive-up is via Silverado Canyon Road and forest service road 5S05 at Maple Springs Trailhead. Call the Trabuco Ranger Station of the Cleveland National Forest ahead to make sure the gate at Maple Springs is open.

As noted in my previous post on Modjeska Peak (the pair make up “Saddleback Mountain” and are usually done together), I grudgingly give these two one star for the view alone. I’m not likely to return however.

The summit is RF saturated but my FT5DR was able to withstand the sheer volume of the radio assault and make five quick contacts before bailing. The drive down was very tedious with a LOT of vehicles coming up and slow vehicles going down.

Here are my SOTA summit ratings

Here are some cool links to Summits on the Air (SOTA)

KG6MZS Summit Index by Year

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Trabuco Peak

Looking southwest to Lake Elsinor with Mount San Jacinto in the background

28 OCTOBER 2022 W6/CT-031

No stars – This is a one-off summit. I am unlikely to return. Not recommended..

Elevation:	4,603′
Route:	Short very steep bushwack
Hike Distance:	.25 miles round trip
Elevation Gain:	150′
Navigation:	Easy
Steepness:	Very steep
Vehicle:	SUV High clearance recommended
Road:	Forest Service dirt
Cell Coverage:	None (Verizon), APRS Excellent

Hike basics

My last trip to this mountain was 22 years ago on December 20, 1994. It is a long was down North Divide Road from the Ortega Highway. As with Los Pinos Mountain, a passenger car might make it but it is not advised. I actually was glad to have the compound low 4×4 in Whitedog for stability and traction.

A fire had swept over this peak quite a few yeas ago and you can see that it was once very brushy. Now it is covered with regrown brush and the charred bones of the old brush. Not a pleasant hike with very little room to set up the station. For this if gets no stars from me.

This is the actual summit. Not a lot of room to set up.

Here are my SOTA summit ratings

Here are some cool links to Summits on the Air (SOTA)

KG6MZS Summit Index by Year

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Los Pinos Peak

Looking northwest to Santiago Peak

29 OCTOBER 2022 W6/CT-138

Two Stars – a nice summit. I’d do it again. Recommended.

Elevation:	4,541′
Route:	Trail
Hike Distance:	2 miles round trip
Elevation Gain:	500′
Navigation:	Easy
Steepness:	Mostly gentle
Vehicle:	SUV High clearance recommended
Road:	Forest Service dirt
Cell Coverage:	Good (Verizon), APRS Excellent

Hike basics

I’d stayed up late (for me) the night before watching the Phillies come from to beat the hated Astros in game one of the world series so this is my excuse for leaving my SOTA pack at home. With gas at $6.00 a gallon I sat stunned at the trail head and quickly devised a plan to salvage the 200 mile round trip drive.

I did have my Yaesu FT5D with me. That saved the day. I filled a reusable shopping bag with my water bottle a pencil and a few pages ripped out of my Topanga Survival Guide for a makeshift logbook.

My last trip to this mountain was 22 years ago. The drive is up the North Main Divide Ridge road (FSR 3S04). The road was in pretty good condition. It is fairly steep and the water bars are pretty high. It’s kind of road that I used to routinely take my Audi A4 on, but I was pretty glad to have the 4WD Tacoma this time.

The hike is an extremely enjoyable ridge run. I was recovering from some medical issues so I was looking for a relatively easy hike and this one certainly satisfied that criteria.

The “MacGivver” Station — pared down to what was in Whitedog.

Looking southeast to Lake Elsinor. That’s San Gorgonio, San Jacinto and Toro peaks in the background.

The ammo can register and the interesting looking summit rock. There was a nice table rock to operate from.

Here are my SOTA summit ratings

Here are some cool links to Summits on the Air (SOTA)

KG6MZS Summit Index by Year

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Townsend Peak

A blustery day on Townsend

22 OCTOBER 2022 W6/SC-161

Elevation:	3,182′
Route:	Firebreak/use trail
Hike Distance:	500′
Elevation Gain:	100′
Navigation:	Easy
Steepness:	Gentle
Vehicle:	High clearance SUV recommended*
Road:	Dirt
Cell Coverage:	Good (Verizon), APRS Excellent

Hike basics

I was going to activate Bald Mountain for a complete after Burn Benchmark, but Lake Elizabeth Road was closed. The area appeared to have been hit with some debris flows. So I punted and opted for another complete: Townsend Peak.

I had scoped out forest service road 6N38 about a month ago and it looked pretty rough. This time though it had been freshly scraped and the gate about a half mile up was open. I recommend high clearance front or 4 wheel drive vehicle, but the road was in good shape and a passenger car would’ve worked when I did this trip.

The hike is very short up a fire break and the summit is nice enough. It was a cold and windy day on this occasion.

Here are my SOTA summit ratings

Here are some cool links to Summits on the Air (SOTA)

KG6MZS Summit Index by Year

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Burn Benchmark

A cold, cloudy and windy morning. The San Andreas Fault Zone and the Leona Valley to the north just under the clouds.

22 OCTOBER 2022 W6/CT-136

Elevation:	4,541′
Route:	Short dirt bike trail
Hike Distance:	.2 miles
Elevation Gain:	100′
Navigation:	Easy
Steepness:	Gentle
Vehicle:	Passenger car* (See below)
Road:	Forest Service dirt
Cell Coverage:	good (Verizon), APRS Excellent

Hike basics

There are days on summits that I just want to hang out and play radio, have a little picnic, fly Chester the Drone and just generally goof off and laze around. This day was not one of them. The weather the last week had been warm and mild but things changed this Saturday morning. There was a little drizzle as i made my way up the Leona Divide Truck Road. A passenger car could probably do it and it is the kind of road that I used to drive in my old Audi A4, but I was happy to have Whitedog, the Tacoma this time.

The parking spot is a little hard to find – especially in near-white out conditions that I was experiencing. I parked at: 34° 37.1546′ N, 118° 21.8747′ W

Here is my short hike up

I didn’t stay long as I had worn shorts. Even with multiple layers on top, the cold wind chased me off the summit pretty quick.

The chair kept blowing away while I tried to take this shot.

Here are my SOTA summit ratings

Here are some cool links to Summits on the Air (SOTA)

KG6MZS Summit Index by Year

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San Pedro Hill

A rainy day on San Pedro Hill on my way to Ham Radio Outlet to pick up my new Yaesu FTDX-10. I got to meet my faithful chaser Sergio WA6WV as San Pedro Hill is close to his “corner of Torrance.”

15 OCTOBER 2022 W6/SC-345

Elevation:	1,473′
Route:	Drive-up
Hike Distance:	n/a
Elevation Gain:	n/a
Navigation:	n/a
Steepness:	n/a
Vehicle:	Passenger car
Road:	City streets
Cell Coverage:	Excellent (Verizon), APRS Excellent

Hike basics

After 13 years of great service my Elecraft K3 (modified to a K3S) was starting to show her age with a failing voltage regulator. I’d ordered a new Yaesu FTDX-10 for my shack and since I wanted to drive to Anaheim to pick it up, I figured I’d stop by the high point of the Palos Verdes Peninsula and activate San Juan Hill on the way.

It was forecast to rain and, sure enough, there was light to moderate rain as I drove down the 405 past the airport.

San Pedro Hill is above the residential community of Miraleste and San Pedro Hill. The actual summit is fenced and gated but the dead end at the top of the east side od Crest Drive in in the activation zone. Parking is permitted there between sunrise and sunset.

I was there pretty early but still managed to wake a few chasers up. One pleasant surprise was working Sergio WA6WV. Working Sergio is no surprise, he is a regular chaser, but he was graciously willing to drive up to say hi and meet me in person! Great to put a face to the always strong signal.

Of course after I got set up and got going on HF, the rain began in earnest so I packed up the station. However waiting for Sergio to show up, of course the rain let up and I manged to make a few more contacts on 2m including a complete S2S with Dan on Bare Mountain.

The new rig fresh out of the box back in the shack

Here are my SOTA summit ratings

Here are some cool links to Summits on the Air (SOTA)

KG6MZS Summit Index by Year

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Snow Benchmark

Looking southeast toward “Little” Iron Mountain. Monsoon clouds abound this autumn.

8 OCTOBER 2022 W6/CT-121

Elevation:	4,948′
Route:	Very short cross country
Hike Distance:	500′
Elevation Gain:	70′
Navigation:	Easy
Steepness:	Easy
Vehicle:	Passenger car
Road:	Paved & dirt road with potholes
Cell Coverage:	Excellent (Verizon), APRS Excellent

Hike basics

Post to follow. Stay tuned…

The station looking north to Sierra Pelona and the Tehachapis

Here are my SOTA summit ratings

Here are some cool links to Summits on the Air (SOTA)

KG6MZS Summit Index by Year

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Magic Mountain

Elaborate street art on a water tank on Magic Mountain

8 OCTOBER 2022 W6/CT-255

Elevation:	4,859′
Route:	Drive-up
Hike Distance:	500′
Elevation Gain:	n/a
Navigation:	Easy
Steepness:	Easy
Vehicle:	Passenger car
Road:	Paved road with potholes
Cell Coverage:	Excellent (Verizon), APRS Excellent

Hike basics

Post to follow – Stay tuned…

Here are my SOTA summit ratings

Here are some cool links to Summits on the Air (SOTA)

KG6MZS Summit Index by Year

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Bailey Peak

Looking east toward all the big San Bernardinos and Mount San Jacinto

1 OCTOBER 2022 W6/CT-099

Elevation:	5,699′
Route:	Use trail
Hike Distance:	.3 miles round trip
Elevation Gain:	140′
Navigation:	Easy
Steepness:	Easy
Vehicle:	High clearance 4 wheel drive recommended
Road:	Steep, rocky forest service road
Cell Coverage:	Excellent (Verizon), APRS Excellent

Hike basics

After doing Cleghorn, I thought I might drive over and do Bailey and Strawberry via forest service road 2N43 and Crestline. The mountain gods had other ideas. To start with, road that I took up to the ridgeline – a road that is not marked on the forest service maps, but follows the power lines up a little canyon — is incredibly steep and rocky. Maybe a piece of cake for the true off-road crowd, but for a off-highway newbie, it was pretty severe. This was the first SOTA summit I’ve done in Whitedog where I really appreciated having 4 wheel drive.

The actual summit of Bailey is not the lower peak with the communications facility that the maps list as being the benchmark “Bailey,” but rather a little further to the west.

The summit is a short walk up an old jeep track and is nicely forested. There is plenty of shade and a nice little fern glen. The hike isn’t much of a hike, but the summit is very pleasant.

This was the first activation where I was really gad to have 4 wheel drive.

BIG NOTE: The road past Monument Peak is now closed. This pretty much ended any idea of running over to Strawberry (W6/CT-086) along the San Bernardino crest. Considering that this day started out as an attempt on Cucamonga (W6/CT-006), it was pretty much par for the course on punting with Plan B.

Lovely forested summit with a lot of shade and ferns

The summit with the forsaken Ettiwanda Peak just over the left side.

Here are some cool links to Summits on the Air (SOTA)

KG6MZS Summit Index by Year

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Cleghorn Mountain

The San Andreas Fault Zone northwest of Cleghorn Mountain at sunrise.

1 OCTOBER 2022 W6/CT-112

Elevation:	5,333′
Route:	Firebreak
Hike Distance:	.2 mile roundtrip
Elevation Gain:	80′
Navigation:	Easy
Steepness:	Gentle
Vehicle:	High clearance SUV recommended
Road:	Forest service dirt
Cell Coverage:	Good (Verizon), APRS Excellent