W7A/AE-011, Heliograph Peak

Heliograph Peak is a special summit for me, because it's where I got my start with Summits On The Air.  See this post from July 16, 2016 for a blog about that first adventure that I had with my friend Quinton, NU7Y.

Two years later, I was fully immersed in the addiction of ham radio and summit hikes.  I had activated enough to reach "Mountain Goat" status, which requires attaining 1,000 points using the SOTA scoring system.  I wanted to return to Heliograph Peak, which is worth 10 points, to cross that 1,000 point mark and earn my MG, so on July 6, 2018, I headed towards the Pinaleno Mountains for some fun.

I first hiked to, and activated, W7A/AE-010 Webb Peak, which is just a bit further down the road from Heliograph and makes for a nice double-activation option.  It was a nice cool day and there were a few light rain showers but nothing to prevent a good activation.

There are at least two main routes up to the summit of Heliograph.  The longer option is actually the easier way, because it involves hiking up a dirt road for about 2.3 miles with a bit under 1,000 feet elevation gain.  The shorter option is to hike up a trail for about 2 miles, which is steeper with roughly 1,100 feet of gain.  I've posted tracks for both to the SOTA Mapping Projects Tracks page.  I think the trail option is more scenic but they both are pretty good and you can combine them since the starting point is nearly the same either way.

For my MG activation, I took the trail.  There was some fire damage evident from the 2017 Frye Fire, but overall it was in decent condition.

Towards the top, the trail does get steeper, and became somewhat vague - because it had only recently re-opened after the fire, there had not been a lot of use to keep it well-defined, but there wasn't much chance of getting lost.

There are commercial towers and a fire lookout on top, but the summit is fairly broad and has plenty of space to set up a SOTA station.  Here is a 360 summit view video (split into two due to size limits):

It was a wonderful day, and some of the same Chasers who showed up in my log from that first SOTA activation in 2016 gave me contacts again in 2018, which was fun.  And of course, first in my log was NU7Y!  I did cross the 1,000 points level, and a couple of months later received this nice glass trophy to commemorate earning SOTA Mountain Goat.

Heliograph is in the Coronado National Forest, and is managed by the Safford Ranger District.  I found them to be helpful when I called to confirm the status of the area - there are many fires in Arizona and they often result in closures, and sometimes information on the internet is not current.

Date First Activated by KR7RK:  16 July 2016
GPS Track Uploaded to SOTA Mapping Project Tracks Site:  Yes

Approx Hiking Distance:  4.1 - 4.5 mi

Approx Elevation Gain:  1,000'

Summit Elevation:  10,022'

Summit Grid Square:  DM52bp

Summit County:  Graham

ITU Zone:  6

CQ Zone:  3

W7A/AE-010, Webb Peak

The Pinaleno Mountains in Southern Arizona contain some high summits and provide an opportunity to find some cooler temperatures during the warmer months.  Mount Graham is the highest, but it is off limits to most due to the observatories and to protect the endangered Red Squirrel population.  Other summits are accessible, though, including Webb Peak.  I chose to activate Webb Peak in July, 2018, as my first of two summits on the day I reached the Summits On The Air "Mountain Goat" status.

It's a long drive from Tucson to the trailhead - roughly 3.5 hours.  As I neared the base of the mountain range, I noted some gathering clouds near the top but I was excited for the day and not too concerned.

As I neared the top, I noted some signs restricting access to certain areas.  There was a very major fire in 2017, the Frye Fire, and the Forest Service had only recently re-opened some areas; others remained closed.  Along the drive up, the damage was evident.

Initially, the trail appeared to be relatively untouched and it was a pleasant hike.

Further up, however, the fire had completely burned everything and the trail was basically a soft layer of ash.

At the top of Webb Peak, there is a fire tower.  There was also plenty of evidence of other structures but the fire burned all but the tower.  It was a windy day but I had a great activation.  Here is a 360 video of my operating position (split into two due to size limitations).

After this activation I headed down the trail and made a short drive over to activate Heliograph Peak, which I'll post about in a separate blog.

Date First Activated by KR7RK:  6 July 2018
GPS Track Uploaded to SOTA Mapping Project Tracks Site:  Yes

Approx Hiking Distance:  2.0mi

Approx Elevation Gain:  500'

Summit Elevation:  10,030'

Summit Grid Square:  DM52ar

Summit County:  Graham

ITU Zone:  6

CQ Zone:  3

W7A/AE-009, Greens Peak

Greens Peak is an easy Drive-Up 10-point summit, with a dirt road (FR 61) that leads to the top.  I drove up in a Jeep Cherokee and although 4wd was not needed, I was very glad to have high clearance.  The final mile or so was full of deep washboard grooves.

The mountain itself has grassy slopes and if you wanted to hike instead, you could hike up the road or probably bushwhack up the slope without much trouble.  I chose to drive up, since I was doing an evening activation, but once up top I made a short hike around the broad top to look for a good setup location and to make sure I got as close as possible to the high point.

The top is full of commercial towers, so expect RF interference.  There is a restroom at the top.

Here's a 360 view video that I took while I was up there (split into two files due to size limits):

I made plenty of good contacts, including some nice long-distance QSO's on 60m and 40m as the evening set in.  After only an hour I was in total darkness and packed up to carefully navigate my way down.

Date First Activated by KR7RK:  09 September 2018
GPS Track Uploaded to SOTA Mapping Project Tracks Site:  N/A

Approx Hiking Distance:  0.25 mi

Approx Elevation Gain:  0'

Summit Elevation:  10,133'

Summit Grid Square:  DM54fc

Summit County:  Apache

ITU Zone:  6

CQ Zone:  3

W7A/AE-001, Humphreys Peak

Humphreys Peak is the High Point of Arizona, with summit elevation of 12,633 feet.  It's located near Flagstaff, in the Coconino National Forest.

Because Humphreys holds the crown for the Arizona High Point, it's a popular destination for hikers.  There are multiple routes up, but the Humphreys Peak Trail is the most common way to approach it.  Starting from the parking lot at  Arizona Snow Bowl, the trail heads into the forest after passing below a ski slope.

The trail is obvious the entire way up.  In most places it is steep but no real rock climbing is required.  There is a trail register after a mile or so - you should veer left at this register.

The forest begins to fade away after a few miles, as the elevation gets higher.  Eventually you will find yourself hiking along rocky terrain, but the spectacular views that open up offset the loss of the beautiful forest greenery.

Even in the summer, you may see areas with snow.  Also be prepared for extreme weather - when I activated in 2018, the winds were in excess of 50mph and at one point near where the photo above was taken, I was literally blown over!  There are several false summits before you reach the peak, and the reduced oxygen at the high elevation will slow your progress.

The reward of reaching the summit after 5+ miles of tough hiking makes it all worthwhile.  This is one of those "airplane-view" summit experiences, with stunning panorama landscapes in every direction.

Radio operation from Humphreys is truly a wonderful experience.  There are zero manmade noise sources and the height advantage is obvious.  In 2017 my son Jason used a 2 meter handheld and beam to easily work stations in Phoenix, over 150 miles away.

It's also a great place for HF, but you may need to set up slightly off the true summit because there are many other hikers.  In 2017, we used some rocks to hold a push-up mast and inverted vee.  Unfortunately a thunderstorm arrived soon after - you can see it over the neighboring peak in this photo, and about 10 minutes after a hasty take-down was necessary!

In September, 2018 I activated Humphreys for the Arizona 10-point Summit-to-Summit Madness event.  The winds that day were very extreme, and although storms were all around, they were mostly lower down.  But the temperature at the top was very cold!  I set up next to a small rock wall and shivered for about 3 hours while operating.  

I highly recommend doing this summit.  Be prepared for harsh weather, as well as possible closures due to wildfire.  Lighter gear will be helpful and be sure to bring plenty of hydration as there are no sources of water anywhere along the trail.

To reach the Trailhead, take N. Snow Bowl Rd from Route 180.  Note that since this is in National Forest land, you will need a USFS Permit to leave your car parked while you hike.  The TH is at the far North end of the parking lot.

Date First Activated by KR7RK:  16 July 2017
GPS Track Uploaded to SOTA Mapping Project Tracks Site:  Yes

Approx Hiking Distance:  10.7mi

Approx Elevation Gain:  3,500'

Summit Elevation:  12,633'

Summit Grid Square:  DM45di

Summit County:  Coconino

ITU Zone:  6

CQ Zone:  3