W6/SC-458 Loma Alta (Jack's Peak)

Nobody can seem to agree on the name of this peak. Whether it is Loma Alta or Jack's Peak, it is a low hill outside of Monterey and Carmel. It is almost a drive up, the parking lot is a few feet too low to be in the activation zone. I came over after activating Pinyon Peak. To get here, drive up Jack's Peak Road, pay the entrance fee at the booth, then follow the road to the right to its end.

Kiosk at the trailhead.

From here it is about a quarter mile with less than 100' to get to the summit. I took the Jacks Peak Trail, but there were many unsigned trails in the area. After a few minutes walk, I was at the high point. There were many trees and no view. I found a branch, and threw my rope over it. However, I hadn't let out enough slack, so the weight couldn't pull the rope down. I tried pulling it back over, but I snapped my rope. Luckily I had my pole with me, and I was able to poke the weight out of the tree.

Antenna in a tree.

A second attempt was successful, and I proceded to string up the legs of the dipole. However, I put too much tension on one side, and broke the wire. After tying a quick sheet bend, the antenna was up and I was on the air. I made a number of contacts on 30 and 20. After a CQ on 40, W6JL answered me, and we had a long talk. He was sending right at the limit of what I can head copy, so it was a challenge to keep up. He is definetely a great CW op. After having my brain melted, I tried VHF. Not receiving any answers, and getting cold, I packed up and headed home.

Compact setup. The pine needles were very comfortable for sitting.

Trailhead: End of Jacks Peak Road.
Website: SOTA Site
Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map. Jacks Peak Park
Route: Pick a trail. They all go through the AZ.
Red Tape: None.