W6/SC-215 Panoche Hills High Point

 After activating Peak 2389 with Rex KE6MT and Dan AI6XG, we got back in the car and drove along road P1 to where it intersects with P11. If you're in a sedan, this is where you'll have to park. With some clearance and 4WD you can get closer by driving up P11. In the Pilot, we could get closer. After carefully negotiating a large berm at the intersection, we drove up to the sub-peak.

At the sub-peak, about to hike over.

At the sub-peak, the spur to the summit gets quite rough. We were so close, it wasn't worth trying to drive farther. Since it was such a short hike, we brought Rex's Yaesu 891 so we could run QRO. After putting up the linked dipole we were on the air

Checking out the seismograph station on the top.

Like on the other peak, we each did one band. I started on 2m FM, and got a few contacts in with the Yagi. Later, I did 40CW, which seemed to be the money band. Lots of QSOs for me! Cell service was pretty bad. I didn't find a spot with it, but Rex found enough to send a spot for some sideband. Dan just used his inreach to spot. 

Looking out to the central valley.

This area is used by a lot of shooters, and their fire was a constant background noise to the activation. Not a very wilderness feel. After packing up we headed down the road back to the pavement. As we were driving, we noticed a structure with lots of aluminum. As we got close we could see it was an array of Yagis. We pulled over, and it turns out it was another ham setting up his 6m EME array. We were all thoroughly impressed. After wishing him luck, we drove down to the entrance, where we bid farewell until next time.

6m EME (moon bounce) array being set up. Note Petr in the center for scale.

Trailhead: Intersection of P1 and P11. Drive up P11 if you can.
Website: SOTA Site. BLM Site.
Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map.
Route: Walk up the road to the top.
Red Tape: The area is closed to vehicle access from mid-April to mid-October, but you could still walk or bike up. Call the BLM for the most up to date info.

W6/SC-246

 It was a beautiful fall day, and time for another joint activation with Rex KE6MT and Dan AI6XG. Today we had decided to go down to the Panoche Hills, a BLM area on the west side of the central valley. Rex has a Pilot that is able to go up rough dirt roads, and he was willing to drive us up. We met at the small lot by the paved road, where we left the less capable cars.

The sign is how you know you're at the right place.

The access road crosses some private ranchland before reaching the public BLM land. At the entrance, there is a picnic area with a pit toilet, and excellent views. We stopped to use the luxurious facilities, then continued down the road. Our goal was to drive to the point where a ridge led directly to the summit, park, then hike the ridge.

Beautiful day in the Panoche Hills

The road was in good condition to the first gate. A sedan could likely have driven it, slowly. At the bottom of a steep hill is the gate, closed only with a carabiner. We drove through, but seeing the track up the hill on the other side decided it was better to park and walk the extra two miles or so. On the nice side of the gate there was plenty of space to park off the road.

AI6XG and KE6MT walking down the road.

We loaded up and set off down the road. It is much rougher past the gate, and you'd need serious off-road capability to be able to drive it. We were glad we didn't get stuck. At the top of the hill where the ridge to the summit heads off there is space to park, if you can drive that far. I was expecting a bushwhack, but from here all we saw was open grassland.

Peak 2388, on the left.

The ridge had some definite motorcycle tracks along it, and we followed them. Most of the walk was pleasant, but there were some rather steep sections to navigate. The recent rains made the ground soft and kept the dust down, and footing was quite good. At the col, the ridge gets steep for the final climb to the summit. There is a flat area just below the summit, which is likely in the AZ.

The summit.

There is no shade on top, which was a bummer since it was getting warm. AI6XG had a fancy new tiki-torch stand that we used to hold up a pole. We put up a trapped EFHW for 20-30-40, and got on the air with a KX2. Since Dan had never done a first activation, we let him get the first contacts on 20. While Rex operated 30, I borrowed his Yagi and made some VHF/UHF contacts up and down the central valley. Later, I did 40m CW. The cell service on top was somewhat intermittent, but there was enough to send out spots and texts.

Interesting ripples on the hillside. Perhaps formed when the area was at the bottom of a sea?

Once I had finished on 40, we packed up and headed down. It was steep and quick back to the col, then a what felt like a long climb back up to the road. Once on the road we simply walked back to the car. We found some neat rocks, which we later found out were calcite. Overall, a fun hike with some good friends. At the car we drove over to the Panoche Hills High Point to get a second summit on the way out.

Trailhead: Gate on road P1. Depending on how you count, its the second or third gate on the road.
Website: SOTA Site. BLM Site.
Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map.
Route: Walk along the road about two miles to the small peak, then follow the ridge to the summit.
Red Tape: The area is closed to vehicle access from mid-April to mid-October, but you could still walk or bike up. Call the BLM for the most up to date info.