This peak is on the same ridge as Rishel Peak, which I had done a few days earlier. The trailhead for this hike is a bit past that of Rishel's. Some maps call the road to start on Prospect Road, but it goes north on the west side of the peak. With a sedan, I had to park at the base and walk up.
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| View of the peak on the way up. |
The peak is not easy to pick out from the start, but a little ways up the road you can easily pick it out. There is a cliff on the east side of the peak.
Take the road until you are about level with the peak, then step off and start heading up to the ridge. The ridge that goes directly to the summit looked too steep, so I took the next one north. This was a reasonable choice.
It wasn't too bad going up, but there was a section that was quite steep and all scree. I was able to get up and down it, but you may be able to find a better route. I had gone up this section because the crest of the ridge looked like it had a lot of cliffs. When I got to the ridge, the wind really picked up.
The rest of the walk up was straightforward. The last part of the ridge is a knife-edge. I was able to get partway along it, but the last part seemed too spicy. I probably would have attempted it if it wasn't so cold, snowy, and windy. I was, however, already in the activation zone, so I sat behind a rock out of the wind and got set up.
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| Final ridge is a knife edge. I operated from the base of that snowy climb. |
It wasn't too bad going up, but there was a section that was quite steep and all scree. I was able to get up and down it, but you may be able to find a better route. I had gone up this section because the crest of the ridge looked like it had a lot of cliffs. When I got to the ridge, the wind really picked up.
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| Operating at the top of a cliff on the north side. |
The rest of the walk up was straightforward. The last part of the ridge is a knife-edge. I was able to get partway along it, but the last part seemed too spicy. I probably would have attempted it if it wasn't so cold, snowy, and windy. I was, however, already in the activation zone, so I sat behind a rock out of the wind and got set up.
I had good cell service. I used the MFJ whip, since there was no easy way to set up a wire in the wind on such a narrow summit. The bands where in good shape, or at least 20m was, and I got plenty of contacts without much effort. I even got France and Slovenia! Once I had been up for about 20 minutes I packed up before I got cold.
The hike down was fine. The steep scree was not super fun, but I was able to get down safely. It was much less windy off the ridge, and I quickly warmed up once I got moving. Overall, this was a fun hike, and a nice activation.
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| Walking out the road, almost back to the car. |
The hike down was fine. The steep scree was not super fun, but I was able to get down safely. It was much less windy off the ridge, and I quickly warmed up once I got moving. Overall, this was a fun hike, and a nice activation.
Trailhead: Silver Island Road and Prospect Road junction. With a jeep you could drive much closer. Prospect Road runs north along the west side of the summit ridge.
Website: SOTA Site.
Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map.
Route: Hike up the road to the ridge just north of the summit, then follow the spur ridge to the main ridge, then to the summit.
Red Tape: None, all BLM land.
Video: Coming soon!
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