W7I/SI-217

 This little peak is across the road from Lava Hot Springs. Since it was the winter, and there was snow on the ground, I parked in the empty lot at the corner of Center and River streets. From here it was a short walk up River Street to Highway 30. After making it across, I walked up the dirt road to what seemed like a good spot to go up the railroad embankment. I crossed the tracks and was on my way.

Looking up, across the tracks.

The hike up the hill is steep. It was not, however, steep enough to need traction in the snow. Most of the hill just across the tracks is either State or BLM land, so no problems with access. And the scary cliffs you can see from the highway are easy to bypass. Near the top of the ridge I crossed a road, leading to a hut. It wasn't really the direction I wanted to go, so I continued up to the ridge, then across towards the summit. 

Nice views to the west on the way up.

It was a lot easier hiking on the ridge, since it was much less steep. The highest area had more snow, but not enough to make walking difficult. I tagged what appeared to be the high point in some rocks, then went over to find a spot to put up my antenna. On the air I made plenty of contacts, and had great cell service on top. 

Antenna on the summit.

Going down was easy, I just followed my footprints. The steep section was a lot more fun, since I could slide a little on each step to get down faster. At the bottom I carefully crossed the tracks and highway again, and walked back down the road to my car. Overall, it was a fun hike and a great day to be out in the mountains.

Trailhead: Big parking lot at the corner of Center St and River St. In the summer you can probably park on the dirt pullout by the tracks, across the highway.

Website: SOTA Site.

Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map.

Route: Walk up River St, cross the highway and train tracks, then head straight up the hill. On the ridge, follow it over to the high point.

Red Tape: I didn't see any signs, so you're probably ok.

Video: Coming soon!