W4C/CM-012 Lickstone Bald and W4C/CM-022 North Eaglenest Mountain

Lickstone Bald W4C/CM-012

This was a plan B activation.  Scott KW4JM texted me that the BRP is closed.   He suggested Lickstone Bald as an alternative and he has already secured permission since this summit is in a gated community Ascot Ridge.   We met at the Home Depot in Asheville and quickly proceeded to the development.   It was a beautiful community with beautiful homes.

We negotiated the gravel road leading up to the summit on Scott's Honda Civic.  It was steep, the Honda was only able to climb with a running start.

  We got up to the gate where it turns into a rocky trail and hiked the rest.    Here is the GPS track of the hike.

The hike was 1.8 miles long and steep in portions - especially up the ridge line.   Scott noticed that the trail was veering away from the summit.   That is when we decided to climb up the ridge line off trail (dog leg in the image above).  At the summit we were rewarded with spectacular views, crisp and clear through the leafless hardwoods, a a cold wind.

Scott KW4JM at the summit

My station 

View of Waterrock Knob which we hiked not too long ago

Scott taking photos at the summit

Scott  set up below me by a few yards and tried to take shelter from the wind.   I was more exposed but close to convenient sapling to hold my mast.  Scott and I picked different bands so we don't have RF interference and signaled our intention to change by yelling.

Scott cleared out 40m and I cleared out 20m and 30m. We then decided, we need to quit and hike down before we run out of daylight.  After all we still needed to go to North Eagle Nest Mtn.  It was about 3:30 PM after my last QSO with KX0R on 30m and we packed up and hiked down.

North Eaglenest Mtn W4C/CM-022

We negotiated our way up North Eaglenest Road - a beautiful community and a beautiful drive up high in the mountains and it was getting dark.   We caught the last glimpses of sunset as we were setting up. 

Finally made my first QSO with Gary W0MNA at 22:51 UTC (almost 6 pm local) and by then it was dark.   I fortunately have my headlamp with the night vision red lamps.  He was followed by his wife Martha W0ERI.   I made a total of 11 Qs - 6 on 40m and 5 on 30m.  I had my last QSO with WB7ULD at 23:08 UTC.   We took down our antennas in the dark aided only by our small lights - Scotts iPhone and my headlamp.   We were getting good at this set-up and take-down stuff

At the end of the day - I earned 102 activator points and Scott summited his 165th summit and jumped to #4 in the all time list in W4C association (Woohoo).   I earn my first certificate while Scott climbs up the ladder from amongst the mountain goats (1000 point+ holders).

In SOTA world Lickstone Bald is rare -  activated at this time only by two radio amateurs - Scott 3 times and me once.

W4C/WM-018 - Wine Spring Bald

The weather looked promising as I left Travelers Rest at 7 AM.  I met up with Scott KW4JM at the Home Depot near I-40.  We drove up the National Forest Road which is a turn from Wayah Road.   The National Forest Road is a 3 mile gravel road which barely fits two cars.  There is an antenna farm at the summit (elevation 1640 meters)  I set up my MTR antenna  using one of the yellow posts as a support for my 26 foot mast in an inverted V.    I operated under the eave of the building on the right - but with the rain being sideways - did not help much from getting wet.  I quit after 5 QSO's on 40m  - just enough to validate the activation.

Here is Scott KW4JM from his operating position.  He set up under a canopy and used a QRPguys 3 band vertical on 20m.

Here I am packed up and ready to go down the 0.63 mile trail (6% grade)

We had planned on also activating Siler Bald - 3 miles away but with the heavy rain - not an appealing prospect for a 2 mile hike.

W4C/WM-001 - Clingmans Dome

Activation date - November 20, 2018.   This is typically a very scenic spot for a 360 degree panorama of the Carolina Mountains - not so today.   The clouds were upon us and visibility was perhaps 100 feet.  It was also very cold - below freezing.  It made set up with gloveless hands a bit more difficult.

Above is the concrete observation deck.  The trail spirals up to it.

The path leading up to the top of the deck.

Here I am just below the deck.

Within the activation zone - there was a convenient bench and a convenient tree to fasten a mast to.  I made a summit to summit contact with K7DJL in Washington State on 20m.  I forgot the power cord - so had to rely on the NiMH internal batteries - thank you Elecraft - it was a lifesaver.

W4C/WM-092 Mount Noble

Activation Date - November 15, 2018

Mount Noble is accessed via this long 5 mile gravel road which turns into a dirt road near the summit.  The summit may be accessed by a high ground clearance Jeep.  We had a Honda Civic - so needless to say - we hiked the 1/2 mile with a 400 foot elevation gain.

Trail profile and heart rate trace (red)

Here I am in the steep section - facing backwards to the summit

Scott KW4JM headed up the trail.

The view at the top.  It was late in the day and we still needed to head back down.   I made a summit to summit contact.   Martha W0ERI and Gary W0MNA from Kansas helped make this a valid summit with them both calling us.   I needed 4 minimum and they were #4 and #5.

W4C/WM-027 - Nettle Creek Bald

Activation Date - November 15, 2018

The start of the trail to Nettle Creek Bald.  The trail head is about 20 minutes drive from the Clingmans Dome access road on US441.  The parking area is at the edge of the hair pin.

This is at the fork in the trail about 1/2 mile from the summit.   The summit is on the trail to Newton Bald.

I set up my gear on a tarp and leaned conveniently against the log.  The mast is fastened to a tree stump about 5 yards away.

My hiking companion Scott KW4JM logging his contacts.  He is making a summit to summit contact at the moment.  I made to summit to summit contacts from this summit.

My heart rate as recorded on my GPS watch.  See how it correlates with the slope of the trail (grey).  The first rise was an average of 4% grade.

This photo was taken on an overlook near the Clingmans Dome access road.  It was surreal reminiscent of the glaciers in Alaska.

SOTA Chaser 100 Points Earned

Most of these were from a single day - 03Nov2018 when propagation into Europe was great.  Also reached 3 "completes"  with the activation and chase of Mt. Pisgah, Mt. Sassafras, and Mt. Mitchell.  Also made 2 Summit-to-Summit QSOs - to KW4JM on Mt. Mitchell while I was on Mt. Pisgah on 2 meter FM and to KX0R on Green Mountain in Colorado while I was on Waterrock Knob on 30m CW

SOTA Statistics:

Completes:
Mt. Mitchell W4C/CM-001 Activated 29OCT18 Chased KW4JM 18OCT18
Mt. Sassafras W4C/US-001 Activated 25OCT18 Chased KI4SVM 03Nov18
Mt. Pisgah W4C/CM-011 Activated 18OCT18 Chased KW4JM 31OCT18

Activator Points: 44
Mt. Mitchell W4C/CM-001 10 Points
Mt. Pisgah W4C/CM-011 10 Points
Mt. Sassafras W4C/US-001 4 Points
Richland Balsam W4C/WM-003 10 Points
Waterrock Knob W4C/WM-004 10 Points

W4C/WM-003 Richland Balsam and W4C/WM-004 Waterrock Knob

Activation date  November 5, 2018


The view from Waterrock Knob

At the summit operating position

The descent of Waterrock with companion Scott Carter KW4JM

Overlook before the paved section

They call it Waterrock knob because spring water is seeping out of the rock

The view of the mountains near Richard Balsam.  Below us is the section of the highest paved road on the Blue Ridge Parkway at 6084 feet.   The summit was shrouded in trees as shown below.
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W4C/CM-001 Mt. Mitchell

Nice 2 hour drive to Mt. Mitchell on a clear, balmy day in the valley around 60F.  Upon reaching the visitor center some 10 miles away, the temperature was 34F with a brisk wind.  I put another layer of clothes and a hat

I came with KE4EA   We set up near the entrance of the concrete observation deck.   There was a convenient rock that served as an operating table.  Another ham visited with - forgot his call.   Here below is a photo of Dave KE4EA.

The views were fantastic

Our antenna mast was fastened to a short pine tree to the right of the rock.  Here Dave is making SSB contacts.

VP6D Worked on 80m

At 1124 UTC on 30Oct2018 on 80m CW at 3.523 MHz

W4C/US-001 - Sassafras Mountain

This was an impromptu activation.   It was cloudy and threatening rain but I still had the rest of the afternoon.  So I quickly drove out to Rocky Bottom and headed up the mountain.

At the summit is an observation deck under construction.   I was at the overlook just below the summit.   

Just worked VP6D QRP for #182 at 5 Watts

At 1101 UTC- worked VP6D Ducie Island DXpedition with a dipole at 5 watts for my #182 (or 182nd)  unique QRP DXCC entity contact made.

Just worked #313 VP6D Ducie Island

Worked them 08:59 UTC on 40m CW working up 2.1 KHz from 7010.1

W4C/CM-011 - Mt. Pisgah

I successfully activated a summit - Mt. Pisgah - a 10 pointer on Thursday - October 18th.

Getting there was quite an adventure - approaching the mountain from the backside (noth side) on Cruso Rd.   That mountain road was very steep with 25% grade in many places and very twisty.  Thanks to KW4JM for helping me navigate the driving.

The trail itself was pretty challenging - carrying a 23 pound pack as it ascended 700 feet over 1.1 mile.   I recorded the hike on my smartwatch and uploaded the track and all the data to Strava (heart rate, elevation gain, elapsed time).  It took me close to 1 hour (maybe 50 minutes) to ascend and 1 hour to descend.   I could have been quicker on the descent but with tired legs I had to be careful not to twist an ankle.

Upon reaching the top, I found a wooden observation deck.  It had a convenient rail to which I fastened my SOTABeams 30 foot long fiberglass mast and to the mast I fastened my LNR precision EFHW into an inverted V configuration.   The other side of the inverted V was fastened via a guy rope to a place about 50 feet away.

The rig I used was a KX3 and the mode I was able to use was CW.  I made 9 QSO's in quick order on 20m at 14.065 MHz.

KW4JM was activating a peak Mt. Mitchell at the same time and I was able to talk to him on the 2 meter HT on 146.52 MHz.