Tag / w6/ss-146

Picture of mountain landscape, looking toward Mount Lewis, with Parker Peak off in the distance to the right.
by KE6MT

Backcountry Activation: Mount Lewis, W6/SS-146

Getting some summits done while backpacking in the Eastern Sierra!

Links to products on Amazon and eBay are affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.

Quick Info:

Activation Date: 18 August 2023Summit: W6/SS-146
Transport: Hiking (half off-trail)Distance: 6-7 miles
Elev. Gain: 1950 feetTime: 3.75 hours
Rig(s): MTR-3B, VX-6RBands: 40m CW
Antenna(s): Tri-band EFHWAntenna Support: Mast in rocks
RF Noise: NoneCell Service: Marginal to None (T-Mobile)

Whenever possible, I like to plan my backpacking trips around summits I’d like to activate. This summit and the other summit I did on this trip are best activated if you’re already in the area, since it cuts down the mileage and time needed to get to the top. Doing these summits as a day trip would be very difficult, at best. So it’s fun to backpack in and set up base camp nearby, enjoying the fresh, thin air!

On this backpacking trip, I camped near Upper Sardine Lake with some friends, having hiked in from the Mono/Parker Pass trailhead in Yosemite NP. The other way to get to Upper Sardine Lake is via the Bloody Canyon trail, but that route is harder, and apparently had been blocked by avalanche debris over the winter.

continue reading →