This summit starts at the Ancient Bristle Cone Pine visitor center parking lot. Take the trail to the Mexican Mines, which winds past some old cabins and mine shafts. Continue on the trail until a second set of collapsed mine audits. From here, just head straight up the hill a short distance to the summit. There, you will see another collapsed mine audit; this is where I setup my station. Worked 20, 40, 2, and 1.2GHz. Did a bit of rock hounding, then headed back to the car. This is pretty high elevation, and I was feeling the effects having just come from Los Angeles. No .gpx data for this summit, as I thought I would use a phone app instead of a hardware GPS. Phone app crashed. Doh!

https://sotl.as/summits/W6/WH-009

(Sadly, no .gpx data for this summit)

Date:02/07/2021 | Summit:W6/WH-009 (10660)

Time	Callsign	Band	Mode	Notes
21:45	WU7H	14MHz	SSB	S58 R44
21:46	K6HPX	14MHz	SSB	S58 R54
21:56	NW6C	144MHz	SSB	S59 R59 JOHN
21:57	NQ7R	144MHz	SSB	S55 R59
21:58	KK6HTM	144MHz	SSB	S59 R59
22:51	KT4Q	14MHz	SSB	S58 R44 POTA K502
22:57	WB7ULD	14MHz	SSB	S45 R34
22:59	WD8KDB	14MHz	SSB	S58 R44
23:01	W5ODS	14MHz	SSB	S59 R55
23:17	K6YK	14MHz	SSB	S59 R33

Sunset Peak is rad. I started at Glendora Ridge Road across from Sunset Ridge Fire Road, and followed that up to the summit. At the top is a big chunk of sheet metal, I think from a lookout tower. I thought about ways to use this as a ground plane next time I’m there. Worked 20, 40, 2, and 1.2GHz. I got snowed on, in May, which was a nice surprise. The way down I was having so much fun, I went wayyyy past the turn off back to the car, but I eventually ran into GDR and cycled back on the road.

https://sotl.as/summits/W6/CT-022

Download file: SunsetPeak.gpx

Date:21/05/2021 | Summit:W6/CT-022 (Sunset Peak)

Time	Callsign	Band	Mode	Notes
23:03	KC9YDC	14MHz	SSB	S35 R47 POTA
23:07	W5GDW	14MHz	SSB	S48 R32
23:07	K6QCB	14MHz	SSB	S59 R59
23:08	WW7D	14MHz	SSB	S57 R54
23:09	WU7H	14MHz	SSB	S57 R59
23:11	K6ARK	14MHz	SSB	S57 R42
23:11	WD8KDB	14MHz	SSB	S43 R33
23:12	KK6JM	14MHz	SSB	S59 R59
23:14	NG6R	14MHz	SSB	S59 R57
23:18	W7MDN	14MHz	SSB	S33 R22 S2S W7W/FR-044
23:42	K6KWI	144MHz	FM
23:44	KI6SLA	144MHz	FM
23:47	WB6UNG	144MHz	FM	RANDY
23:54	K6LDQ	1240MHz	FM	S51 R59 %QRA%DM03TU%

Edit December 5th, 2022. I was right about the big metal sheets on Sunset being from a old fire lookout tower. The info below was borrowed from firetower.org without any kind of permission.

Description

Sunset Peak replaced the former site on what is now known as Lookout Mountain, across the saddle to the north. Photographs appear to show it as an L-4 or BC-301 cab atop a 20 ft. steel tower. There was a small residence to the north and a cistern to the south. (The corrugated metal remains over what is believed to be the cistern.). Besides that all that remains are the footings for the tower and the foundation for the house.

Ron Kemnow’s site recounts stories of a 1928 lightning storm that destroyed the cabin, construction of the motorway in 1938 (eliminating the need of a pack train to bring supplies,) and a December 1938 fire which threatened the tower. Nonetheless, lookout Sherman Foster remained at his post. Both he and the tower survived.

The cab and tower were reportedly disassembled and transported to the Ontario Air Tanker Base in 1974 or 75. The final disposition of the structure is unknown.

I thought there was a road of some kind all the way to the top of this summit because of the fire lookout tower, but I was wrong! Because of this, I thought it would be a good bike ride. Park near Frenchman’s Flat Campground at the gate. You need a forest Adventure Pass displayed to park. Continue almost all the way down the paved road. You will see a small gate on the right, blocking a fire road – this goes to the summit. This road gets narrower and narrower the further you go up, ultimately ending up as a single track. At the top is a lookout tower which was built in 1969. This summit also offers nice views of Pyramid Lake. I setup my vertical and worked 20m, 40m, and 2m bands. About half way down the trail, I got a flat tire – but left my patch kit in my other bike bag – doh! Ended up walking most of the way back to the car. Overall, it was a fun day. Can’t wait to come back again!

https://sotl.as/summits/W6/SC-057

Download file: SlideMountain.gpx

Date:07/05/2021 | Summit:W6/SC-057 (Slide Mountain)

Time	Callsign	Band	Mode	Notes
21:26	N0WAE	14MHz	SSB	S52 R53
21:27	K7XH	14MHz	SSB	S55 R55
21:33	WW7D	14MHz	SSB	S55 R43
21:36	KJ7UIZ	14MHz	SSB	S51 R51
21:38	WB7BWZ	14MHz	SSB	S51 R51
21:45	K6HPX	7MHz	SSB	S57 R41
21:46	NW7E	7MHz	SSB	S44 R52
22:05	KN6CQX	144MHz	FM	S51 R59
22:07	KN6ISM	144MHz	FM	S59 R59