W6/CT-022 – Sunset Peak

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

Total distance: 11.34 mi
Max elevation: 5777 ft
Total climbing: 2080 ft
Total time: 03:37:34
Download file: SunsetPeak.gpx

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

TimeCallsignBandModeNotes
23:03KC9YDC14MHzSSBS35 R47 POTA
23:07W5GDW14MHzSSBS48 R32
23:07K6QCB14MHzSSBS59 R59
23:08WW7D14MHzSSBS57 R54
23:09WU7H14MHzSSBS57 R59
23:11K6ARK14MHzSSBS57 R42
23:11WD8KDB14MHzSSBS43 R33
23:12KK6JM14MHzSSBS59 R59
23:14NG6R14MHzSSBS59 R57
23:18W7MDN14MHzSSBS33 R22 S2S W7W/FR-044
23:42K6KWI144MHzFM
23:44KI6SLA144MHzFM
23:47WB6UNG144MHzFMRANDY
23:54K6LDQ1240MHzFMS51 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.