After waking up at camp in Big Pine, having a small breakfast and packing up all the camping gear, I headed back out to Death Valley Road to hike the summit of 8500, or Papoose Point, as I’ve seen it named elsewhere. It was quiet except for a few singing birds, and the air was mostly still, only disrupted by low flying F35 jets ripping through the canyons. I started hiking up the two track road, then eventually making a 90-ish degree turn straight up the mountain, over a ridge, down into a valley, then back up another ridge. This was unexpected and perhaps I could have found a different route. Once at the top, I found the summit register and signed it. There is enough room to stretch out a antenna. Not much natural shade at the actual summit, but there are trees just below to take refuge from the sun if needed. Worked 40m, 30m, and 20m CW. Two jets flying below the summit were so close I could almost see inside the cockpit, and so loud I couldn’t hear myself think. I’d love to take a ride in one! I took a different route hiking down which was steeper with more rocks, but more direct. Back at the car the temperature had really risen, so I was happy to turn on the A/C and cool down.

https://sotl.as/summits/W6/IN-014

Download file: in014.gpx

Date:03/06/2022 | Summit:W6/IN-014 (8500)

Time	Callsign	Band	Mode	Notes
17:29	NT6E	7MHz	CW	S58N R52N
17:31	K6EL	7MHz	CW	S529 R559
17:31	WA6KYR	7MHz	CW	S57N R56N
17:32	W7HO	7MHz	CW	S55N R33N
17:34	WB6POT	7MHz	CW	S52N R33N
17:37	N7CNH	7MHz	CW	S56N R54N
17:37	K6HPX	7MHz	CW	S58N R53N
17:48	KB7HH	10MHz	CW	S52N R54N
17:51	WW7D	10MHz	CW	S52N R43N
17:56	N1SMB	10MHz	CW	S2S W0C/SC-074 S33N R57N
17:59	K7SO	10MHz	CW	S51N R54N
18:00	KR7RK	10MHz	CW	S51N R53N
18:02	N6JZT	10MHz	CW	S51N R53N
18:03	K6QCB	10MHz	CW	S57N R53N
18:07	N6PKT	10MHz	CW	S53N R52N
18:11	K6TUY	10MHz	CW	S55N R55N
18:29	NS7P	14MHz	CW	S55N R55N
18:31	WB7BWZ	14MHz	CW	S52N R57N
18:33	KX6I	14MHz	CW	S2S W6/SC-460 S52N R55N
18:34	W2NC	14MHz	CW	S55N R55N
18:36	WA6GFE	14MHz	CW	S52N R55N
18:37	KG6OKI	14MHz	CW	S44N R42N