Double 1 point summits

[KE2EKI]

This past Saturday 10/25, I picked off two 1 point summits in my local “Finger Lakes” region of New York State. The weather was great. A bit chilly, but I prefer it over the summer heat.

Summits:

• W2/WE-097 - South Hill

• W2/WE-098 - Bare Hill

In my area of the state we have a decent amount of “summits” but they are all 1 pointers. While I’d much rather be doing longer hikes / going after summits with more points, sometimes you have to work with what you got.

That said, I still had a wonderful day in the field playing radios.

W2/WE-097 - South Hill

The first summit of the day was “South Hill”. This summit had never been activated since the entire activation zone sits on private property.

However I was able to get in touch with the property owner who happens to run a private hunting preserve, specializing in “upland game hunting”. After a short phone call where I explained what SOTA was and shared how I grew up with 5 Brittany Spaniels and did a ton of bird hunting with my dad growing up. I was granted access and the owner told me to come down in the early afternoon once the hunters wrapped up.

Also the owner was pretty keen on the radio activity since his uncle was a radio operator during WWII in the army.

I was given a personal escort across the property and taken to the summit marker.

Since I was able to drive up to the summit, I parked my vehicle along one of the paths and walked a hundred or so yards into the field to set up.

Thanks to the fantastic chasers, I was able to make quick work of this summit and called it good after making 8 QSO’s on 20meters, with my 40m EFHW antenna.

Even though I had some blaze orange on, there were still some hunters on the property so I decided to not linger too long and packed it up and headed to the next summit.

W2/WE-098 - Bare Hill

“Bare Hill Unique Area” is only a few miles north of South Hill on the east side of Canandaigua lake.

This activation was much more like it.

I parked my car at the end of the dead end road and hiked about 2 miles or so before settling on a nice spot under a tree within the activation zone.

Bare Hill is also a POTA park so I was able to double dip and made a total of 32 QSO’s on 15m, 20m and 40m. Again with my trusty 40m EFHW.

Overall a Saturday well spent. I look forward to picking off more of my local 1 point hill tops.

[MM0EFI]

Congratulations on “using your noodle” and bagging the first activation of South Hill. Good to see the land owner accomodate you too.

[K7GUD]

Great report Nick. I admire your diplomatic negotiations with the land owner. There are a few summits in my area that require that you cross private land to access them, but I never had the courage or tenacity to contact the owners to ask for permission to cross their land.

Also, fb on getting POTA and SOTA together. That usually doubles the number of qsos. I also add WWFF, which are often the same as POTA parks, and it usually adds some extra dx.

Regarding low point summits: this summer I got tired of driving farther and farther to activate summits I hadn’t done this year. So I repeated a local easy-access summit multiple times. No extra points, but the chasers still get points, and I had just as much fun.

[KE2EKI]

Hey Pat,

Glad you enjoyed it. I’m hoping to get out this weekend to bag some other local 1 point summits.

I always figured it never hurts to try and ask permission best case they say yes, worst case they say “No way, scram radio boy!” HI HI.

While I’d love to live a little closer to the bigger summits, I’m situated in a pretty solid area in NY. I have a whole bunch of 1pt summits about 30-50 mins south of me. Or I can head east and be in the Adirondacks or the Catskills in about 3.5 hours with all the higher point summits.. Enough to keep me busy all year long.

I love the big hikes cause its a great workout and then I get to eat a bunch of pizza after burning all the calories. But the mellow jaunts of the 1 pointers are nice.

Now I’m starting to think about winter hikes since the winter bonus points will open up soon.

[K7GUD]

@KE2EKI

I love the big hikes cause its a great workout and then I get to eat a bunch of pizza after burning all the calories. But the mellow jaunts of the 1 pointers are nice.

Exactly! Pizza, Cheetos, Coke, roller food (those hot dogs in gas stations on the rollers). The bigger the hike, the more I feel justified in having a little food fun

[GM4LLD]

@KE2EKI

it never hurts to try and ask permission

It’s amazing how well this works. Numerous times I’ve asked for permission to park or drive on private roads and I have never been refused. Because the gun laws are different here, illegal parking and driving on someone’s land in the UK is not going to result in a confrontation with the owner pointing his Glock at you. So people do it here because there’s almost no consequence to their actions. Land owners are normally so surprised when I have asked they don’t say no. Or they suggest alternatives, often better.

@KE2EKI

But the mellow jaunts of the 1 pointers are nice.

Those pictures suggest that’s a really nice place to play radio. Sure you’ve not climbed Everest but it doesn’t matter. You’re out playing radio and people want to chase you.

[G4OIG]

@GM4LLD

…. when I have asked they don’t say no. Or they suggest alternatives, often better.

Indeed I asked for access in southern Scotland and the owner came up with a better parking spot at the end of a grassy track, so avoiding a lengthy walk. As I drove the estate road there was no reaction from people on the estate as though they had all been informed of the visit. Afterwards I wrote to the owner to say thank you.

Well done on getting that first activation Nick. Doing one pointers can be as satisfying as the higher summits, particularly when the weather plays ball.

[KE2EKI]

Yea, in the US even in a state like New York with stricter gun laws, its always better to just play and safe.

In general I find as long as you’re polite, friendly and honest about what you’re up to most people are very amenable. And like you said, property owner are usually surprised to hear what I’m doing and are just like knock yourself out.

I’m always just happy to be outside playing radio. I’m so happy I’ve found SOTA as a hobby, every activation bring its own adventure.

[KE2EKI]

What a treat, can’t get much better than getting a faster route from the owner on top of permission.

I have a my eye on a few other local summits with no activations. Its very fun to do the sleuthing to figure out the best way to access no matter the points.