Know the feeling Tom! I failed on an attempt at Elephant Mt W1/AM-015 last Saturday. I spent three hours snowshoeing up to just below the summit only to find the high spring temps in Maine had turned the snow into 1 meter deep slush. I post-holed to my waist even with snow shoes on and had to turn back within 100 m of the summit. Unfortunately I was too low to reach the activation zone 
Even if I had been in the activation zone I doubt I could have deployed an HF antenna given the deep slushy snow and dense spruce trees everywhere. Perhaps 2 m would have saved the day had I been in the zone. Oh well, a return trip in summer is in order methinks.
OT - that’s a little out of context Barry. I was speaking from personal experience not on behalf of all. I’ve twice relied exclusively on 2m in GM/SS and have only achieved 2 contacts (both NI operators rather than Scottish). Ironically I’ve had more success getting responses from Scotland on 2m from hills in N England.
Apart from that I was supporting the use of “simple VHF/UHF” equipment for activations.
Jimmy pointed out that I had not posted an activation report for The Cloud G/SP-015, Friday 28th April 2017. Well I had hardly any time available between running some errands first thing, and needing to be back home to load up and set off for that night’s gig in Harrogate. In all honesty, it was more the urge to walk to the summit and back that took me there, rather than doing any radio, but the handheld was in my pocket.
Two QSOs took place on 2m FM - thanks Paul M0CQE and Pete 2E0LKC. No other callers, so I descended and got ready for work. I would have time to attempt an activation of Rombalds Moor G/NP-018 en route to Harrogate, although all did not go to plan on that one (see above).