Beautiful blue skies and 55 degrees at the base of Mt. Flora Colorado today. I was planning on activating this Peak to hit my 200 point mark! I knew it would be windy on top 13,000’+ and had hopes I might duck on the lee side to hike slightly off trail in calmer conditions.
So much for that plan (the lee side is a very steep drop of several hundred feet). After clearing the tree-line, WIND! I continued hiking up to a lesser summit 2.5 mile mark of 3 miles to the summit and determined that walking on the ridge line with 50-60mph and gusts 80? (my estimate) was not wise and if I did make the summit.
Being VHF HT how would I communicate with scary loud wind noise?
Although relatively warm and 15 minutes from the top I turned around! The summit was here way before me and will be here long after I’m gone. All was not lost as I activated W0C-SR-051 on the drive back. Mt. Flora was acting as a windbreaker for Dakota Hill! Not really a hill almost 11,000’ !!!
Great day visiting places I never would have due to SOTA.
am sure the retreat was wise. To your question, on these rocky peaks, we have found we work people reasonably well with the antenna laying on the ground. GL and 73, Fred KT5X (aka WS0TA)
Wise move.
I always go with if I ask myself “Should I??” I turn around and head down.
I always joke just tie a bag to the end of the EFHW and let it fly in the winds.
Good decision! I experienced very windy conditions in Northern Sierras last Saturday afternoon on Castle Peak (W6/SN-038), and was able barely make 4 contacts. It was also cold, but the wind was not as strong as on W0C/SR-035 attempt.
I once had my Rollup Jpole fall into a very deep 8” wide crack mid QSO. I was impressed that I was able to complete the QSO with antenna deep in rocks! I didn’t think about just laying flat. Good tip!
