Motivation
This is a new one for me so I describe the access.
Activation date: July 7th 2024
July the 7th is a special date in my hometown, Pamplona, as we celebrate San Fermin festival.
At 6:00 I watched the running of the bulls on the TV. All fine, no serious injuries.
Off I went to the summit.
Driving directions
Leave Pamplona heading north by road N-121A
After Ostiz exit left by NA-411 towards Ciaurriz
After Ilarregui exit right by NA-4114 towards Orokieta
Pass the small village of Ola, and exit the road at kilometer 5,2.
The hike
If you can start the hike right after leaving the road (681 m. elevation) the hike is 4,9 km long one way, and 340 m elevation gain.
Instead, you could drive further on by a dirt road. Then stop before the first big turn (735 m. elevation), as marked on this map:
- From this advanced parking, the track is 2,9 km long (one way).
- Elevation gain: 290 m
- Mountain elevation: 1061 m
- Ascent time: 1 hour 30 mins.
The route starts on the dirt road, well covered by high trees
Soon, as you gain some height you can see your destination, the summit of Aizarbil, well covered by trees.
As you reach the Uztakorta col you see a cattle grid right hand. There you leave the dirt road and start the final steep ascent, next to a barbed wire fence.
There is no clear path and you just progress next to the fence looking for less dense vegetaton which is not easy.
Sometimes you step over nasty bramble:
Finally I reached the last part. I crossed a gate and ascended the previous summit of Loiaundi (1030 m) marked with a wooden stick.
Now you descend a few meters and head to the summit of Mt. Aizarbil, marked with a pyramid shaped mountain mailbox:
The activation
There is no much space on this summit, with trees all around. I managed to install a 9 meter random wire antenna, inverted L, with 4 short ground radials.
My gear: rig LNR LD-5, 3x 21700 LiIon cells, and ZM-2 tuner.
Activation went well, I ran on 7, 10 AND 14 MHz SSB and CW, logging 54 qso.
I was happy to log a few S2S, EA4DON & EA4DOS on a F summit, plus EA2WX and EA4IS.
I packed and called it a day. I knew it would be an unpleasant descend due to the dense bushes and vegetation obstacling the path.
While approaching the car I had a last look of the summit:
Tick alert
Once back home I self inspected for ticks, as there was a high risk of having them on this area.
I found none, but the next day I had been bitten by three of them!
I went to the doctor for a safe removal and followed a week medication with antibiotic.
I will reinforce the prevention by using a stronger repellent in my next activation.
After 13 years doing SOTA without any bad experience on that issue, this year I was bitten in two activation. Seems a plague is developing in some areas.
73 Ignacio