Winter activation.
At the first opportunity and, unfortunately, for the first time this winter season.
Last year, together with R9WCJ, we “discovered” a new, very interesting area for winter activations.
There are not very high peaks here, but there is no dense forest at the summits.
Some of the peaks are located in the Bashkir Nature Reserve and visiting them requires special approval.
This time I planned to visit and activate three summits at once during a ski trip with three overnight stays.
The SO-102, SO-110 and SO-124 summits are conveniently lined up in a chain.
In the Southern Urals, at the end of February, exceptionally clear weather set in, very suitable for outdoor activity. Only frosts reaching minus 36 degrees Celsius made the task a little more difficult.
Unfortunately, my vacation had to be shortened by one day - the activation of the SO-124 summit had to be postponed and I had to return home as soon as possible. But the activation of the two remaining summits brought a lot of positive emotions.
The frosts tested us and our equipment for strength. And the interest of the chasers in our activation of two new summits required a willingness to work in a pile-up in the cold conditions.
Pat, this is truly an amazing area for winter activations. Moreover, no one has activated all the summits yet. As for our backpacks, they do seem large. In winter, at temperatures below minus 30 Celsius, you need warm equipment, sleeping mats, and gas. My friend prudently took 2 sleeping bags - a winter one (up to minus 28 C) and a light summer one. He was quite comfortable at night in two sleeping bags. I took only one sleeping bag with a synthetic fill (up to minus 30 C extreme temp.). But at night I additionally inserted my down jacket (BASK Makalu) inside the sleeping bag. I like to sleep with a certain comfort in winter). All this equipment, of course, takes up a certain amount of space. But the weight of the backpacks actually did not exceed 9-10 kg, with radio equipment (3 wire antennas, a 7 m telescopic mast, a 25 W transceiver and two 5 A/h batteries), supplies for 3 days of an autonomous hike.
Thanks for the good feedback.
CU and 73 Pat!
Vlad
Hi Vlad. Minus 30 Celsius! I don’t think I have experienced weather that cold. I live at 6000’ just east of the Teton mountains. We have cold winters with lots of snow. Very impressive that you camped in those cold temps.
Also, I remember your ski / SOTA video from last year where you showed skiers telemarking down the mountain, with BIG packs, in what looked like difficult snow. I was impressed.
Pat, thanks!
Winter ski tourism has always been quite popular in our country. It is clear that there are all conditions for this. As for me, from early childhood I dreamed of mountains and traveling on skis. Later, Radio was added to this. So SOTA found its adherents in the right place.
You were right about the difficult snow for skiing on Mount Biryan. This ski season, the guy you saw in last year’s Telemark activation video crashed… On the same slope. He ran into a tree. Fortunately, he survived, but he had quite serious injuries. Its evacuation was not an easy task, since the area is quite wild. After operations, he recently left the hospital.
73
Vlad
Hello Vlad,
Thank you very much for the great pictures and the wonderful video. You would have loved to have been there. Lots of nice activation and maybe an S2S occasionally.
Best 73 and dsw
