AVOID THE BUMMER LIFE

Category: sota

  • Mount Saint Helens

    Mount Saint Helens

    The summit that started it all. When 2024 began I had no knowledge of SOTA and only a vague familiarity (but zero interest in) ham radio. For whatever reason, YouTube began to feed me some video about ham radio and a volcano. I vehemently ignored it, perhaps even clicking the “not interested” option, but the…

  • Traverse Ridge, Wallowas, OR

    Traverse Ridge, Wallowas, OR

    A tough week resulted in the hasty decision to head into the Wallowas of Eastern Oregon. We arrived at the Hurricane Creek Campground just before sunset on a Thursday evening to set up camp and crawl into the tent. Up early Friday we made our way to the “trailhead” along Lime Quarry Rd 45.37808, -117.35148…

  • Making It Difficult in N. Idaho

    Making It Difficult in N. Idaho

    A couple of Northern Idaho’s smallish summits that, in an earlier spring attempt were blocked by snow, are a bit of a long forest road drive to access. As you start to climb above 5300ft, FR301 becomes more rough than a standard SUV can handle. I parked my Honda at 47.01588, -116.06868 and walked the…

  • Salmon Run 2024

    Salmon Run 2024

    This upcoming weekend is the Washington State QSO party fondly known as the Salmon Run. For the uninitiated, a state QSO party is a friendly radio contest where operators try to make contacts with all or as many of the counties in the state as they can. Some counties would naturally be more difficult to…

  • Teanaway: July 4th Backpacking

    Teanaway: July 4th Backpacking

    This summer I really wanted to get out and do some multi-day backpacking and bag a few peaks. I have a few rough periods at work throughout the year, thankfully they only last a couple of weeks, but when they’re over I like to escape into the wilds for a day or three and try…