FOBB ’04:
A QRPER’S STORY FROM MT. SI
Special to The ARS Sojourner
Mount Si stands silent guard at the opening of Snoqualamie
Valley, created by the titanic forces of Tectonic Plate Movement, and
Glacial Ice. Being one of the foothills of the Cascade Mountains, it’s
summit elevation of over 4700 ft rivals many of the peaks in the corridor
of the Cascades, and is over 1,000 ft higher than Stevens Pass or Snoqualamie
Pass. Mt. Si resides at the confluence of the North, and South Forks of
the Snoqualamie River, which was used as a transportation route for dugout
canoes and commercial boats in the 19th Century.
The 4 mile trail climbs the southern aspect of the mountain with endless switchbacks, giving it the appearance of many of the peaks in the European Alps.
I have worked QRP on this mountain several times, but in the fall, or spring, there can be dramatic temperature changes between the floor of the valley, and the summit, making it uncomfortably cool to sit for prolonged periods of time to work radio. The amount of strenuous exercise that is required to reach the summit usually leaves one drenched with sweat, and unless dry clothing is available, making an individual more vulnerable to the effects of hypothermia. Winds, clouds, and relative humidity change dramatically with this increase in altitude. Snow, and ice are common in early to late spring.
I would be working my Small Wonders Labs Radio with its 2 watts available power, and a quarter wave dipole antenna strung between trees at about 12 to 15 feet above the ground. I use paper log for scribble, and logging entries. I found a new flower to me.
Bighead Clover was pushing its way through the ground in the shade of a pine tree. The appearance of this flower is as a miniature pink artichoke making it look attractively edible. I have always heard that it is a favorite food of herbivorous animals.
It would certainly be attractive to the bumblebee nearby. The Flora is
different than that of Tiger Mountain which is farther to the west, and
across the valley, but that difference might be explained by northern,
and southern aspects, the southern aspect being drier, but more exposed
to storms. Mt. Si is also 2,000 ft higher in elevation than Tiger Mountain.
I made 4 Bumblebee contacts, but they were all 579, or above. At the end of the contest a fellow club member contacted me reporting to me that his QTH was the same as mine, and that he was about 300 feet higher than me on the top of Haystack Butte. Younger people scramble to its summit to relax in the sunshine on summer afternoons.
The few contacts I made were compensated by beauty and serenity of the alpine environment. I had climbed above the clouds so Mt. Rainier was visible to the south lifting its glaciated slopes above the cloud layer. There is only the opportunity to dream and plan next year’s Bumblebee contest now.
* * * * * * * * * *
David Brighton, KD7GIM, is an avid QRPer, hiker and outdoorsman living in Issaquah, WA.
The 4 mile trail climbs the southern aspect of the mountain with endless switchbacks, giving it the appearance of many of the peaks in the European Alps.
I have worked QRP on this mountain several times, but in the fall, or spring, there can be dramatic temperature changes between the floor of the valley, and the summit, making it uncomfortably cool to sit for prolonged periods of time to work radio. The amount of strenuous exercise that is required to reach the summit usually leaves one drenched with sweat, and unless dry clothing is available, making an individual more vulnerable to the effects of hypothermia. Winds, clouds, and relative humidity change dramatically with this increase in altitude. Snow, and ice are common in early to late spring.
I would be working my Small Wonders Labs Radio with its 2 watts available power, and a quarter wave dipole antenna strung between trees at about 12 to 15 feet above the ground. I use paper log for scribble, and logging entries. I found a new flower to me.
Bighead Clover was pushing its way through the ground in the shade of a pine tree. The appearance of this flower is as a miniature pink artichoke making it look attractively edible. I have always heard that it is a favorite food of herbivorous animals.
I made 4 Bumblebee contacts, but they were all 579, or above. At the end of the contest a fellow club member contacted me reporting to me that his QTH was the same as mine, and that he was about 300 feet higher than me on the top of Haystack Butte. Younger people scramble to its summit to relax in the sunshine on summer afternoons.
The few contacts I made were compensated by beauty and serenity of the alpine environment. I had climbed above the clouds so Mt. Rainier was visible to the south lifting its glaciated slopes above the cloud layer. There is only the opportunity to dream and plan next year’s Bumblebee contest now.
David Brighton, KD7GIM, is an avid QRPer, hiker and outdoorsman living in Issaquah, WA.