07/12/2003 | WA9TKK Operated from DM45 on top of Humphrey's Peak near Flagstaff at 12,633 feet, the highest point in Arizona. This has

always been a very challenging hike due to the altitude, exposure, and severe weather. Several years ago, I had to

abandon the VHF contest when a hail and lightning storm errupted on my way up when I was only about 1/4 mile from the

top. Other years, the Forest Service had closed the hiking trails due to fire danger. This weekend, the weather was

clear and warm, but I still packed my severe weather gear just in case. The previous 2 weekends there was hail and

lightning on top as I attempted to hike to the top to get in shape for the contest weekend. The main discomfort was

being continously covered by flying gnats which plague hikers on top. The hike is about 11 miles roundtrip with about

3600 feet of elevation gain. So I desired to keep my pack weight down. So I left the FT-690 6m all mode rig at home

which was a mistake due to the good 6m conditions. I also didn't want to be a lightning rod so I also did not pack the

big yagis and masts. My total pack weight was about 32 lbs which included 3 quarts of water. But my total score was my

best ever for a VHF contest due to not only my location, but the number of other hams operating at remote locations in

the state. Hope to be able to operate up here again. Hiking time to the top was about 5 hours; return trip about 3-1/2

hours.
Radios: Yaesu FT-290RII 10W on 2m, Alinco DJ-280 3W on 220, and Icom T-81A 5W on 52, 4W on 446 and 0.8W on 1294.
Antennas: 6m: Yaesu telescoping whip, 2m: Larsen telescoping 1/2 wave, 220: standard Alinco rubber ducky, 446: Arrow

3-ele yagi, 1294: Comet 5 ele-yagi.
Power source: 12V-2AH gel cell for FT-290; standard battery packs for Alinco and Icom HTs.
50 TOTAL QSO POINTS, 27 TOTAL GRIDS.

73, Mike

Key to photos:

All of the attached photos were shot during the June VHF contest weekend of June 14-15, 2003. Camera used was an Olympus

Infinity Mini 35mm film type pocket camera with a fixed 35mm lens. Photos were scanned to digitize. All photos were

taken by WA9TKK except for #1 and #2 which were taken by other hikers that were nearby at the time.

1) WA9TKK on top of Humphreys Peak with some of the other high mountains in the San Francisco Peaks, six of which top

11,000 ft. Geologists estimate that the original volcano of the San Francisco peaks topped 16,000 ft amsl.

2) WA9TKK operating in one of the rock shelters on Humphrey's Peak. Just above my head on the wall is the FT-290 with

part of the telescoping half-wave 2m antenna visible, to my right is the T-81A with 6m whip, and the far right on the

wall is the Arrow 3 element 70cm yagi.

3) View along the hiking trail showing snow in AZ in mid June.

4) View of the inner basin of the San Francisco Peaks from the Humphreys-Agassiz saddle. Hundreds of dormant volcanoes

in the San Francisco volcanic field surround the Flagstaff area on the Colorado Plateau.

5) Hikers taking a break at the Humphreys-Agassiz saddle at 11,800 ft (the big hump in the middle of photo #6). Many

hikers go no further than this point as it is extremely difficult just getting to this point due to the steepness of the

trail and the high altitude. This is as far as I got 2 weekends before the contest when a hail and thunderstorm erupted

while I was having lunch. My hands were frozen as I attempted to tighten my hiking boots after getting my rain pants on.

6) View from US 180 north of Flagstaff of the San Francisco Peaks with 12,633 ft Humphreys Peak on the left and 12,356 ft

Agassiz Peak on the right. Agassiz is home to the Arizona Snow Bowl ski area with the chairlift going up to 11,500 ft.

One of the other contesters operated from here. Unfortunately the Forest Service does not permit hiking past the

chairlift due to fragile tundra. Otherwise, this would be a great way to bypass lots of trail and elevation gain and

make the hike to the top of Arizona a lot easier. -- WA9TKK