Post : Monarch Ridge South SOTA Activation (W0C/SP-058)
URL : http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/2016/08/monarch-ridge/
Posted : August 9, 2016 at 3:28 pm
Author : Bob K0NR
Categories : Colorado, Ham Radio, Mountains, SOTA, VHF

For the 2016 Colorado 14er Event ( http://www.ham14er.org ) , I had to choose
really easy SOTA ( http://www.sota.org.uk/ ) summits to activate because I
had fractured my ankle earlier in the summer. At this point, I was able to
hobble around with a protective boot but walking more than a few hundred feet
was difficult. On Saturday, we drove up Pikes Peak and took a short stroll
away from the vehicle to operate. On Sunday, we decided to activate Monarch
Ridge South (W0C/SP-058), ( http://www.sota.org.uk/Summit/W0C/SP-058 ) using
the sight-seeing tram that goes to the top.

http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/wp-con...lhead-sign.jpg
Access is right off Monarch Pass ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monarch_Pass
) (Hwy 50), where there is a large parking lot. There is a trail that goes to
the top and we'll be back to hike that some other time. (Actually, Joyce
K0JJW and I already tried to snowshoe to the top in blizzard conditions but
that is another story for another day.) The trail is a popular mountain bike
route, so we saw lots of bikers in the parking lot unloading gear. Monarch
Pass is oriented north/south and the trail heads off to the east (behind the
tram building).

http://www.k0nr.com/wordpress/wp-con...lower-building.
jpg The tram boarding location is inside this building at the bottom of the
tram. We purchased tickets in the nearby gift shop, which is worth a look if
you need a map, book, ice cream cone or trinkets. See their website (
http://monarchcrest.net/ ) for latest schedule and pricing.

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