Dan Koellen AI6XG- Dan Koellen AI6XG
Mount Rose W7N/WC-001 Activation
Lake Tahoe and Tamarack Peak From Mount Rose
Summit Trip Summary
Distance: ~ 4.9 mi one way
Transport: Hiking
Elevation Gain: ~1800 feet
Time: ~ 3 hours one way
Route: Tahoe Rim Trail, Mount Rose Peak Trail 21050 (aka Rim to Rose)
Access: Mt. Rose Summit Trailhead - Nevada Highway 431
Parking: Several spots at Trailhead
Activation Summary
Rig: MTR3b LCD
Bands/Modes: 20 mtr - CW, 30 mtr - CW, 40 mtr - CW
Antenna: Trapped 20/30/40 mtr EFHW
Antenna Support: Rocks and Crevices for mast support
Cell Service: Very Good (Verizon)
RF Noise: Quiet
Mount Rose is in the Mount Rose Wilderness area and is the highest peak in the area. There are four 10 point peaks - Mount Rose W7N/WC-001, Mount Houghton W7N/WC-002, Tamarack Peak W7N/WC-003 and Slide Mountain W7N/WC-004 - that are accessible from the Mount Rose Summit Trailhead.
The hike starts at the Mount Rose Summit Trailhead parking lot, the .gpx file is available here. Quite a few hikers go to Mount Rose so you will likely have company on the route. Little chance of being lonely or losing your way.
Click on this link for GPX file
Getting to the Summit
Start the hike at the Mount Rose Summit trailhead on Highway 431. Take the stairs at the trailhead, these stairs will lead you to the Tahoe Rim Trail. After about 2.3 miles you will come upon Galena Falls; you have gained and lost elevation to this point, the steep climb is ahead.
You will now veer to the right onto the connector to Mount Rose Peak Trail. Shortly you will meet up with the trail to Mount Rose Peak. As you continue on Mount Rose Peak Trail it gets steeper as you climb to the ridge between Mount Rose, on your right, and Mount Houghton on your left. After 3.6 miles you will encounter this ridge. At this point, the Mount Rose Peak Trail turns to the right as the Rim to Reno Trail continues straight. There are signs at this intersection.
Follow the trail to the summit for another 1.3 miles proceeding along a ridge to a switchback up through the tree line. The trail continues around the rocky Church Peak side of Mount Rose, the trail steepens and becomes more rocky as it climbs towards the summit. The summit is an outcropping of rocks along the final ridge.
On the Summit
The summit is small and likely will have other hikers leisurely hanging out, taking in the scenery and taking a well deserved rest. Looking to the south you see Tamarack Peak and Lake Tahoe, to the southwest is Mount Houghton and to the southeast is Slide Mountain.
The summit is gravel and rock with a few very small trees. I set up just past the summit and off to the side of the trail to stay out of the way of the other hikers. I used a crevice and rocks to hold up my mast and supported the feed point of my EFHW with a line attached to my trekking pole - also supported by rocks.
Getting Back
Simply return the way you came back to the trailhead.
