Willard Peak (W7U/NU-042) SOTA Activation

Willard Pk finally in sight as I descend into Willard Basin.

14 Oct 2019. If you enjoy the journey of hiking as much as the destination then Willard Peak should be on your to-do list. This notable peak stands prominently on the north end of the Wasatch front, as you pass Ogden on I-15. It has been on my list to climb for some time and after a failed attempt in July (due to a locked trail gate two miles from the TH), I felt impelled to give it another try.

Access to this summit is limited. The western slope is a dangerously steep slope with no designated trails. I hesitate to say its unpassable but there are probably some extreme folks out there that could do it. To get to the summit from the south you can take the Ben Lomond Trail from the North Ogden Canyon Rd, but you are in for approximately 14 miles RT. I thought about taking this route over the summer and breaking the trek up with an overnight hike, but I did not commit enough planning to make it happen.

The ‘easier’ route, if you have a four-wheel drive vehicle, is to take Willard Peak Rd south from Mantua, UT for approximately 11 miles to the Willard Basin Campground. The road from Mantua becomes Forest Road 20084, a very rough, gravel road frequented by many off roading enthusiasts.

One of many amazing views along the drive up.

Along with the awesome views this drive offers it also has many narrow segments with significant drop offs. Did I mention portions of the road are very rough? Don’t attempt this road in your minivan. My 4Runner had no problem and I would imagine smaller SUVs with 4-wheel drive can make the journey.

Once in the Willard Basin you will be treated to a secluded slice of heaven. There is a place to park a few vehicles along the road at the campground. You will know you are at the right spot when you see a spring coming out of the side of the hill from a pipe.

The freshwater spring at the TH parking.

Parking is located at:

41°23’29.3”N 111°58’42.0”W

41.391480, -111.978326
**The gate two miles from the campground is closed from 15 November to 15 July

Summit Info (Willard Peak):

SOTA data

41°22’57.7”N 111°58’27.8”W

40.382700, -111.974400

The Hike

The short route from the TH is pretty straight forward. Although, there are two routes around the small lake that sits just at the northern base of Willard Peak.

My route; Blue up, Red down

Take either route up to the saddle northwest of the summit, then just follow the trail that takes you up the ridge to the top. I was surprised to see the massive, I mean massive, crack that runs north and south near the very top. I dropped a pebble (or four) down it just to hear how deep it went. Wow.

The great chasm on the summit.

Don’t fall in! Towards the peak it gets pretty narrow so take your time as there are drop offs to the east and west.

For your SOTA activation there are a few trees to use as antenna supports just off the ridge. I simply used my backpack to stabilize the base of my telescopic mast, and nested it between two boulders as there weren’t any loose rocks available and the wind wasn’t too gusty. I was able to use a little nook amongst the rocks to keep out of the wind to stay warm as the temperature was just above freezing when I summited. I was expecting a slow day of contacts as it was a Monday, but the chasers exceeded my expectations. I logged 47 contacts breaking a personal record for contacts from one summit. Seven on 2 meters, and all the rest on CW except for one SSB contact on 14 meters. I also logged one summit-to-summit contact with WC0Y in Missouri. Then to my surprise, a DX contact with EA2IF in Spain, all on 5 Watts! Who said the bands are dead..?