After completing Don Juan earlier in the day I decided to go for a drive and see if I could door knock to get permission to summit the Dome. From the property on the right after you pass the summit I was privaledged to be given permission to walk up from the roadside to the top.
Following animal tracks and fencelines to the summit is fairly steep – but its only a short hike up. On the top is a plateau with rocks and a trig which all make good antenna support. This summit also sports good views back to the Kaweka Ranges and into Hastings and Napier. This day the cloud make up seemed to imply I wasnt getting down dry however the shower clouds drifted around me and left me alone.
8 contacts from the top – 6 on 7 MHz and 2 more on 21 MHz (only because I was too lazy to pull the links out for 14 MHz so tried my luck using the 7 MHz dipole on 21 – it works just fine). Careful on the decent down as it is quite steep.
Details
Summit – ZL1/HB-120
Height – 466 m ASL (climb 60 m)
Access – From Huiarangi Road
Nominal time to summit – 15 minutes
Mobile and internet coverage from the summit – Good mobile coverage + 670 and 725
Summit Marker – Trig
Land Access Permission – Required – see text
NB: Photos are not for use elsewhere without prior permission
ZL-SOTA. Warren (ZL2AJ) and Emma 