SOTA Activation Boboyan Range in snow

With a good forecast of a sunny Sunday decided to try a winter activation of a new summit for me, VK1/AC-044 Boboyan Range. This was added recently to the VK1 list by Andrew VK1NAM who activated it in March.

Checked the Boboyan road was open, as can be closed in wet snowy weather, using the TAMs website
http://www.tams.act.gov.au/roads-transport/act_public_road_closures/listings/temporary_road_closures
The site indicated now open for 4WD only, so good to go. Expected would strike snow so dressed as per my cross country ski trips, thermal top with multiple layers and ski pants.

Drove down South of Tharwa into Namadgi National Park. After reaching the unsealed part of Boboyan Road saw the sign warning that only open for 4x4 vehicles only

The road after this was okay, not requiring 4WD. Stopped at Hospital Hill lookout to check out the snow on the mountains. Mt Gudgenby VK1/AC-009 on the left, Mt Scabby VK1/AC-005 on the right.

A good view of Mt Kelly VK1/AC-004 in the middle. Other peaks are not SOTA ones.

Continued South of Hospital Hill. Around 1400 m elevation saw snow...Got to a good car park to pull off Boboyan Road recommended by Andrew VK1NAM and Al VK1RX after their activation. This road can get dangerous with speeding 4WDs so best to park well off it.

From the car park headed up the hill. Scrub not too thick, mainly a problem when brushing against it, resulting in a nice cold shower of snow :)

Once on top of the ridge the going got a bit easier, not quite as thick vegetation, although with altitude the snow seemed to be deeper...

Another view of the ridge

After around 30 minutes, 1.3 Km reached the top. Andrew VK1NAM made a nice rock summit cairn here.

Just near the cairn set up my shack, using my foam mouse mat as an insulator from the cold snow, and my lunch box to keep the radio out of the snow.

Set up the squid pole on a nearby stump and laid out the 40 m dipole legs. Quite a lot of room on the summit, easy to get it up to full height this time.

Got on 40 m. Mobile coverage on my Telstra phone wasn't too good here, unable to self spot, however could just receive spots, so needed spotting by the chasers. Excellent strong signals from VK1, VK2, VK3 and VK5. Some of the VK5s almost as strong as the VK3s, conditions great. 29 contacts made.

Changed the links for 20 m. Found some world wide contest on, the band packed with strong high powered overseas stations, my puny 5 w station didn't stand a chance...With no way to spot gave it away after some calls with no replies, sorry VK6 guys. Packed up around noon. Noticed the sun had made some impact to the snow, starting to melt, Andrews summit cairn again.

Track log of walk back. Around 1.3 Km with a 100 m climb, took 30 minutes up, 25 minutes down.