so i finally did my first summit activation last weekend, W4C/EM-001 if anyone knows it, and i was honestly pretty nervous about the whole thing. ive been a ham for like 3 years but mostly just sitting at the home station working digital modes so this was a totally different vibe. packed way too much stuff, my pack was probably 35 lbs which is embarrassing in hindsight, but i made 12 contacts on 20m SSB with just my end fed and a 817nd so im counting it as a win. the view up there was also just... yeah. anyway took me like an hour longer to get up than i planned and i almost didnt have enough time to make the 4 contacts needed for the activation points but squeaked it out. definitely going back but gonna cut the pack weight down a lot next time, probably leave the backup radio at home lol

nice work man, 12 contacts on your first activation is solid. i remember my first one i was so worried about the antenna that i barely paid attention to where i was walking and nearly ate it on some loose rocks. the 817 is a great choice for SOTA, heavy-ish compared to some options but it just works. you'll get the pack weight down fast once you figure out whats actually essential vs what you think you need. i run about 18 lbs now including food and water and it took me probably 4 or 5 activations to get there

yeah 35 lbs sounds like where everyone starts lol. did you self spot on SOTAwatch before you went up or just wing it? i always forget to post an alert ahead of time and then wonder why the chasers arent there when i start calling. also whats the trail like on that one, ive had it on my list for a while