On a quck training hike for our Switzerland Hiking / Climbing tour next July / August, I decided to throw in my 2M HT at the last minute.  Wilderness Peak is an easy 4 miles RT hike gaining 1200 feet, to a summit elevation of 1,600.  It is easily accessible from my home QTH in Bellevue, WA.  Park on SR900 (Issaquah - Renton Road).  The hike is through mostly wooded terrain, with some sections of lovely old growth Douglas Fir and Cedar trees.  One (1) hour up and 48 minutes down.  A few other hikers and trail runners en route.

All five (5) contacts were 2M FM.  Luckily, this was the weekend of the VHF / UHF Winter Contest, so there were plenty of Ops on the band listening for 2M Simplex contacts.

There were a couple new signs posted.  Apparently the trail / peak has been re-named in honor of Washington native, climber Jim Whittaker (First American to scale Mount Everest).