9 pictures for you

[Richard Moren]

So on my way to work I've been noticing some clear cutting going on at
the top of the hill in Boring. I ventured up to see if it was
launchable, and it turns out the land owner is a guy I used to go to
school with. It faces SW and is an easy glide to the grade school
which has 3 HUGE fields to land in. HOWEVER, there is a few trees that
are a little taller than they need to be and need to be topped and
possibly removed. The land owner agreed to letting us have our way
with the location (Fly-ins, tandems, tree topping, landscaping etc)
for a small annual fee, not yet negotiated. (figuring around 4-500$ a
year, which a Fly-in at that site could easily pay for) I haven't
talked with the school yet, but it just so happens to be the grade
school I went to as a child, and my son went to as well, so I already
know the staff and don't think they will care. I'm sure the ground
rules will be the same as Eagle Caves, but nothings set in stone YET.
So the launch is at 990' and the LZ is 538' with a distance as the
crow flies of .52mi. with a glider at 1:6 glide it should be just
right, but if there isint there are possible bail outs. Of course were
going to have to get permission first I haven't talked to any of them
yet. So the math goes... 990'(launch)-535'(LZ)=455' Vertical,
Distance of .52mi=2746', glider with 1:6 glide ratio equates
2746'/6'=458' total drop in glide. We need to clean up branches and
top a couple trees at least to fly there so we're gonna need some
volunteers to help. I know some tree service friends and will talk to
them to see if anything could be worked out cheap. And make sure
things are chill with the grade school. This could be a really great
thermic site close to home.Any takers on volunteering call me at
503-481-7351. I'm going to arrange a day to go up and test Maybe top
some trees early next week around Tuesday and also talk with bail out
land owners for permission. A sleeved out dude like myself might not
be the best candidate for that so if anyone would like to use their
special social skills feel free haha.

Rich Moren
503-481-7351

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[Richard Moren]

Glen, the launch faces SW I held a compass there and at the time was over the back. There are 3 possible bail outs. Nothings set in stone so don't go there yet =) The land owner is real willing to work with us just be patient. The power lines below are way below Kinda like oceansides trees out front. 

[Richard Moren]

ok I see what you're saying Glen I'm gonna drive back out there and double check. cause I was relying on the compass in my phone and google earth says its NE launch. 

[skf...@effectnet.com]

1/2 mile for a 400' hill? And I thought I was an optimist. How often does it blow SW there?

SF

SF

Sent from my HTC on the Now Network from Sprint!

[Alan]

Good job keeping your eyes open. I've driven around out there, and in
Happy Valley, and wondered about those hills. One thing to consider is
that a 6 to 1 glide is the maximum recommended for a hang gliding
site, so it's a real stretch for paragliders. As a point of reference
Chehalem is a 4 to 1 glide, and sledders there are generally fine, but
a little bit of sink can have you lifting your boots to make it over
the donkey pens. The bailouts look big on Google maps, but in street
view they appear to be sloping downhill toward power lines. You might
see if you can get permission to go kite in those bailouts and see
what it feels like to do a couple hops running downhill before you try
coming in on an approach. If those landowners won't let you do that it
could be a deal breaker. The field south of SE Fairmount Dr looks
promising because it's big, but it's a little way down the ridge. The
farm a little way north could be an option too. It's good to have a
bigger place to land like the school if you can get there on a thermal
flight, but 455' of elevation doesn't give you much chance to find a
climb (Chelhalem is 710').

Just being the devil's advocate... but I'd like to go check it out
myself at some point.

Alan

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[Steve Forslund]

How did money come up with a non flown (marginal looks shallow and
broken up on google earth) micro-site without a secured lz? Once money
changes hand it definitely needs to be an insured site. It is always
better to try and do a flight to check it out and hopefully get the land
owner enthused about our sport. Appears to be east facing site? I have
a topo view and a google earth view from 100' over the school. It
appears to be a bit shallow for a small site and broken up though the
ridge appears more consistent further north? I have plenty of doubts but
that said I would try it, no doubt I have flown crazier places

As one who has flown micro-sites all over western WA and OR they can be
extremely tricky. It is one thing to fly a small site on the water front
with a nice laminar flow but often micro-sites have lots of turbulence
unless it is on a larger ridge which helps clean up/ organize air flow.
I have one little site Jim Wagner and I named TPD turbulent pit of
death. Ridge soaring a small site is tough climbing out in a thermal
even tougher. Gobblers was only 300' but very steep, totally clearcut,
had a grass seed field above and below and was up on a bigger ridge.
Even with that it was a crap shoot on lighter days. Gobblers is closed
as the woman who owns launch and property north of the lz does not want
us cutting and it is grown over.

[Reed Gleason]

Many years ago there was a site near 182nd and Powell (?ask Mike Canifax) call "the Flight Park" or "the Fright Park" that was a low site like this one (except N facing) that did indeed provide thermal climb outs fairly predictably. The LZ was small for hangs, so it wasn't used by everyone. It's all grown up now.

[Reed Gleason]

A key factor is not so much the glide ratio to the landing area, but the steepness of the slope in front of launch.
Moren's Boring has a 33% grade, which is a lot better than the 17% grade to the LZ.
However, it's a lot shallower than most of our sites. Chehalem is shallower than Cliffside and has a 45% grade near launch.
So the indications aren't great, but I'd take a look at it...