Thoughts on Detroit: Glassoff?

[Reed Gleason]

Has anyone stayed around Detroit late after a strong midday? Every time I've been there, we're all eager to head for home pretty early. Maybe Detroit glasses off fairly predictably?
I'd like to know Detroit will likely be flyable for me when others go there if I plan on getting home really late.

[dave_blizzard]

I launched from Hoover Ridge late Saturday - about 7:00pm.  Maybe too late.  The air was very smooth but not much lift away from terrain.  I attributed this to the lake and river influence.  Had a good fun short flight.  Rock quarry landing was surprisingly its usual bouncy self with moving air only above the trees.

[Steve Forslund]

Typically you get stronger valley winds there in the late afternoon on
a good lapse rate day. That is one of the reason I prefer a l&v light
north day and not west wind for flying Hoover, I have certainly boated
around late afternoon in buoyant air and landed in light wind on a few
of those days

SF

[Oleg]

I think Bald Butte and Bald Butte North produce good glass-offs on non-
windy evenings.
Nobody flies these sites, so nobody knows.

I still don't understand why these two sites are being ignored by CPC.
I've never been at Bald Butte, but have flown Bald Butte North several
times.
The scenery is probably the best compared to other sites around here.
The road to launch is good. The launch is good. LZs are good.

This site is not even on the map/weather page:
http://www.cascadeparaglidingclub.org/pages/googlemaps_cpc_sites.php

[Steve Forslund]

Nobody flies them? This from one who has only been there three times.
You seem to ignore all of our sites and drive a lot, how was the flying
at Whaleback? Over the years a few sites have been flown the most by the
club and at one time Langton, Satveit and I called it the TACO club
Touttle, Andersons(CLO), Cliffside and Oceanside. Bald Butte does take
a short hike and many in the club seem to prefer a quick turn around
with good roads and no hiking.

SF

[Oleg]

Steve,

Bald Butte North has a relatively short turnaround and no hiking at
all.
So what's the excuse?

Whaleback was a little windy on Saturday.
I could only get to 10 grand.
We should have launched an hour and a half earlier.
Anyway, at least Cody and Rick made the goal ( ~110 km task).


I'll go there next weekend if the weather is good.
It's no more than 2 hour drive from Grants Pass, so I'll see you there
next Saturday. :)

[Erik O]

Mark Tellup is the Guru of Bald Butte.  Not only has he flown this site more than any other Pilot I know, He lives below in Parkdale and can see the what's happening.  Last year I believe he flew there a couple dozen times in the summer.  As for access, there are two roads to the top of Bald Butte.  One requires a 4x4 for sure.  The other does not require a 4x4 but you must be willing to scrap the brushes for a mile or two to get there.  I have had the boatiest evening flights there.  Another Great resource for this site is T White, although she will most likely defer to Mark.  I see Mark is not listed in the member directory any longer.  A few of us have his contact info, so if you have some questions for him regarding this site, let me know and I'll get you his contact info.  

 

The hike from the power lines is no longer than the hike to the W launch at Bingen, but much more elevation gain.  

I'd like to get the money together to get a wind sensor at the top of this as a few years ago the weather site on Blue Mt crapped out.  (Blue was directly across the valley to the west and same elevation.  Gave great direction and speed for Bald)   

[Steve Forslund]

I don't know, what is your excuse for only flying it three times?

SF

[Oleg]

I heard road to Bald Butte was nasty.
But road to Bald Butte North is very nice. In fact, I was there a
couple of weeks ago.
But as usual, I was there by myself, so I had to hike to retrieve the
car.
I have a 2WD and drove it to launch, didn't have to hike.

Wind sensor would be nice but it'll be useless if people continue to
ignore this site.

[David Cantrell]

I flew Bald Butte several times last year with Mark T.  There were a couple times we went but did not fly because conditions were too strong.  I have no excuse for not flying bald Butte this season so far except we have so many flyable sites in the NW to choose from.  One reason I have not flown Bald Butte this season, so far, is because the forecast did not look very promising, but rather a sledder or blown out. 

 

I also don't like to take other pilots up there that may be in over their head, take a big colapse and then be scared out of flying and have to limit to themselves to sledders for the next 3 years.

 

Just my 2cents

 

Dave

From: Oleg <oleg....@gmail.com>
To: Cascade Paragliding Club <cp...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 3:25 PM
Subject: Re: CPC: Thoughts on Bald Butte North Glassoff?

[Bill Briskey]

Where is it?

[Steve Roti]

Good points Dave. Bald Butte used to be flown quite a bit in the 90's, and as I recall that's where I first met Steve Forslund (back in his ITV Meteor days). We took an Oregonian sports writer up there 20 years ago and he wrote an article about the club and Bald Butte. On the plus side the launch area is big and top-landable, but on the minus side it often gets windy up there and forecasting is a challenge and the terrain over the back isn't particularly friendly for cross-country. I think the answer to why it isn't flown as much anymore comes down to one word: reliability. Pilots gravitate toward sites that are reliable and away from those that aren't.

Steve

[Mark Sanzone]

Bald Butte is special for me.  I had my first ever thermal climb out there (with Rich Lucero) going up 500'.  Also had my most exciting event there when my wing surged so far in front I was looking over the trailing edge.  There were dusties seen that day and I think I found one.  It can be big and bumpy, not for the timid pilot.

Mark

[Oleg]

On average it is not less reliable than most of the sites in Northern
Oregon (probably except for Cliffside in spring) - works perfectly 7
times a year. :)
If we flew it more often, we would know what to look for in the
forecast.
Going back to the origin of this conversation, it does look like it
produces good glass-offs.
I wouldn't mind going there on a week day after work and launching at
6 pm if someone else is willing to go.

Adding it to the CPC Map/Weather page would help.

[Steve Forslund]

 Sorry Bill, we can probably tell you next year.

SF

[Steve Forslund]

Well having only flown it three times and been flying for how many
years? I might not take you statement of reliability as fact. We did
lose our primary lz which had something to do with less flying here. The
Ranger Station LZ is not huge and years ago we had a hard time getting
to the closer lz when getting flushed. Afternoon winds often pick up
late in the day here, not as much of an issue on l&v days.. XC over the
back has great possibilities and it is not that far(8-10 miles?) until
it opens up. There are cloud streets that often set up parallel to and
south of the Columbia River and it might be possible to go far east.
Other wise SE to Tygh Valley (where we used to fly)and onward. Hangs
used to fly Bald Butte years ago and Mike Tingey flew to Madras on his
hang. F

I would settle for an afternoon sledder as work is taking all my time.
SF

[Rsunsports]

The XC record for PGs at Bald Butte is 34 miles over the back to Maupin.  If you want to put a wind talker there, the top of Bald Butte is Mt Hood National Forest Land.  Bald Butte North is on Hood River County Land. Bald Butte North should be OK for glassoff, if you stay high.  The canyon below may not be any fun.  The Miller Road LZ Land Owner for Bald Butte North may be someone to check in again with.

 

Rick Higgins

[Oleg]

On Jul 16, 5:30 pm, Steve Forslund <skf...@effectnet.com> wrote:
>   Well having only flown it three times and been flying for how many
> years?

> I would settle for an afternoon sledder as work is taking all my time.
> SF

Sarge showed us Bald Butte North in January 2010 (I think).
Before that I had no idea it existed.
Every time I went there, I was flying alone.
Then I stopped flying for almost two years.
I don't like going there alone and hiking for 1.5 hrs to get to the
car, that's why I only went there 5-6 times.

Locals seem to prefer ridge soaring to thermal flying, so coastal and
gorge sites are more popular.
I think if Woodrat was in Beaverton people would still ignore it and
go to CLO or Bingen instead.

See you at Whaleback next Saturday. :)

[skf...@effectnet.com]

"Locals seem to prefer ridge soaring to thermal flying, "

Your disdain for the CPC is getting old. From my perspective at times it seems you enjoy driving more then ridge or thermals.  CPC pilots are diverse and love all sorts of flying. You have missed plenty of good local flying both when you are elsewhere and when present. Plenty of thermal flying at the Gorge and the coast of course not as easy to get up and use as big air sites but that just makes it more enjoyable and a bigger challenge.

SF

----- Reply message -----
From: "Oleg" <oleg....@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Jul 16, 2012 6:40 pm
Subject: CPC: Thoughts on Bald Butte North Glassoff?
To: "Cascade Paragliding Club" <cp...@googlegroups.com>

[Steve Roti]

Oleg wrote: "Locals seem to prefer ridge soaring to thermal flying, so coastal and gorge sites are more popular."

You're joking, right? How do you think pilots crossed the Columbia, flew cross-country, and climbed above 10,000' in the Gorge, by ridge soaring? Lots of CPC members like thermal flying -- I could post a list but it would be tediously long. Why just the other day I was thermaling with Portland pilots Alan, Tyler, and Eric and I'm sure they aren't the only ones out there turning circles these days.

Steve

[David Cantrell]

I like flying with ya Oleg but I would say to your last post, you don't know the CPC pilots to well.  If you want people to fly with, then lead by inspiration not intimidation. 

But remember, taking the lead requires taking responsibility.

Food for thought. 

 

Dave (lets get together soon and fly)

 

 

From: Oleg <oleg....@gmail.com>
To: Cascade Paragliding Club <cp...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Monday, July 16, 2012 6:40 PM
Subject: Re: CPC: Thoughts on Bald Butte North Glassoff?

[Oleg]

I didn't mean to upset anyone.
Just want to see places like Bald Butte or Kutch being paid more
attention to.