New lower [elevation 1994] LZ exploited Silver Star
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Michael Coppock
Jul 15, 2018, 4:30:42 PM7/15/18
to Cascade Paragliding Club, Michael Coppock MD
Saturday, Pete R and I parked at the gate at 1643, on a blisteringly hot
day, and pushed bikes up the hill. I wanted to get Pete's opinion on a
low launch that I had noted on my last ride up the hill to the upper
parking launch. At 0.7 miles, elevation 1994' there is a spacious
unimproved [so far,] LZ that we pioneered after flying. This allows a
much shorter walk or ride out to the gate. We left bikes there and
hiked up to upper launch, noted a slowly rising inversion haze in all
directions. At about 3:15, a large eagle thermalled up rapidly to the
west of Sturgeon Rock. I launched first @ 3:30 into very light lift
and proved the rule that high pressure days can suppress even the most
intense valley heat. There was no turbulence, and 0's and .1s the whole
length of the ridge. Over the house thermal to SW of upper bailout
meadow, I was able to avoid landing, and rode a bullet thermal to 5k in
the "sticky air, and wandered around admiring Pete finessing phantom
lift on the ridge. The models, such as XCS, WxtoFly, Meteo blue,
[including those using ECMWF] all predicted thermal heights of 6-8k, and
the NAM did not show any significant inversion. Alas, they all were way
too optimistic. High pressure trumped lift again. The LZ was "popping"
intermittently, and had wind gradient, but is not subject to significant
rotor risk from trees. You want to land close to the road, but not in
the large ditch! This new, unimproved LZ is a major find, given its
proximity to the gate and parking [as long as you can make it there.]
Thus, to summarize, 'new' lower LZ is at 1994' and 0.7miles [ snags on
approach, stumps, minor logging slash,] the Quarry is at 1.5 miles
[2008' and has risk of large thermal releases, and rotor,] the upper
parking LZ is at 2.4 miles [2724',] the "usual" meadow LZ [subject to
sink and rotor,] is at 2.5 miles [2867',] and the upper meadow bailout
at 3.2 miles [3490,] and the S. Launch at 4.1 miles and 4116'. The
option remains of driving to N parking, but the road is in very poor
shape. I will post photos later.
day, and pushed bikes up the hill. I wanted to get Pete's opinion on a
low launch that I had noted on my last ride up the hill to the upper
parking launch. At 0.7 miles, elevation 1994' there is a spacious
unimproved [so far,] LZ that we pioneered after flying. This allows a
much shorter walk or ride out to the gate. We left bikes there and
hiked up to upper launch, noted a slowly rising inversion haze in all
directions. At about 3:15, a large eagle thermalled up rapidly to the
west of Sturgeon Rock. I launched first @ 3:30 into very light lift
and proved the rule that high pressure days can suppress even the most
intense valley heat. There was no turbulence, and 0's and .1s the whole
length of the ridge. Over the house thermal to SW of upper bailout
meadow, I was able to avoid landing, and rode a bullet thermal to 5k in
the "sticky air, and wandered around admiring Pete finessing phantom
lift on the ridge. The models, such as XCS, WxtoFly, Meteo blue,
[including those using ECMWF] all predicted thermal heights of 6-8k, and
the NAM did not show any significant inversion. Alas, they all were way
too optimistic. High pressure trumped lift again. The LZ was "popping"
intermittently, and had wind gradient, but is not subject to significant
rotor risk from trees. You want to land close to the road, but not in
the large ditch! This new, unimproved LZ is a major find, given its
proximity to the gate and parking [as long as you can make it there.]
Thus, to summarize, 'new' lower LZ is at 1994' and 0.7miles [ snags on
approach, stumps, minor logging slash,] the Quarry is at 1.5 miles
[2008' and has risk of large thermal releases, and rotor,] the upper
parking LZ is at 2.4 miles [2724',] the "usual" meadow LZ [subject to
sink and rotor,] is at 2.5 miles [2867',] and the upper meadow bailout
at 3.2 miles [3490,] and the S. Launch at 4.1 miles and 4116'. The
option remains of driving to N parking, but the road is in very poor
shape. I will post photos later.
Michael Cook
Jul 16, 2018, 11:22:49 AM7/16/18
to Cascade Paragliding Club
Perhaps a work day is in order once it cools a bit??
Michael Coppock
Jul 16, 2018, 3:37:50 PM7/16/18
to Cascade Paragliding Club
Exactly!
Michael Coppock
Jul 17, 2018, 8:28:00 PM7/17/18
to Gliderpete, Cascade Paragliding Club
Pete is correct, I rechecked GE, and I think the LZ is still 1994-2000'
elevation. The Quarry looks like 2300' elevation, not 2008' as
erroneously reported below.
On 7/17/2018 4:29 PM, Gliderpete wrote:
> Hey Michael, just noting that the new LZ has to be more than 6 feet lower than the gravel pit. Doesn’t it? Pete
>
> Sent from my iPad
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elevation. The Quarry looks like 2300' elevation, not 2008' as
erroneously reported below.
On 7/17/2018 4:29 PM, Gliderpete wrote:
> Hey Michael, just noting that the new LZ has to be more than 6 feet lower than the gravel pit. Doesn’t it? Pete
>
> Sent from my iPad
>
>> On Jul 15, 2018, at 1:30 PM, Michael Coppock <mcopp...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Saturday, Pete R and I parked at the gate at 1643, on a blisteringly hot day, and pushed bikes up the hill. I wanted to get Pete's opinion on a low launch that I had noted on my last ride up the hill to the upper parking launch. At 0.7 miles, elevation 1994' there is a spacious unimproved [so far,] LZ that we pioneered after flying. This allows a much shorter walk or ride out to the gate. We left bikes there and hiked up to upper launch, noted a slowly rising inversion haze in all directions. At about 3:15, a large eagle thermalled up rapidly to the west of Sturgeon Rock. I launched first @ 3:30 into very light lift and proved the rule that high pressure days can suppress even the most intense valley heat. There was no turbulence, and 0's and .1s the whole length of the ridge. Over the house thermal to SW of upper bailout meadow, I was able to avoid landing, and rode a bullet thermal to 5k in the "sticky air, and wandered around admiring Pete finessing phantom lift on the ridge. The models, such as XCS, WxtoFly, Meteo blue, [including those using ECMWF] all predicted thermal heights of 6-8k, and the NAM did not show any significant inversion. Alas, they all were way too optimistic. High pressure trumped lift again. The LZ was "popping" intermittently, and had wind gradient, but is not subject to significant rotor risk from trees. You want to land close to the road, but not in the large ditch! This new, unimproved LZ is a major find, given its proximity to the gate and parking [as long as you can make it there.] Thus, to summarize, 'new' lower LZ is at 1994' and 0.7miles [ snags on approach, stumps, minor logging slash,] the Quarry is at 1.5 miles [2008' and has risk of large thermal releases, and rotor,] the upper parking LZ is at 2.4 miles [2724',] the "usual" meadow LZ [subject to sink and rotor,] is at 2.5 miles [2867',] and the upper meadow bailout at 3.2 miles [3490,] and the S. Launch at 4.1 miles and 4116'. The option remains of driving to N parking, but the road is in very poor shape. I will post photos later.
>>
>> --
>> On Jul 15, 2018, at 1:30 PM, Michael Coppock <mcopp...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Saturday, Pete R and I parked at the gate at 1643, on a blisteringly hot day, and pushed bikes up the hill. I wanted to get Pete's opinion on a low launch that I had noted on my last ride up the hill to the upper parking launch. At 0.7 miles, elevation 1994' there is a spacious unimproved [so far,] LZ that we pioneered after flying. This allows a much shorter walk or ride out to the gate. We left bikes there and hiked up to upper launch, noted a slowly rising inversion haze in all directions. At about 3:15, a large eagle thermalled up rapidly to the west of Sturgeon Rock. I launched first @ 3:30 into very light lift and proved the rule that high pressure days can suppress even the most intense valley heat. There was no turbulence, and 0's and .1s the whole length of the ridge. Over the house thermal to SW of upper bailout meadow, I was able to avoid landing, and rode a bullet thermal to 5k in the "sticky air, and wandered around admiring Pete finessing phantom lift on the ridge. The models, such as XCS, WxtoFly, Meteo blue, [including those using ECMWF] all predicted thermal heights of 6-8k, and the NAM did not show any significant inversion. Alas, they all were way too optimistic. High pressure trumped lift again. The LZ was "popping" intermittently, and had wind gradient, but is not subject to significant rotor risk from trees. You want to land close to the road, but not in the large ditch! This new, unimproved LZ is a major find, given its proximity to the gate and parking [as long as you can make it there.] Thus, to summarize, 'new' lower LZ is at 1994' and 0.7miles [ snags on approach, stumps, minor logging slash,] the Quarry is at 1.5 miles [2008' and has risk of large thermal releases, and rotor,] the upper parking LZ is at 2.4 miles [2724',] the "usual" meadow LZ [subject to sink and rotor,] is at 2.5 miles [2867',] and the upper meadow bailout at 3.2 miles [3490,] and the S. Launch at 4.1 miles and 4116'. The option remains of driving to N parking, but the road is in very poor shape. I will post photos later.
>>
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