Wolcott/ Oct 29th, 2008

So, after I have been talking up Wolcott, and all the great flying we have been having, several pilots came up from the front range for some west slope action. Casy, Rusty, Al, and Kiernan took the drive up to check it out. None of the pilots had ever flown Wolcott. Casey had been up here a couple of times, but got skunked each time due to strong winds. But, we have to give it up for the guys making the two hour drive in hopes of some great flights, and Casey secured his Tandem 1 certification. Congratulations, Casey!

Well, true to form Wolcott seemed to be setting up for a great day. The only reservations I was having is listening to the AWOS on top of Copper mountain as it was gusting to 35 mph most of the morning and early afternoon. We met at1 pm and conditons were still calm in the LZ. So driving up we were considering when it would actually turn on. Once at launch, winds were light and variable, with no definite direction. After about 15 minutes cycles started to come up the face, with the occasional 15 mph speed. Casey set up with Rusty, did his perfect tandem briefing, very comprehensive, and launched. Nicely done Casey! They soared in front of launch for about 10 minutes and then worked toward the LZ. A little soaring in the LZ area, and set up in increasing winds to a nice landing. Pilots began to get ready. Kris, set up and was first on launch, but bocked at launching due to the increasing winds. Cycles had kicked in and it was now blowing a steady 15 with some gusts to 25 mph. It was a good thing he waited as winds continued to increase topping out at a steady 20 mph with peak gusts over 30 mph. So, unfortunately we settled in to the waiting game.

Needless-to-say, we ended up waiting until one hour before sunset, and then with a little diminish of the winds, Dave set up and hucked. Winds were still strong as his penetration was not stellar, and launch conditions were still quite sporty. Gradually all the pilots got off, and one pilot reported he was going backwards at 5 mph at one point. So, speed bar was in use during part of the flight.

So now that this wave has passed through, we are hoping for the next couple of days to be good. It looks like after Sunday, the weather may shut Wolcott down for the season. At least you finally got to fly the site Casey.

It was great having the visiting pilots come up. Stay tuned for the last few days of the fall season. Cheers

Wolcott/ Oct 27, 2008

You probably thought that we weren't flying anymore as we have been waiting for Wolcott to finally give up another day. Well today was the day. With winds forecast to be from the Southwest 12,000 feet and below, we decided (Mike Wiman, Alex Hintz, Chuck Leathers, Garret, and myself), to meet around 1:15 pm and give it a whirl. Chuck and I feeling fat and out of shape decided to hike up to launch, while Alex drove Chucks vehicle with our gliders in it. I can't imagine hiking two and half miles with a 55 pound kit. It felt good to breathe hard, and the ski season is not very far away.

Once at launch the winds were showing light and variable with some cycles up the face, but nothing very convincing. At about 2:30 pm there was finally some texture on the lake and we began to get some nice steady cycles. Finally it filled in about 2:45 pm and we got ready. There were some strong cycles which had us wondering if it was going to get stronger, but it didn't and we launched around 3:15 pm.

Conditions were definitely high pressure and the thermals felt like you were climbing through an inversion the whole flight. Alot of broken lift with sharp edges to the thermals. I managed to work myself up to 9,700 msl and boated around that height for about 15 minutes. Then another thermal came through and got me up to about 10,900 msl. It was definitely hard to get up as the other pilots couldn't climb above 10,300 msl. The conditions were a little choppy up to about 10,300 msl, but smoothed out above that height. I finally got to 11,300 msl at about 5:00 pm. It seemed it was beginning to glass off at that time and there was light lift everywhere. We all flew to about 5:30 pm. Alex Hintz got to fly his new glider. I hope to get pics soon.

It felt good to get some late season flying. It may not be much longer for soaring conditions, so we are going to try to get up as much as possible until the snow really flies. Stay tuned for more late season blogging. Cheers

Wolcott/ October 18th, 2008

So, we went up again today, not knowing what to expect as NOAA hasn't been that accurate on the forecasts. Listening to the AWOS on top of Copper was leading us to believe that we would be blown out, with NOAA saying light winds at 5 to 10 mph. We went up a little later today, arriving at launch about 2:45 pm. Conditions looked ten times better then the day before, but it still seemed light. It was a popular day as we had visiting pilots from the front range, Dan and two Mikes, a new pilot named Peso, and a visiting pilot from Seattle, Rob, his girlfriend Jaime, and his friend Matt who lives here in Vail. Jaime and Matt were up for a tandem, so we hooked them up. It was awesome to see four Hangies come up for the evening,lead by the famous Thane Chase.

Cycles were fairly straight in, then a little south, and a little north, but mostly straight in and light. So the front range boys got their kit ready, and Mike and Dan launched and climbed out immediately. Though it was light, it seemed pretty lifty. Alot different then the day before. Then the tandems, then Rob. Climbing out was quite nice, Jaime and I had no trouble right off launch, and a climb out to about 700 over launch. After boating around a little, we found an awesome thermal just north of launch and climbed out in 800 feet per minute smooth thermal to 11,200 msl. Jaime was very happy, I was very happy, and we flew around launch for a while deciding to land after a 45 minute ride. Mike Jobin climbed to about 13,000 msl, and got the highest of the day. Several of us decided to land about the same time, and then the Hangies were off, catching a nice glass off that seemed to start around 5:00 pm. Peso launched about 6:00 pm and was happy to get four decent flights for a full day.

It turned out to be a beautiful fall afternoon of flying. It looks like the next several days are going to shut us down with a front approaching, but stay tuned. Until the snow flies we will be up in the air. Cheers!

Wolcott/ October 17th, 2008

So, we decided to head up Wolcott early today to get the full afternoon soaring conditions. As usual, when you plan to go up early because of the forecast, you end up waiting for conditions to turn on. We got to launch about 12:45 pm, and the six of us proceeded to watch the wind cycles blow from every direction. About 2 pm a Red Tail climbed out to the Northwest of launch, and we thought things would turn on. We started to get some cycles, and Alex laid out, launched and boated around for a while. He then got low and headed toward the LZ, and hooked a nice thermal to climb out to about 11,000 msl. So, Dave was next and launched into the best cycle yet, and had no trouble just flying around staying above launch the whole time with out working very hard. At this time Alex came back over launch and just found sink which took him all the way to the ground landing in the LZ after about 30 minutes.

After Dave launched Chuck and I laid out, and then, nothing. Cycles were blowing from the North, and sometimes over the back. We were getting reports that the conditions in the LZ were light and variable with wind blowing down slope some of the time. Finally after about 20 minutes I had a south southwest cycle that I launched into just to get off, and found sizeable sink immediately. I flew past the big rock, and headed straight out from launch to the little knob, in front of the launch rock. I hit some broken lift and began turning aggressively to try to stay in it, after a couple of 360's with no appreciable climb, I began searching, and then WHAM, a full frontal and a front horseshoe. Since I had only about 200 feet, I thought reserve, but still had the glider in some sense of control as it opened up. I turned about 180 degrees, and then the glider opened surged, and began flying. I maybe lost only 50 feet. ACTION! The air just felt broken and unorganized. I tried to find that lift, but it was just to broken to consider, and I headed toward the LZ. The same place Alex and Dave found the lift was still there, and I turn vigorously to stay in it. I finally climbed above launch height, the lift organized and smoothed out and I was on my way. The air between 9,000 msl and 11,000 msl was fairly consistent and smoother. Below 9 and above 11 it was broken, disorganized and turbulent. It seemed there was an inversion that the thermals were trying to break through for 2,000 feet. Interestingly, I felt like I was getting pushed from behind most of the flight, and the lines would alcken if not continuously flying active.

Anyway, sporty flying is always interesting. Climbed out to 13,400 msl, and Dave was boating around up there, too. Dave took off toward the top of Red and White mountain, and I headed toward Edwards hoping to find something on the way to fly into Vail. Dave was working hard to core something near the summit of Red and White. I sunk to about 10,500 msl and found a thermal near the Singletree golf course which got me back up to 11,500 msl. I was heading toward Wildridge and I found a nice climb from 10,000 msl back up to 12,400. I was back on my way. Dave at this time glided out from Red and White mountain over Mountain Star and landed at the Christie Lodge. I continued on my way to Dowd Jct. hoping to find something, before heading into Vail, but nothing there. I arrived at Dowd Jct. at about 10,000 msl and searched, and found nothing. I landed at Battle Mountain High School, after about an 1 hour 45 minutes. Nice, but not the most relaxing flight I have had.

Maybe tomorrow will be better. It was nice to be able to go on a short cross country flight this late in the season and on a technically difficult day.

Stay tuned.

Wolcott/ October 8th

Yes indeed, Wolcott gave it up for a beautiful flight on the 8th. I was being a skeptic about the winds. I was hearing so many conflicting reports in regards to winds strength, that I almost blew the day off. Winds at the Copper AWOS were gusting to the mid to upper 30's, and at Eagle there were gusts to 27 mph. Since this seemed like the best possible day out of the week, several pilots decided to rendezvous at the hang glider LZ to check it out. After watching for 15 minutes, even with the AWOS reports, we decided this may be the last chance in a while, so we went up to launch.

We got to launch about 3:15 pm. Checking the winds, we recorded a gust to 27 mph, but the average most of the time was about 15 mph. Bobby Blount geared up and decided to launch as we felt there may be a surface compression, and the winds were mostly steady at 12 with gusts to 18 mph. Calling the Eagle tower winds were not on the increase, so conditions were after all looking quite favorable.

Once Bobby launched his penetration was excellent. As we were gearing up, Tom Vail arrived as the only hang glider pilot. Perfect conditions for baggies and hangies.

Once off I could not believe the conditions. I was getting 10 mph ground speed into the wind. Conditions at launch were definitely stronger then in the air, and the air was as smooth as a glass off. It was easy to climb out right from launch, and finally hooking a decent thermal I climbed out to about 11,000 msl. There seemed to be an inversion at this point as the lift stopped at this elevation. However, it was easy to stay between 10,000 and 11,000 msl as the air seemed really bouyant.

We could actually chat with the boys BJ, and SF at Williams and they were saying it was rowdy over Williams Peak, but nice over the valley.

We were lucky, it seemed that this was the only day we were going to get for the rest of the week. Maybe next week will work out to be decent after this winter like storm goes through. Stay tuned.