Rampart

Frank and Sam over Rampart Ridge

What an amazing place -

We had a fair day at Baldy with the crew: Sam, Mer, Frank, Steve T & Steve K, Dave W.
Not everyone flew due to high pressure and hard inversion dynamics not to mention that I ended up in the south LZ - Baldy can be a challenge and up to it Mer got to the windmills plus a bit.

Not wanting to take more than her share of good flights Mer didn't pack her wing in the truck as we went for seconds up the hill at rampart. - The road is smoother when you hike it but much easier in the truck.

At launch conditions were about a good as you could hope for and it is still tricky.

First Sam then Frank then Dave all executing flawless reverse cross wind cliff launches. - I watch and wondered and then went alpine. -

Sam The Man and a Classic Launch

Rampart has two tricky elements - Launch and landing - Other than that it is magical. - Lift was 1-300 up in glass smooth butter to about 7k. Views - well take a look - Two landed at Hyak exit and two at the dam. A great day was had by all.


Off to Idaho with Doc for more sketch mountain launches. Yahoo.
P.

Hang on to your Hat

Big days of summer are here. - I posted a warning last week about very active conditions. These warnings were well founded and produced both exciting and dangerous flights with many long efforts mixed in during the very successful Chelan Classic.

This is another warning!
We have had two serious accidents in the last two days!

The first was our friend Mr. Beaver. - I don't know the full details but based on Dr. Wheeler's assessment the situation had condition related elements. - BIG air - Big wind - Big ?caution? - Remember the video at Baldy with Doug Mullin. BIG day!

Earlier today I received a report of a serious (broken Humerus, compression fracture of lower back following a Big Hit - Came with air lift and later trip to Seattle for treatment) accident following an assumed collapse just after launch green monster late mid day at Chelan. - Pilot out of state from NY. - More info on request.

In posts about condition dangers over the past 2 weeks I got this sobering post from Doc. "Here's a quote from Willy Muller, who died a couple years ago flying Chelan in July: "Chelan is too dangerous to fly in July...". "

Tune up your skill, focus and get away from the hill. Listen to the Locals. Don't fly what you don't know!

Now is not the time to experiment mid day - Come with your full game face on!
The Aussi's are flying 100mile+ from Pine as we speek! - ROCK @ 11 (1,500fpm up guaranteed)

Preacher

Day 3 found

Day one was one big mistake - left low and didn't make it past the first turn point.-

After doing fire stuff w/ top landing on day 2. Glad Matty was fine just in pain w/ back injury that will work itself out.

I was ready to fly on day 3

So now off to the races. -

I got high and tended to stay high - not always with others but always close. It was a fun and quick day one to the next - Found lift and sometimes big it was a great day of flying.

I made one decision that paid off big!!!
Heard from Mike H. that we should stay in the valley and not work back to the hills because it doesn't work as well. So when picking a line I always went outside or toward the valley to the left of the furthest out glider - It worked

Kept it up all the way to Goal. skimmed the last ridge at tree top and dropped in a spot landing at Goal.

8 other pilots at goal and I was last of the comp. 2 or 3 ff/wtec also made it.
Great day of flying and - Yea it is Great - No pic's only flying

Back to day 3.

Blog Blog Blog

I have tried to post several times but with out much success.

One more day left.
Day 1. - left too low - landed in lz after just making first waypoint
Day 2. - Top landed to help downed pilot
Day 3. - Great flight - made Goal and was only Sport class to do so and last to Goal of 9. - So I can Do this.
Day 4. - Tried to be clever and took an early trip to "Burnt" for top up but it wasn't working - ended up 3 ridges behind. Made it to 8k short of Goal.
Day 5 - Tried same thing and this time it worked - Massivly Good Start - 9.5K at start and 5 sec behind the leader - and above him - ROCKIN - then 15 min later nailed at Rabies with a painful landing high on the ridge - Brused ego and left heal.
Day 6 - Tried same thing and dusted in time for relaunch and on second flight came up 15k short of Grants pass but a wonderful fun flight .
Day 7 - TOMORROW - Big grins - Tired and at least 7 more pounds lighter.
See you all when we are done.
DAVE aka Preacher