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Wednesday, 1/15/2013 [Weather] and [Flight Articles] by [Andy] [Jonathan] [Sundowner] [SD Photos]

Wednesday, 1/15/2014
Max Altitude: 9,200 feet over the NW corner of the Topa Bluffs
7300 over the Nuthouse Launch (1900ish) and 7500 over low point (200 below launch)
Leg 1 ~ 11 miles / Nuthouse to the Topa Bluffs
Leg 2 ~ 24 miles / Topa Bluffs to the Howard School in Carpinteria
total distance around 1 turn point ~ 35 miles
~ 3 1/4 hours airtime, Launch about noon, land about 3:20
Trango

Sundowner's Flight Report
see also [Weather Archive] / [HD size JPG Track Image] / Google Earth [KML File] / [SD Photos from Wednesday]

Aaron called Tuesday night and said he and Andy were on-board, so I was game. Met Aaron at my house a little before 9, and took his car to Nordhoff High School. Loaded in Andy's truck and were on the trial at 9:42. Edward offered to get our vehicle back out to the high school, but Andy preferred to have a ride below launch just in case someone flushed.

A thousand steps... Actually a thousand feet vertical on the climb to launch. I probably take over 2000 steps, averaging about 6 inches per, but a thousand has a better ring. Set a new personal record on Wednesday for my longest time to hike, about an hour and 25 minutes. At least I'm still under a hour and a half. We started up late, and I got to launch about 5 past 11. It was hot with almost no breeze. A few bugs, but not too bad. Wore gloves this time, which helped because I do a fair amount on all 4s. I don't recommend shorts even in the heat. I wore loose slacks and a light long sleeve turtleneck. I also carry a face cloth to dab the sweat out of my eyes.. Aaron had sneakers, but I need better ankle support. Good thing it's only a thousand vertical and not 11 hundred because I was spent. I used to do it in 40 minutes when I was in my 40s. I think Brendan holds the record at about 25 minutes, but even he has slowed a bit. Not sure why my Wednesday climb was so much more tiring than a month ago, perhaps it was the heat, or the holiday food...

Andy was off first about 11:40 and had to claw up before bobbing over to Spine One. I had a good long cycle hooking in, but it was followed by scraps. I waited hooked in for 10 minutes before running out of patience. I should have waited 15. Had to claw for 5 minutes plus while fading to a couple hundred below launch before a cycle came through. Stuck a few hundred over for awhile, but boosted to the ridge line in the next pulse. Andy marked the way. We got into the upper 3s at Spine One, and the mid to upper 4s at Nordhoff.

It was a little NE up higher, but not too bad. I tried to go upwind toward the watch tower, but had to fall off. It's nice having multiple pilots mark the air. Andy tried fishing out front and over toward Bruce's, but he couldn't get much over 45ish. I went off the end of Bruce's with about 4 eastbound for the Stooges. Aaron was flying a new harness and had adjustment issues, so he flew out to the High School. I don't recommend test flying new gear at the Nuthouse, so I had to tell the story about the pilot who hooked in backward on a punchy day. Andy didn't like the north wind and limited altitude, so he also flew out while I was en-route to Twin Peaks.

The plan was to get high and fly westbound over Casitas Pass, but we weren't getting enough altitude to cross 33 with a reasonable chance of connecting. To cross Hwy 33 westbound, I like to have 45ish at Spine One or 55ish at Nordhoff. Those altitudes vary with conditions. I prefer to be higher so I can over-fly Bump One and Two, but those altitudes are usually good enough to reach the base of Bump One with a chance of getting up, and if you don't you can still fall back too the Nuthouse for a reboot. After reading Andy's report we likely could have gotten enough to cross from the Pyramid. Andy's post indicated he hit 5K over the Pyramid and encountered flow from the NE at altitude, which would have been a tail wind crossing Hwy 33. I was only getting into the upper 3s at Spine One and the mid to upper 4s at Nordhoff. Andy was in the lead and spending more time evaluating conditions and checking for the top of the lift. I was on the hunt for big altitude and used Andy to determine that I needed to bench up to higher terrain.

The day didn't have a lid on it (no inversion), so I figured I'd go for the high ground. Similar conditions to a month ago [12/14/13], but less wind. On that flight I did better on the Chiefs spine after failing to connect low across Hwy 33 and thought I could get higher if I pressed further east, but ran out of time, which played into my decision to go the the high terrain early on Wednesday rather than squander the day trying to get high over the low stuff. Wednesday was an easier transition to Twin Peaks, and better altitude on the Chiefs spine, getting into the upper 6s over the middle bump, but like last month, I ran into some head wind from the NE trying to fly further up the spine toward Chiefs Peak. Opted to turn east and cross the canyon toward the Repeater. Got a good glide with multiple extenders.

Tried fishing up toward the back of the Repeater but ran into the NE again, so went down the SE spine a short way and then cut across on a N/S seam to the SE corner of the Topa Bluffs. Got up to 75 and went fishing over the high ground. Seemed like less wind than down lower at Chiefs, perhaps the high peaks behind the Bluffs were blocking the flow. Down into the upper 6s over the NW corner and found a fatty that went to 92 hundred. Tried fishing back (ENE) toward Hines Peak but fell out the front and turned back westbound, leaving with about 88. There was a mild inversion about 9K in the morning VGB balloon graphic, and it felt like the top of the lift.

Pulled a 12 mile glide westbound, crossing Hwy 33 with 35 hundred. There was more wind from the NE past the Repeater (Sisar Peak). It was downwind until Nordhoff. Mostly went over the top of the lift above the lower terrain. Arrived on the front ridge below Bump One with about 21 hundred, below the lower front ridge, but enough to get abound the corner. Wiggled up a few hundred and then caught a core into the low 3s, which got me to Bump 2, where I picked up a couple hundred more to reach across low for Bump 3.

Bump 3 was dependable as usual. Got to 45ish and went up the back ridge for the Back Step. Did a lot of S turns before finally getting a hundred over. Fished westbound along the back ridge to the High Step and found a weak thermal that got better, climbing to 62. 2:45, nice smooth air as the day was fading. The lower drift was from the west, but it was light from the east up higher. Got back into the mid 5s over West Divide. Nothing over Noon, so I opted to fly out towards home, leaving with 38.

Mostly no wind on glide. The ocean was calm. Likely could have reached a little further, but Tess's school lets out at 3 (younger kids) and 3:30 (Tess's grade and up). Flew over my house and considered landing on the street. Conditions were as good as they were going to get for a westbound approach into the cul-de-sac. Super smooth air, so no surprises, but there are some power lines on the east end, and it's down hill into the cul-de-sac. Decided it would be more fun to land at Tess's school and the timing was almost right. Perhaps I'll take another look at Vallecito on a day I can land going uphill to the east. It's narrower, but there aren't any lines on the approach end. Nice thing about the location of my house is that I've got a number of school yards and parks to choose from.

I was about 10 minutes early for Tess, but the lower grades (4th and below) were already out. Fun approach after some mild wingovers. Got mobbed by the kids. Disclaimer: we don't recommend using school yards during school hours, but there are exceptions. Tess rode her bike home and I caught a ride with one of the moms. Home about 3:50.

Click for [HD size JPG Track Image] or Google [Earth KML File] or [SD Photos from Wednesday]

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