Owens Valley at its Best!

All year I've been looking forward to late September and early October since my trip last year to visit Kari Castle in Bishop, CA. This is the perfect time to paraglide the Owens after the summer heat has mellowed and the air is smoother. Last year Kari held a clinic which was well-attended by dope-chutes from all over the place. The flying was the best I had experienced to date, and I was now headed back for more!

Kojac and I left early (6 am) making Flynn's around noon. No one was around, so I drove to launch, dropping off our gear and Dave. Parking the truck at the LZ, I climbed the front of dirty, rotten Flynn's in about 36 minutes, and we spent the next 3 hours floating around up to 11,300 ft until the sun began to sink below the Sierra crest.

Sunday morning started early again, in the Keough Hot Spring creek. As the sun came over Black Mountain, we soaked our bones in steaming hot water and sipped cool apricot nectar. After breakfast at the Airport Cafe, we called Kari and were on our way to McGee launch, near Mammoth. Bridog, Jerry and some other colorful local pilots joined us for the steep ascent in Kari's truck. Launching shortly after noon, we scratched around for some time before Kari, Bridog and I got over 11K and headed north.

Thermalling over Convict Lake was one of the most spectacular scenes, with the aspen trees fully golden against the evergreens, granite and the blue lake. We all climbed up the spine west of Convict then headed toward Mammoth, but the lift was nowhere to be found. As we approached the intersection, Bridog landed on a dirt road and Kari soon had her feet on the ground. I found a little bug fart over the big field, and soon I was climbing slowly after being about 200 feet off the deck. As I climbed, I drifted toward Mammoth, and soon it was strong and sweet, headed for a glorious cloud street going from Mammoth to Bridgeport.

For some reason, I left the lift about 1000 ft below the clouds at 14,500 ft and headed north along the highway. In my hypoxic stupor, I managed to stumble into 1500 ft/min sink until I was in a field only 5 miles from Mammoth looking up at the cloudstreet wandering what happened... Rule #1: Never leave lift! We headed back to Flynn's and I flew in strong (20 mph) south wind for about an hour before crossing silver canyon heading north. But it was late, and I only got a few miles before the lift was gone.

Monday's plan was Paiute, and after a few rounds of hacky, we got suited up for launch. I picked the upper hang glider launch not knowing it swirls up the spine while the paraglider launch was straight and smooth. After four blown launch attempts, I flew out and managed to get up over launch, but the wind was getting strong again from the south and the thermals were a bit disorganized. Kari followed one thermal back and up the range as I grovelled for scraps. Finally I just decided to stick with one of the blustery devils and see where it would take me, but soon it busted apart and I was headed for the nearest ridge.

Working low, I held on until I was at the waterski lake, where I was heading out to the highway to land when I decided to turn back toward the mountains in a last ditch effort to get over some bump in the landscape. I knew that landing here would be a long walk out, but the game wasn't over until I was unable to circle once more. Same bug, same fart. I made the lowest save and started to climb ever so slow. Drifting and circling, I worked it up to 13K about an hour later while Kari beckoned me north. "I'm not leaving lift" I told her, unwilling to repeat the day before's mistake. Finally, I topped out and headed for Benton, passing the vertical walls of the White Mountains before putting down in the green grass of the town park with 23 miles on my GPS.

Kojac picked me up and we went for Kari, who had landed even further up the road with a near-dead radio (we did the "one click no, two clicks yes" hang-gliding ham radio code and almost left her to walk after not listening!).

One thing for sure - you feel pretty small up there in front of White Mountain at 13,000 ft in a seat attached to little strings and thin cloth.

...a few days later...

Herman, Jacque, Junior and I were flying Junior's Aztec 51 Yankee over the Sierra crest for a little more fun. Alex gave the controls to Herman just as we were headed for Taboose Pass, a low flat pass over the range of granite peaks guarding the Owens Valley.

Herman proceeded to give us the ride of our life! As we came through Taboose, he turned the airpane on its side and dropped down the eastern slope, leaving our stomachs somewhere behind. He then scratched along the craggy eastern side, clearing ridges sometimes by only a few feet (it seemed!).

He was about to do a roll when we decided our shade of green was dark enough. We landed uneventfully a little later with some kind of engine or pressure trouble, obviously caused by herman's aviating techniques. (not!)...

"The Doc" picked us up at the airport, and soon we were headed up the hill to the Gunter launch. I was designated wind dummy, so I spent the next hour scratching around in front of launch in weak conditions. Jacque required some assistance getting launched and after four tries and much patience and attention from Herman and Junior, got airborne and flew out to the LZ, avoiding any and all thermals! Herman and Junior flew next, but managed to file to the same flight plan as Jacque!

Soon I got connected and made them chase me all the way to Big Pine, getting low only once more just before Black Mountain.