Snowbird Report:
Day One: Snowbird
Day Two: Inspo
Day Three: Snowbird
Day Four: Parawaiting
Saturday: Final Task
Final Scores
Final Miles

Point of the Mountain

Dust Devil on Snowbird Launch

Dust Devil into the Clouds!

Len on Launch

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X-C 2001  

     The winds aloft were L&V, so off to the tram we headed. The competition completely filled at thirty participants, and the pilots were ready for the day! At 11,000 ft, the air is thin enough for us sea level folks, and I was moving slow and easy. There was no rush anyway, since the sky was lightly overcast with a high-level cloud layer keeping it cool until around noon.
     There was already signs of overdevelopment east of launch towards Heber, so we knew that the conditions would be better sooner rather than later. Soon there were launchable cycles, and we watched two hawks climb from opposite sids of the peak until they joined thermals over the top of us. That's when the frenzy started. With a sizeable crowd of onlookers and thirty comp pilots (there were NO wind dummies), the ensuing chaos was to be expected. Many of the pilots walked down a few hundred feet below launch, to the hillside below where there was better airflow. I was about the sixth one off the top, and some of the attempts were really entertaining! Didn't find much at launch, but down the ridge a bit was a slow, smooth climb, and soon I topped the gaggle as I drifted slowly east.
     But to the east was overdvelopment, and soon I was getting rained on. Then hail! I knew that this was not really favorable for my tiny aircraft, so I headed for the front edge of the building blackness and fished for thermals back over Snowbird. Meanwhile, Todd and a few others had climbed up through the nasty wetness and started heading due west, straight out over the front. They were real high, and even so, they barely cleared the front peak as they glided out. I watched others attempt to follow, but came up short, turning back into deep canyons looking for lift.
     Meanwhile, other pilots headed for Heber, almost due east - skirting the impending darkness and virga that was moving closer to launch. Still others were spiraling down, tired of the spanking and the pelting of rain and hail. I watched this whole thing unfold, staying as high as I could, out in front where I could sort something out if needed. With about 14,000 ft, I looked north, and saw a small cumulus beginning to build over the next range, and headed for the back of the ridge. "Hey," I thought, "I can always glide back to the LZ from there if it's not working." But it was working - GOOD! I climbed up the spine and the thermal gained energy until at 15K, I looked up when someone got on the radio and said "Hey, you'd better go look for some sun!" I still don't know if they were addressing me, but when I looked up, the puffy white cloud was now dark and beginning to drop rain!
     I got on the speedbar and headed north along a ridge into the next valley, where I could already see a decent landing zone. Just beyond the road where I determined I could land if I needed to, was a small hill with another tiny white cumulus just beginning to form. This lift was slow, smooth and going straight up! Again I left the overdeveloping darkness with over 15K, looking down now on Park City, as I cruised along with about 35-40 mph of groundspeed. To the southeast was the now HUGE anvil cloud dumping rain all the way to the deck, and to the northeast was another building OD, and I could see wind on the reservior between them. As I climbed again in a sunny open area, I felt like I was being sucked right into the development, so I angled off to the north, along the edge of the massive beast. Soon the rain was reaching the ground, and lightening began flashing with the crack of thunder following a few seconds behind. Now there was another cloud developing to the northwest, and virga was already dropping from this one! I angled off with speed to drop below the gap between these two monsters, driving through three thermals to stay low, and soon I was in the shadows in Coalville.
     The cloud on the left began to dissipate, but I was too late, I had left the last lift too far back, so I landed in a field by the road about 27 miles from launch. The dairy farmer came by and unlocked the gate for me asking me to lock it when I left. Then the family from across the street invited me under their awning to protect me from the approaching rain. They couldn't believe I flew from Snowbird, but soon were asking all the usual questions...

Day One Scores
 

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