If you are planning on the Hurricane trip and want to make a more leisurely return, I thought I would pass this on. I just made a reservation here
http://hotels.travelzoo.com/las-vegas-hotels/405091
to stay in Las Vegas Sunday night, the 6th of July (and the next night too.) Spending a night in Las Vegas lets you fly that day, play in Vegas that night, stay in a nice place and drive home the next day with less traffic...and this is a good deal.
Hurricane
Moderator: Event Co-Ordinator
-
Ken Andrews
- Site Admin
- Posts: 215
- Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2005 8:22 pm
- Location: Pasadena
2008 Winds of a Hurricane
Plans are afoot for the ninth annual Winds of a Hurricane trip over the Fourth of July weekend! While Grant Hoag is retiring as coordinator, Katherine Yardley and Kathy Moacanin have accepted the mantle of leadership. They'll probably be posting a proper announcement here any minute now.
Hungary Joe has offered to come along if enough people are willing to chip in for his instruction, chase driving, access to Graff Point, and general words of wisdom about the area. Count me in on that!
My own tentative plan is to drive to Utah on Wednesday, July 2, arriving in time for an evening flight on the Hurricane ridge. After two days of cross-country flying on Thursday and Friday, I have to drive home on Saturday, July 5. If anyone would care to share the drive either way, or both, that would be great. My Toyota 4-Runner is pretty well set up as a cross-country chase vehicle, and comfortably transports four gliders and four people, but probably not quite that much flying and camping gear.
Mike Moacanin and I have agreed that we'll fly 100.1 miles from the Hurricane ridge to Lake Powell this year. Since it's 131 miles by road, we'll land at Wahweap, AZ, for a swim while waiting for the chase driver to go the extra distance. Greg Angsten has even agreed to lead the way, since he flew the first 50 miles to Kanab last year.
Hungary Joe has offered to come along if enough people are willing to chip in for his instruction, chase driving, access to Graff Point, and general words of wisdom about the area. Count me in on that!
My own tentative plan is to drive to Utah on Wednesday, July 2, arriving in time for an evening flight on the Hurricane ridge. After two days of cross-country flying on Thursday and Friday, I have to drive home on Saturday, July 5. If anyone would care to share the drive either way, or both, that would be great. My Toyota 4-Runner is pretty well set up as a cross-country chase vehicle, and comfortably transports four gliders and four people, but probably not quite that much flying and camping gear.
Mike Moacanin and I have agreed that we'll fly 100.1 miles from the Hurricane ridge to Lake Powell this year. Since it's 131 miles by road, we'll land at Wahweap, AZ, for a swim while waiting for the chase driver to go the extra distance. Greg Angsten has even agreed to lead the way, since he flew the first 50 miles to Kanab last year.
Who's Going?
Who's going?
Does anyone need a ride, or have a ride to Utah?
Talk to me!
Does anyone need a ride, or have a ride to Utah?
Talk to me!
Winds of a Hurricane 2008
For the third year in a row, Red Ledge Campground in Kanarraville, Utah is gearing up to host our group of pilots and their families. It’s nearly time to turn in our “count� so they know how many people to expect. There is one cabin left which will sleep three (two in one bed, and one in the other). It rents for $15 /night and there are numerous tent sites, which are available for $12 /night. There are also RV sites, but they go fast, so let us know right away if you need one.
If you haven’t been to Red Ledge Campground before, you can look forward to green grass for your tent set up, clean bathrooms and showers, and a BBQ dinner on Saturday night, prepared by our super friendly hosts at Red Ledge and available for a few dollars per plate.
We’ve reserved space from Wednesday, July 2 through Tuesday, July 8. We just need to give them a “count� in the next week or so to make sure we have room for everyone.
Kanarraville is close to Cedar City and Graff Point, and about 30 minutes from Hurricane Ridge. Last year Greg Angsten flew all the way to Kanab from Hurricane, and would have gone further if his radio had any battery left to contact his ground crew. The year before that Ken Andrews flew from Graff Point to Parowan.
At Hurricane hard core XC is not a requirement. Many pilots enjoy flying in the afternoon to evening glass-off conditions that occur with regularity. It is often possible to ridge soar until sunset while performing many miles of out and return flights down the ridge.
If you’re not flying, you can visit Zion National Park, one of the most beautiful places on earth.
We hope you can join us!
Contact Katherine Yardley 818-416-0136 or Kathy Moacanin 805-218-4430.
For the third year in a row, Red Ledge Campground in Kanarraville, Utah is gearing up to host our group of pilots and their families. It’s nearly time to turn in our “count� so they know how many people to expect. There is one cabin left which will sleep three (two in one bed, and one in the other). It rents for $15 /night and there are numerous tent sites, which are available for $12 /night. There are also RV sites, but they go fast, so let us know right away if you need one.
If you haven’t been to Red Ledge Campground before, you can look forward to green grass for your tent set up, clean bathrooms and showers, and a BBQ dinner on Saturday night, prepared by our super friendly hosts at Red Ledge and available for a few dollars per plate.
We’ve reserved space from Wednesday, July 2 through Tuesday, July 8. We just need to give them a “count� in the next week or so to make sure we have room for everyone.
Kanarraville is close to Cedar City and Graff Point, and about 30 minutes from Hurricane Ridge. Last year Greg Angsten flew all the way to Kanab from Hurricane, and would have gone further if his radio had any battery left to contact his ground crew. The year before that Ken Andrews flew from Graff Point to Parowan.
At Hurricane hard core XC is not a requirement. Many pilots enjoy flying in the afternoon to evening glass-off conditions that occur with regularity. It is often possible to ridge soar until sunset while performing many miles of out and return flights down the ridge.
If you’re not flying, you can visit Zion National Park, one of the most beautiful places on earth.
We hope you can join us!
Contact Katherine Yardley 818-416-0136 or Kathy Moacanin 805-218-4430.
Hurricane Trip
I plan to drive up Weds evening, 7/02, overnight in a thrifty hotel at Stateline and arrive at Hurricane Thurs, 7/03 in time for an afternoon flight. I plan on returning Mon, 7/07. My big Bronco can hold 5 gliders and folks. If you need a ride, I have space available. Let me hear from you.
Katherine Yardley (cell) 818 / 416 - 0136
Katherine Yardley (cell) 818 / 416 - 0136
-
Ken Andrews
- Site Admin
- Posts: 215
- Joined: Mon Jun 06, 2005 8:22 pm
- Location: Pasadena
Hurricane, 2008
Here's my summary of the weekend; perhaps others will elaborate on their stories.
Wednesday, July 2, was a vacation day at JPL, so I packed that morning, picked up gliders at Sylmar, and pointed my way eastward about noon. I arrived in Hurricane shortly before sunset and scanned the ridge for gliders, but none were there on this beautiful evening. After a swim in the Virgin river, I continued to the Red Ledge campground in Kanarraville and was the only pilot there that night.
With much of Thursday on my own, I went to Zion National Park, and hiked to Angel's Landing. Amazing! Due to a fortuitous bend in the Virgin River, this isolated block of sandstone stands 1500 feet high in the middle of the park. The trail to the summit follows a narrow ridge with sheer cliffs to the valley floor just a misstep away. Even given the chains provided as handholds along the steepest sections, I'm amazed that the general public is allowed on such a trail. For those who are sure of step and tolerant of the 105 degree heat, this hike incredible, and the views are unsurpassed.
I left the park mid-afternoon, as Katherine Yardley, the Moacanins (Mike, Kathy, and daughter Ali), and Greg and Nurit Angsten were arriving at Hurricane. We all gathered at the launch just south of Mollie's Nipple, set up, and got late-afternoon flights. Lift wasn't abundant, but the ridge-soaring was reasonably dependable. Katherine had equipment problems and had to fly straight to the airport below the cliffs where she had just scouted out an excellent LZ. Mike and Greg enjoyed the ridge lift for a while, and landed with Katherine at the airport. Without a chase driver, I leaned heavily on Mike's encouragement, and at the last opportunity provided by the weakening lift, I headed back to land at the corral on the road to launch. From there, I could hike back to my vehicle. After evening swims at the Virgin River, we collected again in Kanarraville. Jeff Carlisle and Dana Tew were there, and Chad Margolin and Andrea arrived sometime in the middle of the night. In a show of true dedication, Chad and Andrea had made a heroic effort to fly tandem at Jean, Nevada, but conditions just wouldn't quite cooperate. A couple Elsinore pilots had also heard about our trip and happened by. The next day, a few pilots from Las Vegas also showed up.
Friday, the Fourth of July, began shortly before 6:00 AM. Accompanied by firecrackers and honking cars, Kanarraville's self-appointed girl-band rock stars paraded down Main Street, making a God-awful racket and waking the entire town. We dragged ourselves out of tents, tried not to remember that it was yet another hour earlier in the Pacific time zone, and had a leisurely morning. The official parade was at 10:00, the very model of a small-town parade. Following the fire truck were a couple boy scouts, lots of children on decorated bicycles and wagons, flag-carrying tractors, even a cart pulled by a pair of sheep. It ended with the rock band, not as enthusiastic as they were at 6:00, and the town ambulance.
After the parade, we all headed down to the Hurricane ridge again with visions of cross-country flights. In the air early afternoon, we found the wind was strong and the thermals weren't much to brag about. There were some clouds overhead, and it wasn't clear how they would develop. Jeff launched first and couldn't quite make the thermals work, so found himself on the ground promptly. Mike had been battling a turn in his glider, which was worse today, so his flight was short as well. Chad climbed to nearly 10,000 feet and headed over the back. At 8,000 feet, Greg followed soon thereafter, and after much hesitation, I finally did so as well. We each aimed to fly east along Highway 59 as far as fortune would allow. Katherine left the ridge a little later, found great things in the air, and had no trouble flying to the Virgin river swimming hole. She had a confrontation with some bushes that got in the way of her no-wind landing, but she was remarkably good-natured about it.
Low, ten miles downwind, and under developing clouds, I found a weak thermal that promptly turned alarmingly good. I stuffed the bar and attempted to continue on course, but soon chickened out and ran back the way I'd come. I wasn't entirely sorry to be on the ground soon thereafter, where I could more comfortably watch the line of clouds form, dissipate, and form again. Chad and Greg had passed that area at a better time, or with more courage, or both. Greg landed at Colorado City, 20 miles from Hurricane, and Chad went 43 miles to Kanab. The road forks there and he wasn't in radio contact with Andrea driving chase at the time, so he chose to land there. If he had wanted to, he probably could have gone quite a lot more miles. The Elsinore pilots flew late in the day and I never heard their stories.
Saturday morning, I had to drive back to Los Angeles. Katherine reports, "Saturday was not a flying day at Hurricane. There was lots of overdevelopment, light rain, gust fronts and winds E, SE, N -- pretty much every direction except W. We went to Bryce and it was stunning."
For the next day, Katherine says, "Sunday was much the same in terms of flying for us down at Hurricane. The Las Vegas guys launched Cedar City but Greg Angsten broke down instead." Many pilots drove back to Los Angeles that day, and impressively, Sunday's flight-of-the-day prize goes to Chad and Andrea who dodged the traffic by flying tandem just before dark at Jean ridge on their way home.
Wednesday, July 2, was a vacation day at JPL, so I packed that morning, picked up gliders at Sylmar, and pointed my way eastward about noon. I arrived in Hurricane shortly before sunset and scanned the ridge for gliders, but none were there on this beautiful evening. After a swim in the Virgin river, I continued to the Red Ledge campground in Kanarraville and was the only pilot there that night.
With much of Thursday on my own, I went to Zion National Park, and hiked to Angel's Landing. Amazing! Due to a fortuitous bend in the Virgin River, this isolated block of sandstone stands 1500 feet high in the middle of the park. The trail to the summit follows a narrow ridge with sheer cliffs to the valley floor just a misstep away. Even given the chains provided as handholds along the steepest sections, I'm amazed that the general public is allowed on such a trail. For those who are sure of step and tolerant of the 105 degree heat, this hike incredible, and the views are unsurpassed.
I left the park mid-afternoon, as Katherine Yardley, the Moacanins (Mike, Kathy, and daughter Ali), and Greg and Nurit Angsten were arriving at Hurricane. We all gathered at the launch just south of Mollie's Nipple, set up, and got late-afternoon flights. Lift wasn't abundant, but the ridge-soaring was reasonably dependable. Katherine had equipment problems and had to fly straight to the airport below the cliffs where she had just scouted out an excellent LZ. Mike and Greg enjoyed the ridge lift for a while, and landed with Katherine at the airport. Without a chase driver, I leaned heavily on Mike's encouragement, and at the last opportunity provided by the weakening lift, I headed back to land at the corral on the road to launch. From there, I could hike back to my vehicle. After evening swims at the Virgin River, we collected again in Kanarraville. Jeff Carlisle and Dana Tew were there, and Chad Margolin and Andrea arrived sometime in the middle of the night. In a show of true dedication, Chad and Andrea had made a heroic effort to fly tandem at Jean, Nevada, but conditions just wouldn't quite cooperate. A couple Elsinore pilots had also heard about our trip and happened by. The next day, a few pilots from Las Vegas also showed up.
Friday, the Fourth of July, began shortly before 6:00 AM. Accompanied by firecrackers and honking cars, Kanarraville's self-appointed girl-band rock stars paraded down Main Street, making a God-awful racket and waking the entire town. We dragged ourselves out of tents, tried not to remember that it was yet another hour earlier in the Pacific time zone, and had a leisurely morning. The official parade was at 10:00, the very model of a small-town parade. Following the fire truck were a couple boy scouts, lots of children on decorated bicycles and wagons, flag-carrying tractors, even a cart pulled by a pair of sheep. It ended with the rock band, not as enthusiastic as they were at 6:00, and the town ambulance.
After the parade, we all headed down to the Hurricane ridge again with visions of cross-country flights. In the air early afternoon, we found the wind was strong and the thermals weren't much to brag about. There were some clouds overhead, and it wasn't clear how they would develop. Jeff launched first and couldn't quite make the thermals work, so found himself on the ground promptly. Mike had been battling a turn in his glider, which was worse today, so his flight was short as well. Chad climbed to nearly 10,000 feet and headed over the back. At 8,000 feet, Greg followed soon thereafter, and after much hesitation, I finally did so as well. We each aimed to fly east along Highway 59 as far as fortune would allow. Katherine left the ridge a little later, found great things in the air, and had no trouble flying to the Virgin river swimming hole. She had a confrontation with some bushes that got in the way of her no-wind landing, but she was remarkably good-natured about it.
Low, ten miles downwind, and under developing clouds, I found a weak thermal that promptly turned alarmingly good. I stuffed the bar and attempted to continue on course, but soon chickened out and ran back the way I'd come. I wasn't entirely sorry to be on the ground soon thereafter, where I could more comfortably watch the line of clouds form, dissipate, and form again. Chad and Greg had passed that area at a better time, or with more courage, or both. Greg landed at Colorado City, 20 miles from Hurricane, and Chad went 43 miles to Kanab. The road forks there and he wasn't in radio contact with Andrea driving chase at the time, so he chose to land there. If he had wanted to, he probably could have gone quite a lot more miles. The Elsinore pilots flew late in the day and I never heard their stories.
Saturday morning, I had to drive back to Los Angeles. Katherine reports, "Saturday was not a flying day at Hurricane. There was lots of overdevelopment, light rain, gust fronts and winds E, SE, N -- pretty much every direction except W. We went to Bryce and it was stunning."
For the next day, Katherine says, "Sunday was much the same in terms of flying for us down at Hurricane. The Las Vegas guys launched Cedar City but Greg Angsten broke down instead." Many pilots drove back to Los Angeles that day, and impressively, Sunday's flight-of-the-day prize goes to Chad and Andrea who dodged the traffic by flying tandem just before dark at Jean ridge on their way home.
We also was in Zion this spring and choose Angeles landing trail. Its amaizing. Some photos:
More is here:
http://skydizzy.blogspot.com/2008/04/zi ... -park.html
More is here:
http://skydizzy.blogspot.com/2008/04/zi ... -park.html
No, sorry. You can try Google Translate:do you happen to have a version in english?
http://translate.google.com/translate?u ... l=ru&tl=en
Chads flight past Fredonia, back to Fredonia and up to Kanab
woulda, shouda, coulda... Anyway a very fun flight. Huge thanks to the organizers of the trip and the great folks who attended.
On my personal web page, I posted a report on that flight, with a non-flying audience in mind. But of interest to the flying community might be the different ways to view the flight data, and my software program that plots a flight in Google Earth colorized by lift/sink. I can plot a rough day in Sylmar overlaid with a calmer day, and really see the difference on this type of plot.
Page on the flights is at:
http://chadness.ourprofile.org/Trips/y2 ... icane.html
(the server is a little finicky, the re-fresh button seems to fix things)
On my personal web page, I posted a report on that flight, with a non-flying audience in mind. But of interest to the flying community might be the different ways to view the flight data, and my software program that plots a flight in Google Earth colorized by lift/sink. I can plot a rough day in Sylmar overlaid with a calmer day, and really see the difference on this type of plot.
Page on the flights is at:
http://chadness.ourprofile.org/Trips/y2 ... icane.html
(the server is a little finicky, the re-fresh button seems to fix things)
