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Chiefs Peak Launch to the Windmill @ Painted Cave ~ 36 miles ~ 3 hours New Open Class Glider Out & Return Record from
Topa (36 miles to turn point) Had been wanting to better the out and return mark from Ojai since I missed a couple of previous opportunities. The weather looked good on paper the night before, but by dawn the Santa Anna didn't seem to be iffy. Diablo had Carolyn for crew, but we weren't sure weather to go to SB or Ojai. We finally opted for Ojai because we new the lapse rate would be good, and even if it came onshore, we could probably still do an out and return. A couple of transient pilots, Andy and Hans, hooked up with us for the 9 am meet in Ventura. Had to get a permit, so we didn't arrive at launch till about ten forty. Quick setup and off before 11. Went in a weak cycle, and pulled a poor glide to the Saddle behind the back bump. Had to fly around the west side, but wiggle up on the front side to a thermal over the bump. Went into the high 5s, then stepped back to the peak and climbed into the high 7s in a moderate organized thermal. Back up at Nordhoff from the mid 3s to a little over 6. Crossed 33 OK and bumped into a thermal at Bump One that went form 36 to 51. Stepped up the back ridge and climbed to over 6K in the saddle behind White Ledge. Easy going till the west end of Power Line Ridge. Stuck down low along castle ridge, but finally bumped into a strong thermal and went back up over 5K. Kept pressing on in the variable drift and punchy air. Some headwind, but mostly south and occasionally SE or SW. Conditions seemed to get better once past Ramero Saddle, with nicer thermals going into the high 4s and occasionally the low 5s. Diablo had spotted me a considerably lead, but caught up at Ramero Saddle and then steadily opened his lead. He was crossing 154 as I approached West Bowl. West Bowl worked good, but I didn't connect going by No Name or the VOR, so I arrived at Painted Cave on the spine in front of the saddle with about 3K. Worked some scraps and fished around. Finally got something that drifted back over the Saddle to the houses. Got high enough to tag the windmill and come back out front to the houses again. 2 PM Seemed to be getting out of the east push and into some drift from the west occasionally. There was south down lower and out front, but if you got high and drifted back with a good core, the south seemed to back off and sometimes there was north. Earlier the upper drift had been mostly from the NE, but now it was more mixed direction, and some of the lower thermals were tracking from the SW as well. Connected with a good thermal at Painted Cave as Diablo worked Santa Ynez Peak. Asked Carolyn to call Debbie and she reported wind from the south, gusting to 14. Debbie had been reporting SE earlier. My thermal initially tracked from the SSE, then SSW, and finally light from the west. Topped out in the mid 5's and opted to try my luck on a return leg. Diablo opted to go OTB from Santa Ynez peak with similar altitude. Hit some east and SE in places, but mostly it was from the south. Arrived at West Bowl in the low 3s against more SE. I was second guessing my decision to turn back, but I opted to continue on because I could make progress and was hoping the wind would relax and give way to some afternoon west. Climbed back over 5K at West Bowl and the upper stuff seemed to get above the SE. Chad was reporting light SE at the Training Hill. The ocean appeared calm with big patches of glass. Easier going after West Bowl. Good altitudes, mellowing conditions, and started picking up drift with a component from the west in more places. Making better time. The thermals were getting a lot nicer as the afternoon aged. Got to Castle Ridge and moved over to the middle knife edge spine on the 3 point ridge above Castle Point. The knife edge spine usually has a thermal, but it's often sharp and twisty. Flew up the spine and hit a sharp strong core that was too much. The transition into the sudden hard vertical air stalled the canopy and it balled up 90 degrees behind me. Always an unsettling feeling to have the wing go to laundry a couple hundred over nasty rocks. Makes me feel kinda naked. Only had room for an abbreviated recovery, so I didn't hold the breaks down all the way. Didn't want to go for my reserve because I though I had a better chance working with what I had. Came back overhead and spun a half turn and I was getting a bit concerned that I may not get it flying in time, but it opened up and locked in with a hundred to spare. Hooked around and got back on the core. Crossed the Power Lines a little past 3 pm. Later than I'd been through the pass previously, but it was still working good. Wanted to be conservative about getting through, but also wanted to make good time because it was starting to get late and would eventually shut down. Got to 47 off the east end of Power Line Ridge drifting toward Noon Peak. I usually go the Trapezoid out front, but I was back behind it. Didn't luck into a workable core and debated my options. Conservatively, I should go south along the spine toward the Trapezoid, but I still had 46, minimum go altitude, and I didn't want to get stuck and burn time so I opted to continue on. Normally my minimum go altitude is good to reach from the Trapezoid toward the front side of the saddle below West Divide Peak, but since I was leaving from the back I went for the back of the saddle. Got there below the saddle and was trapped behind the ridge in front. Came in on the NNW face a hundred below (maybe 36 hundred) and was lucky it was wicking up all sides. Got to the point on top and climbed to 52 in a smooth weak core. The drift was consistently from the west now, so the thermal was tracking slightly toward the east. I could bench up to the peak and likely pick up more altitude, but I was a couple hundred over minimum so I took the glide toward White Ledge. No luck at East Divide, but the glide was ok so I arrived at White Ledge about even with the low SW point, needing for it to work. It did and I stepped up to the peak and climbed to 6K. 3:30 pm. Angled back in for Bump 3, but it didn't work. Got a buoyant glide past Bump 2 and then One. Around the corner to the Nut House. It worked sweet and I got into the high 3s and dolphined ahead. Mid 5s at Bump One. I took the drift to the back ridge with the core because the trend had been for the drift from south to bump into some north up in the back. Took the back ridge toward the tower. Initially got a good glide, but started picking up more SW down lower. Angled out the main spine that runs SE from the tower and got back into the mid 5s out front. Got to Twin Peaks comfortable, debating weather to tag take off or continue on. I decided to continue on because it was getting late an I could burn a half hour on a top landing and relaunch. The fastest line from Twin Peaks was along the front points. Didn't find a thermal right away and had to look out front. Dolphined upwind into a fair core, but it only went to 45ish. Minimum go altitude, but I wanted more because I thought the mid 5s were attainable and I didn't want to get stuck at West Repeater's front point. Looked back out front again but I was between cycles so I searched uphill with 42. Wasn't finding it on the spine behind Twin Peaks and wiggled up to the Middle Bump figuring a top landing was in the cards after all, but started to wonder if I was too late. Clawed around for 5 minutes and finally got something that worked. Stayed with the thermal a few hundred higher than I needed because I didn't want to come up short, but then it was all going off and I had trouble getting down. It was mellow air, but the SW was a 10 to 12 and lifty so it took a while, but finally landed on the road about 20 yards east of launch. 4:30 pm. I wanted to get off again ASAP, but took a pee, had some water, and made a quick call to check in. I was suppose to be home for child care duties because Pam was scheduled for a school meeting, so I let her know I wouldn't make it. I also asked her to call Carolyn and relay my status. Carolyn had followed Diablo into the Santa Ynez Valley, so I wasn't expecting chase, so I considered calling Chris Grantham and asking him to tune in, but time was precious and I didn't want to burn more chatting on the phone. Airborne 5 minutes after touchdown. Climb into the high 6s and continue on to the Repeater. Spent 5 minutes searching around the Repeater, hoping for enough altitude to take the back route to the Bluffs. Finally found a core that went to 6K and I opted reach deep even though I was 500 below minimums. It was downwind to the Bluffs and the day was getting buoyant so I didn't expect a lot of sink on the glide. Milked the remnants of my core to 62 and pulled a good glide. Came in on the middle of the Bluffs a little below the vertical wall. It was smooth and buoyant so I easily walked up the face. Super mellow late in the day so I could get in real close and enjoy the moment. Felt like I was in Arizona. It was so smooth and sweet that I considered top landing on one of the flat rock ledges, but time was running out. Have always wanted to top land at the Bluffs, but the air is typically stronger and intimidating. Got to 63ish and moved the SE corner, and then down toward the high point on Puckers before pealing left with 57 for Santa Paula Ridge. Pulled a nice glide in the late day air and got there in good shape. Drove up the ridge, but it was too weak. Just needed one more thermal to reach Fillmore Tried a few figure 8s, but none of them paid off for more than a pass and all were ultimately burning precious altitude. Went around the corner with 35ish. Not usually recommended, because it can be windy out front and its a long way to get out of the foothills, but if I could reach it would add some miles and it was weak so I was going to look. Not much wind out front. Hoping for a thermal, but the best I found was buoyant late day air. Cleared the foothills comfortably, fading across Toland Road reaching for Hwy 126. Got there with a few hundred to spare and ran down wind to the rail road crossing just east of Sycamore road, a few miles short of Fillmore. Turned into a 5 mph wind and landed at 5:30. Checked in with Pam & Diablo. Thought I might get them to bring my car to Ventura, but they had already past Carpinteria. I might be able to call dial a ride and get to the bus stop, but it was likely too late. Considered calling Chris again, but then I'd have to go back to Ojai and I was only 35 minutes from my house if I went direct, so I opted to call Sharon and plead my case. She was on her way home from work and was gracious to zip out and get me. Had skipped breakfast in my rush out the door, so I stopped for fast food. Home about a quarter past 7, too late for Tess, but got to chat with Sam. Pam skipped her meeting. Enjoyed the flight. Some sharp air mid day, but nice early and late. Got to relax a lot late in the flight and was repeatedly astounded but the spectacular crystal clear views. Felt I made good decisions, went fast, and would have matched up well against a gaggle of racers, but the day wasn't optimal for the task. It did offer a fairly long working window (more than half the sun time), but there will be days in the spring that offer more tail wind both directions. I suspect the mark will hold for PGs this fall, and look forward to another opportunity in April. If Diablo had turned at Santa Ynez Peak, he might have been able to get back to the interstate on his ATOS (hg). That would have been 42 out and 80ish back. SD |
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