After a short day yesterday (for me anyway) the pysche returned and it was a happy bunch heading for launch in anticipation after a rather later start than optimal. Despite me moaning about being late jon insisted we walk up (thanks it was good for me even if it didnt feel like it at the time!) and got in the air about half two. Forecast and sky were good with no OD risk but higher met wind on the way for the end of day was mentioned.
Jon and I shared quick climbs up to the teeth in thermals with a pronounced drift in the SW met wind which was driving the thermals round the N end of the teeth. Jon had already shouted the task he wanted to try - heading to the Mole near Mieussy and then taking the range of hills to the NW of Mieussy towards Lake Geneva and although I probably wouldnt have tried going that way in a SW myself I followed eagerly to Parmelan where we got a nice climb to 2500m before diving round the corner towards Sommet d'Andey. I missed the first leeside climb that Jon got and after that I was guinea pig - ahead and low making the most of the glide close to the trees. Thermal theory said that there should be some N inflow/valley breeze at least at low levels into the mouth of the valley below d'Andey (this is the valley that leads up to St Jean le Sixt) and indeed there was just enough to maintain on the NW facing spur when I got there.
Eventually, we worked our way up and I sussed the side ways (NW) drift of a feeder thermal towards a ridge line exposed to the SW met wind higher up quicker and got the jump on Jon after a satisfyingly swift climb from the ridge line to 2500m. No waiting as you gotta use your height in this game and I struck out for the summit of the Mole relishing the view and the memories of having been on the same glide on my first big flight in the Alps in spring 2003.
I quick top up on the Mole and its decision time. I decide against jon's ridge line - it looks small and quite a wooded route so head to Mieussy where another easy transition puts me above launch where a couple of other gliders are climbing ineffectively. I decided to fly across the wide bowls towards Pte Marcelly and its not long before i hit a good one.
Its quickly approaching a more serious decision time now as the drift is still strong from the SW and there is a fair amount of high, roadless and snow covered terrain over the back. But with a few wisps of cloud to go for and feeling the force is strong i go for it and fly through some amazing terrain. After working some zeros in the middle just to make sure, its clear I have a glide out and arrive high on the spur above Montriond (ha, this is where Owen got to in 2003!).
I fail to climb out from this spur as there is only gusty inconsistent lift so head N again down the valley. Huge powerlines cross the valley and of course its low over one of these that i get a climb out (why does this always happen) and get to base under what looks like a rather black cloud street leading NE to Switzerland.
Unfortunately, I bottle it. In spite of no signs of increasing met wind - it is still 15 or 20 kph from the SW I am concerned about trying to cross the near 3000m ridge before the border so take a more conservative line N towards Lake Geneva which is still spectacular and spend some time just hanging out on the peaks close to the lake and the border wondering what landings are like if I glide round the corner towards Villeneuve. Scheisse, should have packed my passport!
While wondering indecisively about higher winds coming and even lake/low level winds and while still in orbit I spot a glider setting up to land 10k away on the lake shore. Its not til I land beside him that I realise the other glider is Jon who can't believe it either. He had gone NW from Mieussy as originally intended and had an exciting full frontal after squeaking low through a col to get a glide to the lake.
Hitching back was a whole other adventure (a very cute girl who flirted a lot with us, a poseur in his monster V8 truck going out on the pull in Geneve, the sky-diver going home for dinner, the guy who invited us to his village country and western festival the following weekend and several more).
Damn no camera!
Plan Fait - Notre Dame de Commiers - 25th April 2008
Great forecast and base at a good level in the morning - game on! Hairy and Jon force me to walk up to Plan Fait and i arrive in quivering sweating mess. Unfit as I have ever been. At least in the air i may feel more able to keep up!
In sparkling spring conditions with active clouds and with big streets leading unusual directions over the Bauges we climb quickly to the teeth at about 2pm before pushing into the NW breeze to Veyrier as we check out the day.
too much snow on the aravis - lets go to the bauges!
hairy ahead on the anteater as we glide for veyrier
cloud streets cover the bauges
Jon has set the task of going down to Dent D'Arclusaz, crossing to Grand Arc and then trying to find the way back to Perroix - a very tricky final leg based on previous efforts and I am not much enthused but in the absence of better suggestions we acquiesce.
Jon and I get a much better glide from Veyrier to Roc de Boeuffs than Hairy and he is trapped low as we surf up and ping out to over 2000m immediately.
hairy approaches beefy
High at the end of Roc de Boeufs I wait for Jon who is a glide behind but this almost decks me as i get trapped in sink cycle ending up way below ridge height in an awkward along slope breeze. It takes 15 mins to get back up by which time Jon has cruised over my head at base heading for the next mountain.
Now a glide behind Jon i see him skying out ahead and heading for Dent D'arclusaz but I miss the cycle and have to head to Colombier where a scratch up over trees leads to a ballistic thermal which cartwheels me into the sky sucking me up only metres from the rocks on the N face and exploding me up over the snowy summit bowls. No photos but images burned in my brain. Thinking i can see jon on Arclusaz I cut across but it turns out to be a different Mantra although i spot him far head on the next transition to Grand Arcs.
When I get there there is ragged lift but with the help of a couple of boisterous half thermals and another glider to locate the best lift I am back up to 1700m and am surprised to note a northerly drift has shifted me away from Grand Arcs. No sign of jon (turns out he pushed N along grand arcs).
I was expecting the southerly valley wind to dominate even at mid-levels here and this break from the brain model helps me make a snap decision to follow the wind and push South - there are great clouds to go for.
A sinky glide puts me back surfing trees and drops me into a weak low level southerly valley wind for a few minutes until I manage to push round a corner and get my reward - one of the biggest smoothest 5m/s climbs ever which boosts me to the base of a classic cumulus directly above 4 gliders laid out on Chamoux take off.
For the next 50k i fight a balance between staying on the lower ridges where the wind is 15-20kph NNW ( a quartering tail wind) and the temptation to go high on the snowy Belledonne. Every time I go high however the wind is directly from the W and is strong enough to severely reduce my progress to the S. The sail planes mock my lack of speed and glide performance from above.
A low save at Allevard (school gliders out ground handling by the lake) and a beautiful climb from a col just as I thought I was landing on the low hills between valley and Belledonne get me past Grenoble by about 7pm.
I almost cock it up near the end pushing for a few extra km and dynamically soaring a series of hills until I have nowhere else to go - my narrow valley is blocked by a lake and the potential of surfing the slopes in increasing winds looks dodgy. My chosen landing place proves less than ideal and some heavy bar not far off the ground is needed to help push back into wind to avoid landing in a deep bowl and I come down vertically rather close to some powerlines.
looking N to the conspicuous Dent Crolles on the ridge above St Hilaire from my rather windy landing place
A lorry driver late for work in Grenoble deposits me tired but happy by the train station but a rail strike means it takes ages to get to Annecy its well after midnight til i get a taxi up the lac to the maison du moulin where all is quiet except for Irwyn who has waited up to greet me with a dram by the bbq embers. Slainte mhath!
Track log
In sparkling spring conditions with active clouds and with big streets leading unusual directions over the Bauges we climb quickly to the teeth at about 2pm before pushing into the NW breeze to Veyrier as we check out the day.
too much snow on the aravis - lets go to the bauges!
hairy ahead on the anteater as we glide for veyrier
cloud streets cover the bauges
Jon has set the task of going down to Dent D'Arclusaz, crossing to Grand Arc and then trying to find the way back to Perroix - a very tricky final leg based on previous efforts and I am not much enthused but in the absence of better suggestions we acquiesce.
Jon and I get a much better glide from Veyrier to Roc de Boeuffs than Hairy and he is trapped low as we surf up and ping out to over 2000m immediately.
hairy approaches beefy
High at the end of Roc de Boeufs I wait for Jon who is a glide behind but this almost decks me as i get trapped in sink cycle ending up way below ridge height in an awkward along slope breeze. It takes 15 mins to get back up by which time Jon has cruised over my head at base heading for the next mountain.
Now a glide behind Jon i see him skying out ahead and heading for Dent D'arclusaz but I miss the cycle and have to head to Colombier where a scratch up over trees leads to a ballistic thermal which cartwheels me into the sky sucking me up only metres from the rocks on the N face and exploding me up over the snowy summit bowls. No photos but images burned in my brain. Thinking i can see jon on Arclusaz I cut across but it turns out to be a different Mantra although i spot him far head on the next transition to Grand Arcs.
When I get there there is ragged lift but with the help of a couple of boisterous half thermals and another glider to locate the best lift I am back up to 1700m and am surprised to note a northerly drift has shifted me away from Grand Arcs. No sign of jon (turns out he pushed N along grand arcs).
I was expecting the southerly valley wind to dominate even at mid-levels here and this break from the brain model helps me make a snap decision to follow the wind and push South - there are great clouds to go for.
A sinky glide puts me back surfing trees and drops me into a weak low level southerly valley wind for a few minutes until I manage to push round a corner and get my reward - one of the biggest smoothest 5m/s climbs ever which boosts me to the base of a classic cumulus directly above 4 gliders laid out on Chamoux take off.
For the next 50k i fight a balance between staying on the lower ridges where the wind is 15-20kph NNW ( a quartering tail wind) and the temptation to go high on the snowy Belledonne. Every time I go high however the wind is directly from the W and is strong enough to severely reduce my progress to the S. The sail planes mock my lack of speed and glide performance from above.
A low save at Allevard (school gliders out ground handling by the lake) and a beautiful climb from a col just as I thought I was landing on the low hills between valley and Belledonne get me past Grenoble by about 7pm.
I almost cock it up near the end pushing for a few extra km and dynamically soaring a series of hills until I have nowhere else to go - my narrow valley is blocked by a lake and the potential of surfing the slopes in increasing winds looks dodgy. My chosen landing place proves less than ideal and some heavy bar not far off the ground is needed to help push back into wind to avoid landing in a deep bowl and I come down vertically rather close to some powerlines.
looking N to the conspicuous Dent Crolles on the ridge above St Hilaire from my rather windy landing place
A lorry driver late for work in Grenoble deposits me tired but happy by the train station but a rail strike means it takes ages to get to Annecy its well after midnight til i get a taxi up the lac to the maison du moulin where all is quiet except for Irwyn who has waited up to greet me with a dram by the bbq embers. Slainte mhath!
Track log
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)