What I Did at Camp - First 2 Days

Saturday:

I drove the 304 up Saturday morning and got to Gorham around 10:00. Rick S. had arranged for me to get a briefing from Rick R. and a checkride with Peter S. (of GBSC) in their Super Blanik. The conditions were great when I arrived. There were already gliders up to 23,000’, there was no wind at the airport, the winds aloft were probably around 40 kts, and it was sunny except for the lennies. Rick R. thought it would be alright if I went without the check ride (since the conditions were benign) but I got signed up for the check ride anyway.

Peter S. gave me the option of towing into the Wave or checking out the local terrain. Since it was to be a 45-minute flight and I thought it would be more important to know how to get to and return from the Wave I opted for the local flight. Peter suggested we tow to the Moriah-Carter range to ridge soar (one of the standard ways to get to the wave). The MC range is several miles downwind from Gorham and a mile or so downwind of Mt. Washington. Peter did the ridge soaring so I could look around. It was windy and bumpy, and we were right down at tree level. I was very impressed by the way he worked the ridge. With that much wind I thought the ridge should be working better but we never got much above the ridgeline. We got off tow at 5000’ and never got much higher. It would probably take 7000’ to cross the valley and get in the wave. I did not like being downwind from Gorham on a ridge that I thought should have better lift. I told Peter “I don’t think I’ll be doing this on my own”. He answered a bunch of questions and we headed back to Gorham. Peter was a great help and the flight was very worth while.

When we got back to Gorham, Thomas and Skip had taken off and towed into the wave at the horn. The Wave (and wind) was dying down some and they were topped out at 13-15,000’. I took a tow at 3:30 to the wave. I got off tow as soon as we were out of the turbulence at 5,800’ with the horn just off to my left. I turned right after a pulled the release and was hoping to find smooth lift. I got bumpy lift and sink. I try to work the lift NE of the horn but I eventually drop down below 5000 and pulled the plug and headed for Gorham (it’s a headwind). I now know I should have taken a little higher tow and flew more towards the auto road (turning to the left after I released).

On my way back to Gorham I was pretty disappointed especially since I wasn’t finding any lift and it looked like it would be a 40-minute flight (after a 5000’ tow!). I finally found a nice smooth thermal just west of Pine Mountain and got up to 4,500’. I went over to ridge soar Mt. Madison but wasn’t up high enough. Came back to my thermal and went back up to 5,000’. I then went up wind to the Crescent Range to look for wave but only found sink all the way to the crest off the range. Came back to my thermal and went back up to 5,500’. Went back over to Mt. Madison and was high enough to work the ridge lift. I work the ridge lift around to Mt. Washington. Never got much higher than the ridge and never more than 6,100’. It ended up being a good flight but I never found wave and never got above the Mt. Washington Observatory.

Sunday:

Thomas and I got to the field and got setup by about 10:00. We weren’t in any big hurry since there were gliders in the wave but they were only at 7-9,000’. But the longer we waited the lower the gliders in the Wave were going until the report was “no wave”. Then people were reporting “no ridge lift” and “no thermals”. So we waited. I think it was around 2:00 when we decide “enough waiting”. The ridge must be working (its windy). So we decide to ridge soar Mt.Madison. Thomas goes first and I take the next tow. I was warned to tow all the way to the top of the ridge because the lift wasn’t that strong. Sure enough it is a lot of work just to stay near the top of the ridge. I had left my battery on when we were waiting and now it is drained and I have no vario. Thomas is no where in sight. I final call Thomas on the radio after about 20 minutes and he is in the Wave at 11,000’. His tow pilot told him the Wave was working and towed him over to the horn. Now I’m a little pissed. I am working my ass off just to stay on the ridge and Thomas is relaxing and watching me from 11,000! I am at 5,500’ and have 3 choices; 1) go around Mt. Madison and try to make it to the Wave, 2) pop over the ridge in the saddle between Mt. Madison and Mt. Adams and try to make it to the Wave, or 3) stay on the ridge. If I choose #1 or #2 I probably won’t be high enough by the time I get to the horn (the day before I missed and that was being towed to the horn at 5,800’). So I choose #3 for now to make sure I get at least an hour flight. I can try #1 or #2 after I tire of the ridge. The wind seems to have shifted some and I am now ridge soaring a spur between Madison and Adams. As I fly out towards the valley the lift actually gets better. Soon I am flying in a wavey thing all the way out to route 2. I get to 7,000’. Then I’m back down to 6,500’. Some moist air has come in and I can see the moisture streaming over the ridge towards the horn and there is no turbulence (at least none above ridge height). The wind is only about 20 kts. Thomas says he’s cold and bored and is going home. I tell him I am going to jump the ridge and head right for the horn. I make him tell me exactly where to find the bottom of the wave (right along the auto road near the horn). I make him tell me 3 more times. I cross the ridge at 6,500’ and fly the two miles to the horn without hitting a bump. I make a right turn at the horn and I’m at 6000’. I few seconds later I tap the altimeter and it jiggles up to 6,100’, then 6,300’. I am in the Wave. I keep tapping the instrument panel until the screws are about to fall out. The altimeter needle either jiggles up or down and makes a pretty good vario. I eventually get up to 12,259’ (my personal best).


It’s getting late and there are only 2 other gliders still up. I head up wind to the Crescent range because there is a lenticular above it. I get there at about 10,500’ and am able to climb back up to 11,000’. So I head up wind to the next range. I contact the wave there and can maintain 9,800’. Its getting late so I make a high speed run (80-90 kts) up to Whitefield then turn around and head for Gorham. On the way back the lenticulars were forming behind Mt. Washington and it was a beautiful ride back. I was the last one to land.


Here’s what I think I learned:

1) If you want an easy trip into the Wave, get a nice high tow and know where the Wave is when you pull the release.

2) Ridge lift does not seem to work as well as it should. People were talking about wave suppression of ridge lift but I think it’s just the stable air. You have to be up near the summit before it starts working and it only gets you a few hundred feet above the top. This is, of course based on 2 days of experience so I could be wrong.

3) There is wave lift all over the place. A lot of it is weak and you have to work it patiently.

4) When the wind isn’t blowing hard and the Wave is 10,000’ or less it’s a good time to go exploring. Without the high winds its much easier to get around. With 10,000’ and relatively light winds you can go all over the place. You don’t have to wait until you can get to 20,000’ to have a good flight.

5) When the wave is going to 20,000’ go for it because it may not last long.

6) They say that thermals interfere with the wave and it certainly seemed true on Sunday. I think I had the highest flight on Sunday because I was the last. All the thermals had died down and it wasn’t till sunset that the lenticulars really came out.


Tim