Getting beat up through central Oregon

Old Geek

Old Geek

Pattern Altitude
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Oct 30, 2011
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Northern California
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Old Geek
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DWA
I flew from the Columbia river to Sacramento on Monday. The ass-whipping started around Redmond and continued all the way to Lake Shasta with a brief respite over Klamath Lake. First time I ever rode a 1000 f/m thermal without a glider. Any preferred altitude or season to minimize the pain?
 
Maybe a route a bit further west (Willamette Valley)? Upwind mountains can really suck.
 
I would like to find a 1000 f/m thermal when I'm flying the 152 at gross on a hot day.
Even on a cold winter day it would be nice.
 
We get a lot of that flying in the heat of the Southwest. Early morning is usually the answer... somtimes 6-10k will help.
 
Mike5250 said:
I would like to find a 1000 f/m thermal when I'm flying the 152 at gross on a hot day.
Even on a cold winter day it would be nice.
Click to expand...

Assuming you're politely questioning my voracity, I was flying a carbon fiber aircraft at about 300 lbs below gross.
 
MAKG1 said:
Maybe a route a bit further west (Willamette Valley)? Upwind mountains can really suck.
Click to expand...

Yes, I've found it better west of the Cascades. The high desert thermals go pretty high on summer afternoons.
 
MAKG1 said:
Maybe a route a bit further west (Willamette Valley)? Upwind mountains can really suck.
Click to expand...

Good advice, based on my own experience. A few years ago I took glider training lessons every Saturday throughout the summer in the Willamette valley just north of Eugene. The vast majority were sled rides with hardly a thermal to be found. :( So I'd have to say that once above the typical inversion, going down the valley away from the hills should present a smoother ride on a typical summer day there than the desert on the other side of the Cascades.
 
There is no smooth ride route on that track in summer with the heat we have been experiencing at any altitude below 12k or so. Keep in mind that the ground begins to climb from Redmond south, KRDM is at 3k, KBDN 13 miles south is at 3400 and S21 (Sunriver) is 4100 and change just 20 miles further on. If you hold altitude you are actually losing altitude AGL which can not help. Later in the day even 12 is rough. Coming from the valley you can be in fairly smooth air until you hit the crest of the Cascades. The pass between Mt. Jefferson and the Sisters/Mt. Washington complex just flat out hammers you as you cross over. The only thing you can do is fly early or late.
 
yea the soaring conditions in eastern oregon are pretty well known to generally be excellent
 
Old Geek said:
I flew from the Columbia river to Sacramento on Monday. The ass-whipping started around Redmond and continued all the way to Lake Shasta with a brief respite over Klamath Lake. First time I ever rode a 1000 f/m thermal without a glider. Any preferred altitude or season to minimize the pain?
Click to expand...

Fly early in the day and fly high.
A trip from VGT to RNO last weekend, was on the ground in RNO by 1030am and back in VGT by 1300 the next day.
 
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