August 28, 1999 - TEAM TOPA STRIKES AGAIN!
Paraglider flies 139 Miles from Pine Mountain Ventura County thru Los Angeles and Kern Counties Landing North of Trona in Inyo County.
Pine Mountain, Southern California (N 34 degrees 38.158' W119 degrees 18.336'
, is located 25 miles northeast from Santa Barbara, CA. The elevation is approximately 7000' MSL. It is one of the most prominent peaks in the area and the one that is readily accessible and flyable by hang gliders and, as of late, paragliders. It is approximately 30 miles west of the Antelope Valley, more high desert than valley, which is not only the western gateway to the Mojave Desert, but in addition segregates the the Great San Joaquin Valley and the Los Angeles Basin.
Generally, it is the Antelope Valley where these two air masses converge. Hang gliders have flown from this site for the last 12-15 years with the longest flight being 180 miles (approx) and a few flights in the 140+ mile range. Pine Mountain is generally a convergence site with 3000'+ altitude gains being average and 7000'+ not unheard of. Being that the site has close proximity to the Pacific Ocean, the longer distance flights are flown east. The days to look for are the days after we have been under the influence of the monsoonal flow, which is typically from the southeast, to when the typical, westerly, onshore flow begins to reestablish itself.
Here is my story. Wednesday, August 25th, I awake to definite signs of monsoonal flow. By noon there is a convergence line with beautiful cumulus clouds from Pine Mountain east as far as the eye can see with cloud base at 14K-15K. The temperature in the desert is hot, 105+, and is expected to remain so for the next 3 or 4 days. I watch the clouds all day knowing that it is one of the best days of the year, the ones you wait for all year, and we're not flying.
My friend and mentor, Tom Truax, is leaving town for the week to visit another pilot friend and family in Washington. It is only this summer, with very few exceptions, that this site is being flown by paragliders at the height of the day. Half jokingly I tell Tom that, 'If you leave town I'm going to break your paragliding record.' (of approximately 60 miles. Tom also holds the site hang gliding record 180+miles). After watching the dynamic flying all day Wednesday, I promise my self that I'm not going to be on the ground watching again tomorrow. Thursday comes and the monsoonal flow has actually increased and it is almost raining. So much for the flying. Friday, August 27th, 3 pilots and myself agree to meet in Ojai at 9:30 for the 1:15 minute drive to takeoff. The day is warm and southwest winds at altitude are predicted.
As we drive up the road to take off, I look to the east and see an isolated cloud on the Tehachapi Mountains approximately 30 miles northeast of takeoff. The Tehachapi Mountains run east and west , for approximately 40 miles, separating the Central Valley and the Antelope Valley. At 11:00 we arrive at takeoff. I notice a number of inversion layers to the south of takeoff. In addition, it appears that the wind is blowing 10-15 miles per hour which is right on the edge for a paraglider in the mountains. These conditions appeared to be very similar to my last flight at Pine Mountain when one pilot ended up in the hospital and I ended up hiking for 5 hours.
After studying the conditions it appears that is not excessivley windy but that thermals are cycling through. No cloud development. As I pull my Firebird Flame overhead, I'm lifted off the ground and have to scramble to recover and takeoff. The initial 20 minutes of the flight are spent low and close to the terrain, in front of takeoff, in ratty air, with numerous asymmetrical tip collapses. I top out at 9000' at take off and still no clouds. The other pilots seem to be having trouble getting off of the hill. After flying above takeoff, in relatively smooth air, I drift over the back and onto the north side. I immediately connect with a thermal which is climbing slowly and drifting out of the southwest towards Lockwood Valley, 10 miles east. Unfortunately, I am not able to get any higher than 9000', which for hang gliders and paragliders is not enough altitude to comfortably make the glide over 10 miles of canyons and scrub pines, into Lockwood Valley which is the major lift source in the area.
Fully committed, I am drifting towards Lockwood Valley and its first landable area. I dive into Lockwood Valley grateful that I've made it this far and thinking what a nice flight this has been given the weak conditions. At the west end of the Lockwood Valley I'm 800 ft. agl when I contact a broken thermal climbing at 200-300 ft. per minute. 7 miles ahead is Frazier Mountain, 8000 msl, the jumping off point into the Antelope Valley. At Frazier Mountain there are clouds mixing and tumbling indicating a convergence. I make sure that I top out ,12000', prior to arriving at Frazier, not wanting to have to top out in the converging air mass. Some of the worst turbulence I've experienced in paragliding has been in convergence flying. I pass Frazier climbing to 13000'. There is a cloud street from Frazier the length of the Tehachapis.
The first 15-20 miles of transition from Frazier Mountain nto the Antelope Valley are the most difficult part of the flight, with hundreds of flights less than 20 have connected and made it to Highway 14, approximately 40 miles. In addition this area is a major air corridor between Southern and Central California. As I leave Frazier Mountain on glide to the Tehacapis, with small planes zipping around and the cloud street diminishing. I arrive at the foothills of the Techacapis at 8000' msl, approximately 2500 agl, behind the Cement Plant, making sure not to let the wind carry me into the mountains, I work the foothills. Working light lift, I continue to drift eastward towards the first prominent peak on the range 15 miles ahead. This is where the mountains become more pronounced and where the cloud street begins. There is a rock shelf about 2/3 of the way up the peak which faces into the wind. If I can just make this shelf I'm sure that I can ridge soar up the shelf to the peak where a thermal must be working. At two miles west of this peak it is no longer an issue. I climb to 10,000' and drift over the peak.
I am now established on the Tehachapis when a Lear Jet, on final to Bakersfield, flies 300' over head. Expecting turbulence and receiving none, I look below me to see a dark object. Is this an eagle or a condor? No, its a F-117 Stealth Fighter climbing through me and turning out to the desert towards Edwards Air Force Base. I am now above Double Mountain with the town of Tehachapi to the north, the Antelope Valley to the south, and to the east is the beginning of the Sierra Nevadas and the city of Mojave, approximately 12 miles away.
Knowing that reaching Mojave represents the site paragliding record and thinking that I've probably got it in the bag, I go on glide to the cloud street forming on the Sierra Nevadas, which run in a more northerly-southerly manner, I immediately start plummeting out of the sky in 1000' per minute sink. I am sinking out into a meadow/canyon called Oak Creek with a substantial walk ahead of me. Within five minutes I have gone from breaking the site record to landing short and out. As I enter Oak Creek Canyon, I am low in leeside turbulence with two options: one of which is to try and fly upwind to a south facing ridge with probably one shot at getting up or let the west wind carry me to a north facing ridge with maybe a couple of opportunities to get up. I continue down wind, and with about 800'agl , I contact a broken thermal and slowly climb out into the heart of the convergence. Having finally caught up to the convergence, which has eluded me all day always pulsing out just in front, I am now flying under the cloud street at minimum sink and climbing at 500' per minute without turning. Below to my left are the wind generators in The Tehacapi Pass. I decide to give them wide berth. I fall off of the wind arriving at the City of Mojave at 4:30 and immediately climb to 14,500' in smooth lift. I have broken the site record.
At this time my options are to continue of fly due east towards Barstow, where there are no clouds, and extend the record or to take a more northerly course, staying with the clouds, which are running parallel to Highway 14 northeast towards Ridgecrest. Topa Chase is now in the area, unfortunately my radio will receive but transmits marginally. As I turn northward, I apply 50% speed stirrup. I am having trouble staying on course, the west wind is carrying me on a more easterly course. I am now west of the California City airport. The airport is located 14 miles north of Mojave. At the airport there are glider and skydiving operations. I have flown sailplanes here and know Cindy and Marty who operate Caracole Soaring. In addition there is a parachute drop zone and, with retrieval questionable, this is looking like an attractive landing area. Just west of the airport I climb back to 14000'. 10 miles ahead is the automobile test track in Fremont Valley with good cloud development. I arrive at the test track and see a sailplane climbing. I go to him. He reaches cloud base before I do and heads back to the airport at California City. I wonder what he must have been thinking. Here he is, out in the desert, and here is some guy at 12000' next to him in paraglider.
At this point chase has caught up to me and we have broken communications. My goal is Ridgecrest, 20 miles ahead. I am heading upwind above the El Paso Mountains. My ground speed is negligible. At this rate, I'll be on the ground in 15 minutes with a long hike in the middle of nowhere and without communication. I fall off down wind and arrive at Laurel Mountain, north of Ransburg. I slowly climb back to 12000' feet. It
