As high pressure builds over the Four Corners, the first of several hot days are in store for Northern California. I sit in "Juliet Hotel" while talking to Rex, on the 100+ degree tarmac at WSC as I wait for my tow and some cool mountain air.
When its hot, it can boom, or it can bust, as the heat needs to overcome a stable atmosphere. Well, I'll give it a try. After finding only burbles at Tree Farm, I cut to Goat Ridge, arrive low and find a solid climb that abruptly tops at 8K'. I cruise the area and hope to blunder into more, but consistently top at 8K. This is a scenic area for thermal hunting as I peer down at the campers by Lett's Lake who must be waiting for the cool evening to come.
A lone Q forms high and deep above Snow Mountain. I realize 8K is it, so off to Snow, on the wire.
The last sparse snow line on Snow Mountain in the middle of July.
I work low over Snow and get closer and closer to those ridges and tree tops, trying to find my ticket up to that Q. Strong, small bullets rocket through, the kind a flex wing hang glider is made for, but I can't core small enough to stick it in the lift and find I'm often out in sink. I remember Rex telling me how hang glider pilots often get into trouble in sailplanes because they feel to comfortable scratching the terrain so I reluctantly move out to lower ground for some clearance. I find myself below 7K and 35 miles out, time to head back. At least I have a long glide to soak in the sights like East Park Reservoir and far away cloud streets over the Sierras.
Once again no records were threatened, but hey, playing in some refreshing mountain air on a hot midsummer day was just the ticket for a fun way to escape the heat.
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