Yolla Bolla Mountains

Pilots tell stories of soaring the Yolla Bolly Mountains in an isolated wilderness with countless peaks and abundant lift. The stories have made them and mainly Yolla Peak a constant goal of mine. The problem is, they are usually guarded by a big blue hole over the lowlands South and although I've come close, I always retreat with my tail between my legs. All I need is a spectacularly good day, discipline and to fly the ASW-27B like I stole it. Today is that day.

Off tow at Tree Farm I quickly climb from 6.5K to base and head North following a cloud street splitting Snow Mountain and St. John.

Approaching Alder Springs I notice Hull is developing nicely to my West. Maybe I'll fly by later, but for now, I've got a goal.
I reach Black Butte, the last high ground before the big blue hole so I top out at 11.5K.
The Yolla Bolla Mountains are wonderfully developed, all I have to do is get there. If I'm lucky I won't hit sink and should make the glide. I just have to suck it up and commit.

A straight glide with no sink and I reach the cloud edge, climb to base and head off to Yolla Peak.

The Mountains are absolutely beautiful and lift is everywhere. I dolphin fly and explore the entire area turning both Anthony Peak and Eagle Peak without making a circle.
I head further North and make it to Blackrock Mountain (T15).
Back to Yolla Peak (Mount Linn) for a couple circles, just for circling sake.
The wilderness is awesome but its time to head back. I fly a couple miles East of Hull on my Southbound leg and check out the hang gliders, very cool. My detour to Hull causes a bit of backtrack because of cloud streets and another blue hole. I eventually continue past the Mendocino Mountains to Cache Creek at the Rumsey Gap.
And turn on final glide to WSC. A spectacular day and personal best, two turn points of over 180 statute miles in four hours. I know many comp pilots will laugh and double that speed, but for me, with my hang gliding stop at everything and fly conservatively mentality, it feels great. The Yolla Bolla Mountains is the great playground in the sky I imagined.