First Ridge Traverse - Wyoming Range, Wyoming

[Tim Taylor]

Like first ascents in climbing, first ridge traverses in soaring can be challenging. We had the pleasure today to do a first traverse on the Wyoming Range in western Wyoming, just south of Jackson Hole. Many years ago I pioneered the ridge run on the Salt River Range, it took several years to work out the details. The Wyoming Range is just 15 miles east of the Salt River Range and runs parallel to it. It has always been extremely tempting, but just out of reach as there was no safe landing spots in the valley between the two ridges. The valley is mostly forest and river. A new development, Renegade, was just opened this last year and it includes a runway wide enough for gliders. With at least one landing spot in the valley we had to try the ridge. Today was perfect with west winds about 10 to 15 mph and plenty of CU to mark climbs back off the ridge. York Zentner in a ASG-29 and I, flying my Ventus 2a, dropped in from the south end near Wyoming Peak and soared north to appropriately named Deadman Mountain. It was a beautiful run with good lift along most of the ridge, at one point we had over 20 knots on the netto. This is definitely not a beginner run and there is only one landing spot in the entire valley until you can reach fields south of Jackson Hole. Hope others give it a try. Flight trace was posted today for the flight out of Logan.

[Dan Marotta]

Good job!

I flew from Driggs to Logan on July 31, 2014 in Tom Bjork's ASH-30mi.Â*
The maximum altitude for that flight was 12,800' MSL according to my log
book, but we weren't low enough to ridge soar until we got down to the
Logan area.Â* The route took us over Alpine, WY (which has an airport)
and that was the only landable area I recall seeing.

On 8/2/2020 10:45 PM, Tim Taylor wrote:
> Like first ascents in climbing, first ridge traverses in soaring can be challenging. We had the pleasure today to do a first traverse on the Wyoming Range in western Wyoming, just south of Jackson Hole. Many years ago I pioneered the ridge run on the Salt River Range, it took several years to work out the details. The Wyoming Range is just 15 miles east of the Salt River Range and runs parallel to it. It has always been extremely tempting, but just out of reach as there was no safe landing spots in the valley between the two ridges. The valley is mostly forest and river. A new development, Renegade, was just opened this last year and it includes a runway wide enough for gliders. With at least one landing spot in the valley we had to try the ridge. Today was perfect with west winds about 10 to 15 mph and plenty of CU to mark climbs back off the ridge. York Zentner in a ASG-29 and I, flying my Ventus 2a, dropped in from the south end near Wyoming Peak and soared north to appropriately named Deadman Mountain. It was a beautiful run with good lift along most of the ridge, at one point we had over 20 knots on the netto. This is definitely not a beginner run and there is only one landing spot in the entire valley until you can reach fields south of Jackson Hole. Hope others give it a try. Flight trace was posted today for the flight out of Logan.

--
Dan, 5J

[Tim Taylor]

On Monday, August 3, 2020 at 8:06:20 AM UTC-6, Dan Marotta wrote:
> Good job!
>
> I flew from Driggs to Logan on July 31, 2014 in Tom Bjork's ASH-30mi.Â*
> The maximum altitude for that flight was 12,800' MSL according to my log
> book, but we weren't low enough to ridge soar until we got down to the
> Logan area.Â* The route took us over Alpine, WY (which has an airport)
> and that was the only landable area I recall seeing.
>
> On 8/2/2020 10:45 PM, Tim Taylor wrote:
> > Like first ascents in climbing, first ridge traverses in soaring can be challenging. We had the pleasure today to do a first traverse on the Wyoming Range in western Wyoming, just south of Jackson Hole. Many years ago I pioneered the ridge run on the Salt River Range, it took several years to work out the details. The Wyoming Range is just 15 miles east of the Salt River Range and runs parallel to it. It has always been extremely tempting, but just out of reach as there was no safe landing spots in the valley between the two ridges. The valley is mostly forest and river. A new development, Renegade, was just opened this last year and it includes a runway wide enough for gliders. With at least one landing spot in the valley we had to try the ridge. Today was perfect with west winds about 10 to 15 mph and plenty of CU to mark climbs back off the ridge. York Zentner in a ASG-29 and I, flying my Ventus 2a, dropped in from the south end near Wyoming Peak and soared north to appropriately named Deadman Mountain. It was a beautiful run with good lift along most of the ridge, at one point we had over 20 knots on the netto. This is definitely not a beginner run and there is only one landing spot in the entire valley until you can reach fields south of Jackson Hole. Hope others give it a try. Flight trace was posted today for the flight out of Logan.
>
> --
> Dan, 5J

Dan,

I had to opportunity to do a lead-follow flight with Tom Bjork and Fred LaSor the next year (6-24-2015) and show them how to ridge soar the Logan ridge and the Salt River Range. It was fun flying with the big 30. There are actually many places to land, but it can be intimidating the first time you fly in this area. I was out in the Wyoming Plateau yesterday and felt really low at 13,000 feet.

[Tony[_5_]]

Oh sure as soon as I leave the ridge winds pick up!

18k seemed low enough to me over Wyoming on Saturday! :D

[Tim Taylor]

You know what they say: “You should have been here yesterday�. Hope you come back again soon.

[Tony[_5_]]

I had a great time and learned a lot. Logan is an interesting place for a flatlander like me with lots of new puzzles to figure out. I'm looking forward to coming back! Leah had a great time too.