Please remember this thread was about costs associated with flying at Minden, Nevada. Minden is a world class destination soaring site. Pilots from around the world travel to Minden for spectacular flying. Think Bitterwasser, Omarama (or other fantastic facilities throughout the world). Without proper service and equipment, Minden can’t compete with those other destination sites. They are not catering to novice pilots like your local club does. Check out what it costs to fly at either of the above mentioned locations. You could easily budget nearly $1000 / day for flying. Put in context, Minden’s fees are reasonable. If it keeps the business there afloat, we should all be grateful for the opportunity it give us to fly there someday.