In article , Peter Duniho wrote:
Of course, there is the question of whether mountain wave can actually push
you into the ground.

Wave won't push you into the ground, however, if you're approaching a
ridge from the downwind side and the wind's up, the 'curlover' on the
downwind side may well cause you to impact the ridge. This is why it's
advisable to approach ridges at a 45 deg. angle and with altitude to
spare so you can turn away if there's trouble.

Wave can be a factor way up above FL350 - gliders from Minden regularly
get up in the FL300+ range. Even our little 2000' mountain, Snaefell,
generates wave which reaches over 10,000 ft.

--
Dylan Smith, Castletown, Isle of Man
Flying: http://www.dylansmith.net
Frontier Elite Universe: http://www.alioth.net
"Maintain thine airspeed, lest the ground come up and smite thee"