On Wednesday, July 29, 2020 at 5:04:40 PM UTC-7, John Cochrane wrote:
This is a great and informative post. Thanks.

Daydreams are the little spur marked with a hang glider takeoff, N of king's beach? Well, I guess if you're desperate it could be a place to park and contemplate your fate. Moutain shoulders have never worked for me. Maybe with a good S component.

These days, a good glide computer set to Mc 4 glide compensates for a lot of altitude rules!

Yeah, the back higher ridge at snow looks inviting -- don't be invited.

The goal is a few more options. Yes, the golf course, if empty. If not, we need at least a place to crash and walk away from it. I put the swamp in that category, but it needs walking to find the post, fence, etc. that one can see from satellite photo.

I'm still in the category that I have to feel the ridge lift before losing glide to Carson over the back. Of course a little iron courage in behind my shoulders helps a lot to give up early!

John Cochrane

Yes, Daydreams is the ridge pointing SSW towards Kings Beach that the hang gliders use. It is better the higher on it you are, and better in a SW wind.. Much of the historical mythology of saves across the lake come from years past, when the wind tended to be more dependably SW in the afternoon. In the last 5 - 10 years or so, this has become less prevalent, with more W and even N winds.

Like you, the iron thermals in the back have made me more conservative in these situations, not more aggressive as many seem to believe. I know that the retrieve from Carson (starting the engine above the pattern) will be quick, easy, and safe. But even an air retrieve from Carson is quick, easy, and safe compared to collecting the parts of your glider from the fairway for reassembly at the repair shop.