On Sunday, December 29, 2019 at 12:34:32 PM UTC-7, Frank Whiteley wrote:
On Sunday, December 29, 2019 at 11:11:27 AM UTC-7, Jim Hogue wrote:
So, it is raining outside and I haven't been soaring in a long time, so naturally I am thinking about soaring next season.... I'll bet I am not the only one.

The big plan is a soaring safari to the Western US next season. I may be able to take as long as 2+ months. I am looking for ideas for unique/new/underflown as well as classic soaring sites to try. And maybe other folk would like to hear ideas for such sites also, hence this post.

I fly a self-launcher (ASH-26E) so I don't need a towplane, but I do like the company (and buddy system) of other soaring pilots. I like to camp on the airfield in my simple truck camper (nice to have an electric power hookup). I will need to find a shower at least every few days, haha.

I would like to assemble a long list of possible sites, I'll be watching the weather and soaring conditions and deciding where to go based on what looks good at the time. And where fun folk and flying might be.

Here is where I have been on previous soaring trips, all of which were great fun and are on my do-again list:

Parowan Utah
Moriarty New Mexico
Montrose Colorado
Salida Colorado (although field elevation at 7500 ft is at, and on hot days above, my climb performance limits)
King Mountain Idaho (open next year, I hope)
Most of the Southern California desert sites, but many years ago....

Places that I have heard are great and want to try some day:

Ely Nevada
Tonopah Nevada
Nephi Utah
Boulder Colorado
Rifle Colorado
Logan Utah
Mackay Idaho
Kingman Arizona (hello Paul!)

Please post comments on these sites and primarily more site ideas, as well as info on any camps or meets you know about that might not make it into the SSA calendar. Or PM me if you don't want broad publication of these camps/meets, understandable. Include as much detail as you can! Thanks!

Cheers,
Jim J6

Big Sky Soaring now has the Flying Y Airport south of Livingston, MT. Mission Mountain Glider Club Interest Group at Ronan, MT, has at least one self-launcher in the area. Both close to mountain soaring areas that need more exploring.

Frank Whiteley

You beat me to it, Frank. I've flown out of Flying Y. Greg Mecklenberg has a great thing going there!

I live in Ronan, and have yet to fly here, but have a tow plane tentatively lined up for this summer, so am planning to start flying the Mission Mountains, and beyond this summer. There was a group from WA that would come out here each summer on a club soaring safari, but they are no longer doing that. There is a guy with two motor gliders (PIK 20E and Dimona) in Polson, that flies here in the summer still. Hopefully I'll be able to post a few YouTube videos of this endeavor this coming year. If you make it out this way, let me know. We'll make sure you are "hooked up" with whatever you need.