On Wednesday, July 29, 2020 at 8:43:36 AM UTC-7, John Cochrane wrote:
On Wednesday, July 29, 2020 at 8:08:30 AM UTC-7, jfitch wrote:
On Tuesday, July 28, 2020 at 10:27:27 PM UTC-7, John Cochrane wrote:
I have spent a lot of my glides across Lake Tahoe looking at the water options. The problem is, anywhere near shore and where you might be able to swim to shore and then rescue a glider is full of boats, jet skis, piers, paddle boards, kayaks, swimmers and so on. The water is not an easy option. Ramy's golf course is incredibly narrow, surrounded by trees, and has golfers on it. From google maps, the swampy area between the road and Ramy's golf course looks possible. Has anyone looked at that? One solid walk away from it option in the basin would bar awfully nice.
John Cochrane BB

I agree that the water close to shore, especially around Kings Beach is pretty cluttered. One possibility is the driving range, as it will have no one on it - but it looks pretty short. I've thought about the swampy area you refer to, will go walk that next time I am up. By far the best option is to stay above Marlette Lake and only turn left with good altitude.

Thanks. I'll also find an excuse to go walk that swampy area. And I think this story reinforces conventional wisdom: Don't try it unless you see wind on the water at Lake Tahoe. Don't leave Marlette Lake without a good Mc 3 + glide past Brockaway summit. Think real hard if you want to do this before glide to Carson disappears. And... Let's hear more rules of thumb from locals. I think if nothing else Ramy's story emphasizes, think through this decision before you're faced with it.

John Cochrane

Les Seybold used to tell stories about landing on Kings Beach, and also aero retrieving off of it! Long time ago.... My rule of thumb is to be over Marlette Lake at 10,500. I did make it from 10,200 one day in a 15 meter but there was more pucker factor than I like. Pilots with a much higher risk tolerance than me say you can make it from 9200' at Marlette. Looks like Ramy was about 7800. The trouble with 9200 is it is getting pretty low to turn right, you have to turn left and go back through Spooner. If the wind is blowing you may lose 1000'+ on your escape to Carson from the downwash. And while the air is benign *almost* all the time over the lake, but there are rare days when you can get sustained 2 - 3 kts down when leaving the east shore. I know two pilots who (more than once) ridge soared Daydreams back up high enough to clear Brockaway (as Ramy attempted). This does not fit my risk tolerance profile.

Wind streaks on the lake are not by themselves sufficiently telling. The people who used to use the Elevator would tune to the Truckee AWOS and listen for SW winds at 10+. For some reason SW seemed to work better than W, and it was very west on Saturday - many gliders landed on runway 29. The best part of that ridge is a funnel that faces SW, as are the best faces further along. Whatever you do, don't attempt to ridge soar Snow Mountain just to the SE of Marlette - there are pieces of Joe's glider still there.