JJ Sinclair wrote:
On most days you will find a shear line between Mono Lake and Basalt.
It is formed when hot air boiling up out of the owens valley meets
somewhat moister air coming over the Sierras. Whispy Q's will mark the
line. Pick it up while still within gliding distance of Mono Airport
and ride it down to the Whites. Keep your speed up as you work the
Whites, I know a guy that was rolled inverted while working a thermal
in a canyon on the north end of the Whites. Once on top, its all
"push'n, pull'n & giggle'n.

Actually, Hal made a pretty amazing flight (considering the conditions)
last Saturday. The Whites were basically unusable coming from the
north, rough broken thermals that were getting sheared off at the top of
the ridge (I flew the Duo down there that day). The sad part I was
passed by a few gliders up above 17K, coming from the south, definitely
in giggle mode. Anyway, Hal bumped along below the ridge down to
Bishop, and since no one told him that cutting across to the Sierra side
won't work, went ahead and did it, and went back north on the other
side. I fought my way down to White Mtn Pk, decided it wasn't worth it,
then had to tiptoe back to south of Mt Grant, between 10 and 11K the
whole way. Once there it was 10+ knots to 17,999 all of the way to the
Pinenuts.

Hal, Saturday was an unusually poor day on the Whites, most days when
you can get down there things are a lot better, blue or not. And,
cutting across to the Sierra side never works 8^)

Marc