On Nov 30, 7:21*pm, Mike Ash wrote:

Fossett, along with Einar Enevoldson, also holds the current glider
altitude record of 50,727ft, set in South America.

Yup. I knew that. :-)
He saw some sort of interaction between the wave at Omarama and the
jet stream producing cloud at a great height.
It occured to him that there might be lift being produced.
That's about all I can remember about it.
Thanks for reposting your photo link