Ridge rules to live by..........on my first pass on a ridge, I keep my speed up (65 knots, dry; 70 knots, wet) and I stay about 300 feet off the rocks, both vertically and laterally! Another rule that I try to follow is to be very careful anytime the wind is over 20 knots! There are days when I just wont get within 1000 feet of the ridge, but rules cant always be followed. Last year I made a run for Peterson ridge with a tail-wind of 25 knots. I got there about half way up the side and was rewarded with very turbulent lift. I flew figure-eights until I was 500 feet above the ridge, then I tried a 360 degree turn. As my circle passed the top of the ridge, I hit a tremendous bump and the ship was thrown completely vertical, nose down. Didn’t last long and I was flying again within a few seconds. The stick remained neutral throughout the incident. I think it was a shear line on the back side of the ridge. Came away thinking I should have figure-eight’d until I was 1000 feet above the ridge!
JJ