From: K Dumain
Activity_Date: 2/8/01
Remote Name: 216.202.93.44
Smooth Air???
I sure didn't see it behind West Bowl. My glide started out kinda low & kinda like a washing machine. Then a virtual river of thermic air started pouring over the saddle from the valley to the west of West Bowl. This seemed odd since we we're flying in SE conditions. As soon as I climbed enough to be entrenched in this new lift source it was smooth and fat up to 4700 over the peak of West Bowl. Made it to the peak on glide without a turn.
Benson must of got caught in the downwash of one of these thermals coming out of the west drainage. This condition was probably somewhat due to the late launch and lots of sun on the west exposures.
All in all the most dynamic day I've experienced at West Bowl. The back and forth conditions at launch would have been indicative of the changing thermal cycles from the two valleys. Lets do it again.
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