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Chiefs Sun 1/20

From: T. Pipkin
Activity_Date: 1/20/02
Remote Name: 209.178.154.117

Comments

13 pg pilots & 6 hg pilots at launch before 11:00. After Art got off first & climbed above launch, the Chief became a rapid fire of paragliders flying off the mountain.

Art, John, Christie, Brendan & myself attempted to follow SD west. The remainder of pilots stayed over the Chiefs spine. SD reported reaching the nuthouse launch & not having altitude to make the jump west, so he doubled back. The rest of us continued west to the NH.

From there, Christie & Brendan went on glide to NHS, John & I doubled back. SD top landed back at Chief launch. John then opted for the Boccali's lz.

I pushed on to twin peaks, topped out at 4500' & again attempted to follow SD to Fillmore.

Everything seemed to go smoothly to east repeater until I made a silly mistake & tried to climb the spine behind ER. It worked on Friday, I guess I was lucky. I fell off the east side into a deep canyon, tall trees & a creek at the bottom. 600' per min. sink, 8mph ground speed, the horizon was now above me. As I flew down the canyon, my thoughts turned to a long cold night hike with no flashlight. I decided to hug the east wall & hope for a better glide. That paid off, I squeaked out in front of ER at 2200', (very low), & scratched for anything I could get. Once above ER, a boomer thermal took to 5200' & I was back on course. As I continued east, the lift gradually turned weaker and I ended up at St.. Thomas Aquinas College. 3hr, 18miles

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