Dolomite trip, 29.09 – 06.10
Day 1, Sunday 30.09
With 7 experienced pilots on the trip and the weather looking very good it was looking very possible that we’d get the most from the Dolomites. The mountains and launch are covered in about 4inches of snow, more at altitude so it was going to be cold in the air.
After collecting our lift passes for the week, only 40euros! We headed up in a crowded cable car. This is the most popular time of year, there must be around 150-200 hang and para pilots here.
On launch we waited until pilots were climbing in front of launch, after about 20mins a middle, thick layer of cloud shrouded the whole area. The wind completely switched and it looked like just a rotory glide down. I decided it would be better to grab a coffee and wait it out.
At about 1400hrs we went down to the other launch, the wind was good but still there was only the odd blue whole. It looked buoyant so a few of the group decided to launch. They managed to maintain for a while but it was short lived. Those who were more polite and let the German snake them on launch got a huge blue hole and good clouds started to form at around 2600m.
Simon, Steve and I managed to climb to base and head along the Sasso Lungo, it was pretty bitter in the shade and after about an hour I went down to warm up. However it was working a lot longer than that. Tomorrow is looking better so I saved my energy for a big flight.
photos to follow…
Day 2, Mon. 01.10
We awoke to a classic forecast and a totally blue sky. We brief at 1100am and headed up the hill. Again it was pretty busy but more polite and more space to launch than the previous day.
We all got off with in 20mins. The guys waited patiently for me to climb up to them and then we headed off on the briefed route. Sasso Lungo, Sella, Sass Pordoi and then finally an assault on the Marmolada.
Conditions in the beginning were quite weak, 1-2m/s and topping out at 2900m. Quite low for here. Once high above launch we cruised to the Sasso Lungo and connected with asy climbs close to the cliff faces. After a while it got very busy on the face and it was time to move on to the Sella, I led out and marked a climb for the guys half way across. Just so we had a little more clearence on the Sella. Again good climbs were on the south face and we topped out at the inversion at 3100m.
Again after everyone had climbed out we swapped to the Sella’s 2nd face, more westerly and needed more time to get going. We found good climbs there too and when all 5 pilots were high here we had to push towards the sunny halfway point between the Sella and Marmolada. This was one of the best climbs of the day, 3-4m/s up to 2900m. Enough to cross onto the SW face of the Marmolada. We arrived on it’s sunny face at about 2600m, again quite low for here. Good climbs allowed us to go deeper into the valley and top out just below the summit(3300m) at 3100m. 4 pilots made it the whole way with me, only Simon decided to soak in the atmosphere longer at the Sella.
Well done to all who enjoyed the day’s flying I think the day was a huge success, let’s see what tomorrow brings. The forecast is good again, hopefully the base will be a few hundred metres higher.
Day 3, Tues. 02.10
Again a great forecast for the day with very light winds at all altitudes. We decided to attempt the same flight as yesterday as not all pilots completed it. However the thermal in front of launch was pretty disorganised with Class 2 hang gliders getting involved too.. After a bit of a bun fight we finally climbed out to 2600m and glided to the Sasso Lungo. We arrived quite low but managed to get through the inversion up to 3200m. From there it was a simple glide to the Sella, where I waited for all the guys to catch up. Ruth pushed on alone having completed the route yesterday. Myself, Mike & Steve then pushed to the halfway point on the glide to the Marmolada. This climb was strong and uncrowded, the nicest climb of the day. We then pushed onto the sunny face of the Glacier and climbed out to 3400m. After some photos we landed in a light valley wind in Campitello. Ruth flew a slightly different line on way out of Marmolada. Taking to the higher ground to the south, gliding under a perfect 8km street leaving it higher than she began, well done!!A nice day was had by all.
Little bit of a shame for the guys who decided to sit this flight out as one wanted to spent time with partner and other decided to land due to too much traffic in front of launch.
Moral: When it’s good you gotta take it!
Day 4, Wed. 03.10
Wind on launch look good for a while however with a forecast of stronger winds from the NW a light foehn effect set up. Dust Devils and back-wind had me thinking again about the possibilities of flying today. Then after watching many pilots take deflations in the rough ‘lee party’ in front of launch I decided that I definitely wasn’t prepared to go out in that. I think it was lucky that there were no incidents quite honestly. Most pilots agreed with me and the day was cancelled. We tried again later but the meteo wind was still too strong. One German pilot I spoke described it as “Brutal and that he took some evil collapses” and another reported rough climbs of 12m/s! Happy not to fly in that really…
Day 5, Thurs, 04.10
Day cancelled due to rain and low cloud.
Day 6, Fri. 05.10
With a strong wind in the forecast I wasn’t entirely convinced that we would have good conditions. However once up there it didn’t look that windy but it was overcast, with no thermal activity. To the north it looked clearer but possible due to north foehn. Once the sky cleared and the first thermals started so did the making the thermals leeside just like 2 days ago. I decided to pack up most of the other guys agreed but one fly down and it looked pretty rough and sinky. Typical lee & it was the first day all week that there was no more than a handful of gliders in the sky.
I’m extremely happy with the way the week went, it was great to have the 2 days that we completed the 30k+ sightseeing tour of the main peaks. With most pilots making those flights with me.
Next year I’ll be organizing another Dolomite trip, check site for more pilots and details.
Details of Bassano easy XC trip to follow….