Crestline Soaring Society
Serving Hang Gliding and Paragliding in the San Bernardino Mountains
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Thomas Mt.Thomas Mountain has been concurred!! Sunday Justin and I flew Thomas for the first time. After almost stepping on a rattlesnake earlier Justin launched his PG and followed his plan to go straight to the LZ. I watch as he followed the ridge out and he went through a few bumps and then he hit a big one. He kept going straight as he rose about 400’, I kept saying turn, turn, turn, but he never did. Then I suited up, hook in my HG, and in three steps I was airborne!! I went straight to where Justin had hit the best lift and it was still working!! In a few turns I was at 7100 feet! Yahoo. I just took in the sights, from here looking straight out I could see Palomar and further south was Laguna. To the north I could see Lake Hemet and beyond that San Jack. To the east is Garner valley, an easy glide OTB and beyond that I could see the desert and Indio. Knowing Justin was on the ground I kept my flight to an hour and a half getting up to a max of 7548 feet!! How high did pilots get at the other sites get Sunday? Good Lift, Forums > Pilot Reports Flight > Fun / Notable Sites > Other Local Some observations for ThomasSome observations for Thomas Mt. Closest soaring forecast would be Warner Springs and Julian Best wind direction is Southwest.. You know the best days at Crestline are when the wind blows down and clears out all the smog then switches to up slope. First Thomas is well south of the smoggy air that sit between LA and Crestline so more sun getting to the ground. And second the wind switching from down slope to up slope happens on a regular basis at Thomas. Go to the following web site and search back through time and see. Wind info at. Click on the word “Earlier” and then you can search previous days by changing the date in the URL http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/queryFx?s=anz The ten miles from San Jacinto (10800’) peak back to Garner Valley (4300’) is about a 8 to 1 glide with a ridge to follow most of the way, right past that rock your climbing above Idyllwild Mark. This is my goal for the summer. To Jac and back! Coordinates?Thanks for all this info Mike. Do you have GPS coordinates for the launch or other landmarks - LZ, Jack-in-the-Box? 1: Thomas Mt. Launch 2: Provisional LZ  how to get there!!The launch is at N33.5993 W116.65388 To get to the LZ you go up Hill Street in Anza which has a slight jog in it at Mitchell St.. Hill street is paved up to the Natl Forest. Where the pavement ends there is a small house with a retired couple living there. Just north of their driveway is the corner of the Natl. Forest. You have to walk up onto the LZ ( about 20’) then head NE. You will see a very rough LZ. At the far side of the plateau is an area that could become a 150’ wide by 500’ long LZ. There are only a few small 10 – 15 ‘ trees and the rest is knee high weeds. Launch is straight up in the bowl. To get to Launch from the LZ go back down Hill st to Mitchell and turn left. Then turn right on Kirby and go back to Hiway 371. Turn left on 371 and that will take you up to Garner Valley. At the intersection of 371 and 74 turn left. Then go 3 miles to Pyramid Peak Rd. and turn left. Then go to Hop Patch Spring Rd and again turn left. Hop Patch Spring Rd will curve around to the right and will become NF 5S15 ( Thomas Mt Truck Trail) From where the pavement ends it is 4.5 miles to launch. At 4.5 mile there is a culvert for water run off towards the Garner valley side. When you find this park and walk towards Anza. There is a stick sticking up in a pile of rocks and just below is the launch. The dirt road is bumpy but any car can make it up easy. Launch is not visible from the road. You have to walk over the edge and look for it. You will see the LZ and High School and a lot of big blue sky. There is only room for two gliders at this time. Oh and watch out for Rattlesnakes. Before you turn up Pyramid Peak Rd you might want to stay on the 74 and check out the valley down to Lake Hemet or so. I think in time the preferred LZ might be in Garner Valley or Desert Center or Blyth. Now I’m dreaming. dam good job MikeI Can't wait to see the launch that you found that has eluded so many for so many years. many have flown over from the e to find a convergence to 12-14K over gardener valley. I, my self have landed in Indio several times. This is the route for 2 of the 3 100 milers from the e. I'll probaly go out there this weekend to check it out. Lets give it a try. Fast Food (Jac and back)We will need to eat at Jack in the Box after that flight.
I'm in!Way to go Mike! Like Hoffbrow said, you should name the launch like a climber names a new route. I'm not crazy about Mt. Thomas, cuz it's hardly a mountain. Call or write, I'm anxious to fly there ASAP! Great job opening up a new site, we all appreciate your efforts. Bring pruning shears, treeBring pruning shears, tree saw, shovels and picks and rakes. let's have a work and fly party. Say Saturday at 9:00AM at the LZ at the top of Hill st. see you there!! Sat 14KSat looks like 14K plus. I just plugged in the predicted high of 103 at an elevation of 4000' and the FSL sounding comes out with a 14700 foot ceiling. Come on out early and help clean up. then let's get high!! I will be at the LZ before 9:00 AM 951-526-7885 |
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First Ascent
Mike, Good job opening up a new launch. You need to give your new site a name like when climbers put up a new route. The rattle snake may help stir some ideas:)
Rebar Dan, Scott and i flew off of Paiute on sunday but the conditions were blown therms and we all had short 30 min. flights. It was a new site for me so it was a nice change:)even though it was my shortest Owens flight.
C Ya, Mark
