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Col d'Etache
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Mont Pelat and the lac d'Allos
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A bit of a tough day, in some respects. A
high cloudbase/inversion was forecast, but blue locally and very little
cumulus to the north. The wind was only a light north-westerly but it was
enough to make it tricky to get away. In fact, just as we were on tow we
heard that one French Sisteron pilot had already landed out at Seyne, so
caution was advised. In the event it took about 90 minutes to get our first
solid climb at Blayeul, after which things started to get a little easier.
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We took advantage of good cu past the col d'Allos to view the
lake and the cols to the east of Barcelonette. Cloudbase here was about
11,500ft so we continued past the col de Vars and into the Queyras, where
Mont Viso stood draped in cloud. Ploughing on further north, we got our best
climb of the day, a 10-knotter to 13,000ft near Mont Chaberton. I had wanted
to get into the Maurienne for the first time in a couple of years, but as
the time was now already 17:20 I decided that such an attempt would be
unwise.
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Blayeul
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The real frustration (for me, anyway) was seeing glider after
glider return through the col d'Etache from their trips to the Aosta valley.
Their pilots had taken advantage of starting early, having access to either
engines or talent (or both), and so had more time to reach the north. Grrr!!
We took a high climb back at Chaberton and yet again flew
over the pas de la Cavale to get home. On the way, we
noticed a glider had landed in the field of Montgardin and after we got back
it was of some consolation to learn that many others had found some
difficulty with the conditions. Andrew had managed to repeat my near-landout
experience of last year at Seyne, before scraping away. And a great cheer
rose from the bar when we learned that the Sisteron CFI, Tristan, had landed
out in one of the club's Duos at Grenoble le Versoud, and a tug had been
dispatched to bring him back. We English have a word for that: Schadenfreude.
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Near the col d'Etache
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