|
        
| |
|
WX
|
|
It's thermic
|
The weather forecasting this year is brilliant! Briefing
consists of throwing as many forecasts as are available to us, from a
variety of sources, and leaving us to guess the correct one. So today's
forecast(s) mentioned 8/8ths, rain, storms, good thermals, sunshine, little
wind, westerly wave...I could go on.
In the event, the weather went along with the St Auban
forecast; good thermals, few showers, westerly wind and wave.
|
|
|
Parcours
|
|
|
We launched onto the local hill, Hongrie, worked up to 6000ft
and jumped to Jalinier, Montserieux and tete Grosse to get onto the parcours.
Thermals were difficult to work as they were being constantly chopped by the
westerly wind, but were strong and went high - about 9500ft on the parcours.
Then followed a tricky episode on Guillaume which involved continued choppy
conditions with the added frisson of extra gliders to watch out for.
|
Queyras
|
|
|
We gave up trying to get to the top of the Guillaume thermals
and headed off for Prachaval. Catching a good climb before Clotinaille
helped us to the Queyras where we found our first thermal of the day that
actually had constant lift all the way round (or maybe we just got lucky and
found the core this time). Solid cumulus lay over Briancon and the col de
Montgenevre, and we eventually turned the towers on Mont Chaberton.
|
|
|
|
Chaberton
|
|
|
We then followed a large slice of cumulus towards the col de
Lauteret until we reached its leading edge, where we found some wave that
built to 7knots at 3800m. Unfortunately, lazy old me hadn't yet got round to
plumbing in the oxygen, so we moved on towards the glacier Blanc, another
wave climb and an easy and spectacular ride over the Ecrins back to the
parcours. We ran the ridge along to les Trois Eveches and called it a day
with a straight glide back to base.
|
|
|
|
Barre des Ecrins
|
|
|
This evening's meal was back at our house, spent in the
excellent company of an expedition from Lasham, being run by G and Colin
(the latter of whom I had last met during an expedition to Sutton Bank. Twenty-five
years ago. Gulp!).
|
|
|
