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Encore Prachaval
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The club was very quiet today - it was a change-over weekend
and the Regionals caravan had departed (all four of them), so there would be
no problem getting a launch on demand. Ours happened to be a training flight
for a new tuggie, which meant a 2-up tug and a v-e-r-y slow tow to Trainon.
We did get a good climb there and were soon on the parcours, passing the
ever-so-useful Seyne airfield on the way. Cloudbase 9500ft, prospects good.
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Seyne Airfield
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ASH25 over Morgon
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Another good climb at the tete de Lucy allowed us to pass
into the St Crepin valley via the col des terres blanches, where my master
plan started to unravel. I headed for some good looking clouds at the tete
d'Amont, but was unable to get a climb. Then the glacier blanc - ditto. So
we beat a retreat to Prachaval to stay airborne. After gaining some height
we had another go at the tete de Peyron but again we were unable to climb.
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So we were back on Prachaval once more, getting a little
stressed under a good looking sky at my inability to make things happen.
There's nothing like flying in the mountains to knock one's ego back into
shape! Attempt number three got us 9000ft at Prachaval, then a climb in one
of the gullies near the tete de Peyron that got us to 11,000ft and away. We
took a look at the Maurienne but with low cloud in the next valley we
decided against going further north, so we turned the village of Plampinet
and headed south, routing past the glacier blanc, the pas de la Cavale and
the route royale to get to the tete de Lucy and the parcours.
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Ecrins
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We had an excellent ridge run all the way down to the
montagne de Coupe where we took our first thermalling turn since crossing
the pas de la Cavale. On reaching the Serre Montdenier we found the
conditions rather soft, but with the wind on the ridge and a huge cumulus
over Puismosson we felt confident enough to round the pont d'Aiguines and
had for home. Another standard June day for
Sisteron...
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Pont d'Aiguines
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