Bruce Tracy's Flight Reports
GRAND & PETIT TOUR DU LAC d'ANNECY, June 29, 2002
Unfinished business awaits me at Le Grand Bornand, our destination for this day. Two years ago, I had made an irredeemable mistake after the first crossing from Le Grand Bornand en route to Lac d'Annecy. While I'd struggled to extricate myself from a canyon trap, I'd looked wistfully skyward as Jay Carrol, Pete Reagan and others flew W, high overhead towards Mont Lachat en route to Lac d'Annecy. On that day Jay had reached and toured the lake, and we'd caught up with him hours later at Le Bout du Lac LZ, well sated with flight and beer.
With spirits and ambitions high, our group arrives this time at Le Grand Bornand only to find the upper lift closed for repairs for the next two days. Quelle injustice! Undaunted, we head for Lac d'Annecy, where all the "Euro 2002" pilots should be able to realize some XC fun. After brain-farting interminably about choice of Montmin vs. Plan Fait launch, we embark for Montmin. I have pushed hard for this choice: it's higher, and relatively easier to gain position to do at least Le Petit Tour du Lac, especially in light thermic conditions. Accomplished XC pilots can climb out of Plan Fait on marmot fart thermals, but we have novice pilots in our group, and I feel everyone should experience as much of the grandeur of the area as possible.
Our local pilot friend Herve is on board. Conditions appear favorable: the prevailing wind is down the lake, light N, with 2-8 mph cycles coming up the ramp. The conditions aren't yet classic/bombproof lift, so our plan is to lob off and climb out (and out-climb) with only modest traffic from local semi-skilled pilots. XC is at hand.
As expected, the Montmin launch is festooned with gliders and pilots. But we should at least be able to maintain elevation in these conditions, and have a long day of soaring ahead of the mob. Herve shares a valuable piece of insider knowledge: the Semnoz thermal often won't turn on till mid afternoon, and that can be a significant factor in completing Le Grand Tour du Lac. Soon enough, his local savoir-faire will become evident.
By 2 p.m. the time is right to go and we're off, easily gaining altitude en route N over Lanfonnet and Les Dents de Lanfon. Herve heads across the long glide from Les Dents towards Le Parmelan cliffs, with Pete R, Mike S. and myself in pursuit, and John O. close behind. Lively air at Le Parmelan gets us above 7500'. Mont Lachat and Le Grand Bornand beckon enticingly to the NE, and farther still to the ENE looms La Chaine des Aravis.
One of my XC goals since '95 has been to traverse the rugged crags of Les Aravis, known for big air and generous climbs. Nearing Le Parmelan, I hope Herve and the rest of the crew are eager to head E to Chamonix via Grand Bornand and Les Aravis. But alas,(!) maestro Herve's plan is to do Le Grand Tour du Lac, via Le Parmelan. (Taking off on my own to fly to Chamonix would have suited me, but prompting another chase or concern for XC-obsessed Bruce seems potentially contrary to l'esprit du corps.)
The Grand Tour du Lac typically goes NW from Les Dents to Mont Veyrier, then crosses the N end of the lake to Le Semnoz. Our extra leg farther N to Le Parmelan adds significant interest, after which a dog-leg SW brings us to Mt. Veyrier, where lift is spotty. Herve, Mike and I regain some needed altitude at Mt. Veyrier's N end, but Pete is cheated there from being able to continue on. The sinky glide over the lake proves unsettling until light lift from the city of Annecy's heated air is finally encountered in the light N breeze about 2/3 of the way across the lake.
At Le Semnoz, we regain Herve who had very nearly dirted-out at the N slope of this gently inclined feature just SW of the city of Annecy, while scratching low in the inadequate dynamic lift. Finally, patient Herve is rewarded with a much-needed thermal to carry him from below 2000' to over 7000' on Le Semnoz. I climb likewise to 7500' followed by Mike and John. High over Le Semnoz, we will easily glide to Le Roc des Boeufs. Le tour is readily completed by boating up on Roc des Boeufs to 6000,' crossing the S end of Lac d'Annecy, then ridge-lifting back up to Montmin launch. From there, Herve and John fly out and land at Plan Fait LZ.
Still not quite sated, I choose to tour the imposing cliffs of La Tournette (NE of Montmin) at 7200', then do Le Petit Tour du Lac via Les Dents, a lake crossing to Le Roc des Boeufs, and back again to Montmin. Finally it's my turn to land at the Plan Fait LZ to complete a bladder-stressing flight of 4hours 52 minutes and about 70 km of XC.
What if I had given in to my wish and ventured forth solo after topping Les Dents de Lanfon, flying the 50 km or so to the E to Chamonix via the impressively craggy Chaine des Aravis? Well, I still long for the opportunity to make that flight, and I will someday, and probably solo. It is a technically more difficult enterprise, especially the portion approaching Les Aravis from Le Grand Bornand or La Clusaz area, and then passing over the craggy crest at a cloudbase often below some of the summits, in a wildly thermic/visually intoxicating environment. Once beyond Les Aravis, on glide to Plein Joux, one can enjoy the classic XC to and beyond Chamonix via Le Brevent and Les Grandes Montes. Such imaginings can drive one's irrepressible dreams, ensuring a return to the French Alps.
Several pilot friendly restaurants at the SE end of Lac d'Annecy beckon the flight-sated but thirsty sky-bums. We descend upon one of my favorites, where most of our group orders at least one "formidable" beer (of comparable size to a mega-Pepsi typically nursed by a stereotypical 250-pound American fat-ass departing a Kentucky Fried Rat. NO such indigenous creatures exist on continental Europe.) We guzzle, and gush with stories of user-friendly PG perfection flying myriad paths over the region of Lac d'Annecy. The obvious need not be said: we will all soon return.
FURKA PASS Part II, July 3, 2002
The rapture of mountain flying in Switzerland's most famous XC area lasts a lifetime: see PG. The Mag. Oct 2001 issue, pp 28-31 to review why flying XC from Fiesch is so irresistible.
Poof, my wing is wadded up, then a moment later, the Omega-5 reinflates with a violent report. The instantaneous transition from near free fall to > 1000 ft/min. lift feels like to many G's to subject even a new wing to. How many lines broken? To guests at the Hotel Furka, just 550 ft. behind me, I must appear as some unhappy aerial clown just trying to keep the"bag" more than a rag.
Just minutes before, I had found myself nearly parked against a stout breeze coming up and over the precipitous foot of the Rhonegletcher: despite using half speed bar, the SW breeze seemed about to feed me either to the crevassed ice below, or far worse, to the vast peak-raked clouds to the N. To go there would mean death in a maelstrom of sharp rock rasping through the "white room". My companions on this flight from Fiesch, Pete Reagan and John Olson, chose to quit their lively XC a short while earlier, at Grimselpass, where the perils of the pull of clouds and push of valley wind exceeded their risk tolerance. They would soon pay their own dues, however, for coming this far, via turbulent descents and landings in the valley 3-5 km short of Furkapass.
What best altitude to maintain to slip beyond the Glacier to reach Furkapass? The W. wall of the glacier would have to split the valley wind, cloud suck, and thermals. Once freed from the glacier, I know the orographic turbulence would test my flying skills to their limits...then the whacks ensued.....and I became the stringed puppet yanked around by malevolent gusts.
Sinking well below the 7000' pass, I glimpse my lines: they are all intact! (Thank you, Advance for a sturdy wing, and the speed to escape the glacier.) Big sink and turbulence means lift is near. More G's in an instant, then a 1300 ft/m climb up and over the pass to 9500' leads to tamer air all the way to Andermatt, about 8 km W. Just beyond that lies Oberalppass, my intended route towards Chur for a plausible 100 km XC. But Oberalpass is <1000' below cloud base! I have tempted fate too much already; I shall head NE down the amazing Reusstal valley towards Attdorf on the prevailing breeze, finding sunshine, tame air, and sheer delight in experiencing this deep narrow valley, seemingly slashed into the earth by some cosmic knife. I pick out a tiny village, Intschi, with a bar/hotel next to a small sloping pasture. I conclude a 60-km XC there with a gentle landing in tall grass with flowers. After packing up, I encounter a scowling landowner who launches into an unintelligible diatribe in German. With two bell-clanking goats nearby, it was soon apparent that his fury is over my trampling some grass. I pull all my Swiss francs from my pocket, offering him to take what he pleases. It requires a mere 5 F., about US. $3., to turn his scowl to a hesitant smile. Briefly and vainly I try to tell him that he may walk in my fields back home in WA. as my welcome guest.
The return to the Hotel Park in Fiesch was easy: first by bus to Groschenen, then the Glacier Express train to Fiesch in time for dinner with the "Euro- 2002"group of 13. All who flew had tales of scary landing conditions. Mike Steed spun in, melting/breaking 5 lines in the process. Others told of spiral dive escapes from clouds, or dinged backs from inelegant landings.
The only pilots to fly any XC on this particular day in Fiesch were our group, and two Aussie pilots. All the locals chose to forgo the day due to expected OD conditions. We were advised by the local skygod, Hansi Zeiter, the day before that Fiesch would OD midday and therefore XCs would not be reasonably practicable. In accord with his assessment, only one pilot crossed Furkapass on 7/3/2002, having determined to meet a goal and be thoroughly tested for it. Cutting the margins too close? Perhaps.
"Where there is no risk, there is no life. Exploration and adventure, I believe, is the essence of living." -Alan Hobson, From Everest to Enlightenment
Will I remember the flight? Always. I will be back to fly the "Owens Valley of Switzerland"? Next time, please: a high cloud base, L + V conditions, fat thermals, and companions with whom to share a long ecstatic XC to E Switzerland, or to Austria or Italy!
For first time pilots visiting this Alpine XC Mecca, do consider contacting Hanzi Z. His website is flyingcenter@rhone.ch He has a nice shop, and accommodations for visiting pilots. Alternatively, the Hotel Park served our group's needs very well in 2000 and again on this last visit.
