Here is my critique: That was spectacular. Amazing glider and skillful pilot. The footage was excellent, the commentary was so good and informative and the flight was epic. This is one of the finest hanggliding films I had the pleasure to watch. Excellent job young man.
This is amazing. Quite an adventure. I use to fly gliders, sailplanes, in N CA. Never did anything like this. Didn’t know that the delta was so airworthy. Could this be done with a a paraglider, are they as airworthy or more subjected to rotor. And do they have the ability to penetrate like you. Thanks again.
@@roadboat9216 you're right that paragliders can handle less wind and turbulence than a hang glider, but they absolutely can fly long distances. The world record is 380 miles compared to 475 for hang gliders (both in Texas). Advanced paraglider pilots fly in the Owens Valley early or late in the season on light wind days when turbulence is tolerable.
Great compilation, fantastic commentary and I really appreciated the landmarks that you highlighted, it makes the viewing so much more engaging. Congrats! 👍💯
I've lived here for almost 50 years and it's an absolute delight to see this outstanding aerial footage of our mountains and valley. Thank you so much!
-- that is, I live in Benton Hot Springs. My neighbors and I are sharing this around, and we're all loving it! Feel free to "drop in" sometime -- we have a pretty good landing spot and we'll make you dinner!
@@joyfatooh1123 very happy to read that my video is being enjoyed your community! I will definitely take you up on the landing offer at Benton hot springs! We don’t like landing in the old airstrip at the abandoned ranch. We will likely be back there on memorial or Independence Day.
Best video I’ve seen that shows other pilots how it’s done! Congrats on a great job showing what pilots can look forward to when they go for the milk run from Walts to Janies!
Excellent !!!, this is the sort of video about the Owens that we've been lacking and I've been wanting to make, but since I don't like doing video editing you've relieved me of that chore, many thanks, flight and editing well done !!!
Superb, intelligent narrative and great flight. Such a pain when landings don't pan out as planned. In the grips of winter here in NZ so nice to live vicariously through your superb flight(s). My T2 has been very neglected of late.
Thank you for sharing this great video from the Owens Valley with us! Good job! That awakens memories in me. I was flying back in 1990 with a Wills Wing HP 2 world team glider there. I love the Owens Valley, we had a great time there. I remember flying to Luning (Nevada) some times. The american pilots called me afterwards mister Luning ;-)! After watching your video I wish to fly there once again...with my rigid wing if possible.
Thanks Tony. It's crazy that I still haven't flown beyond Janie's. Something in me doesn't want to fly into the emptiness of Nevada but hopefully in 2024. You will enjoy my 2023 version of a similar flight, check it out (it's the latest one on my channel).
Holey MoonRocks! Great video. Brings back memories of this same flight I did back in 1985 in my UP C1. Back then Jamie’s Ranch was open for business and had certificates on the walls of others who did this 100 Mile flight.
Fab video and excellent narration - just getting back into hang gliding after a lay-off, and these kinds of videos help to remind me of what I've been missing and why it's important to follow my passion. Have signed up for an aerotow competition in May (and paid the entry fee!) to ensure it happens.
Espetacular vôo...belas imagens ...parece lunares... termal poderosas..sempre ouvir falar cada 10 asas pelo menos 1 capotava...não sei se verdade....parabéns por proporcionar e compartilhar seu belo vôo... Rio de janeiro Brasil
Thanks for the comment! This place can be dangerous to fly but if you check the weather and be conservative you can be safe. Gliders are much safer than they used to be.
I flew through here so many times in airplane, mostly I feel scared and in awe every time I am here. Just wondering, what do you do if you want to pee since your flight lasts more than 3-4 hours?
I first completed this flight in 1991 whilst practicing with the British team before the US nationals. On another memorable day there was overdevelopment at the north end of the Whites so two of us went due east over the back of the whites and flew on into Nevada for several hours. I wish we had GoPro cameras 30 years ago!!. Excellent footage and commentary.
The MOA jets usually stay far south of Lone Pine, I've never encountered them and others have reported them near our launch area only a couple times in the last few years. Further, we fly pretty close to the mountains (except valley crossings or when we get very high) where the jets are unlikely to fly.
According to www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2000/march/pilot/california-flying-(3) : "The Owens MOA has its own high-traffic point. Several low-levels cross Owens Lake on generally east-west headings. A few of these low-level routes continue up the east side of the Owens Valley, only turning to the southeast near the complex’s northern border near Bishop. Incidentally, the low-levels used in the complex are not printed on sectionals, and FSS is not notified of their activation because they are part of the MOA airspace."
This is a wonderful video. Thank you for taking the time to put it together. I've traveled all over the Owens Valley region on the ground and have goals to get up there via paraglider one day.
It changes a lot depending on location and time of day. Some climbs were slow 200 fpm, some averaged 1000 fpm for several turns. Then there were the rowdy ones, 1500 fpm for half a turn and 500 down for the second half.
Wow, four hours or more in the air, up to 14,000 plus feet in altitude. Wow, is all I can think of. Even recently, I've watched videos with tens of thousands of views, and thousands of comments. And, none of those videos are as impressive as this one! Btw, I was raised in San Diego, CA, and took a backpacking trip in 1976 up the Sierras, near Palisade Glacier. I think that was only 13,000 feet, and on the ground. Well done, Soham.
Thanks! Sometimes even I find it hard to believe my reality when I'm up there at 15-16000 ft looking down at the giant mountains! Speaking of the Palisade glacier, I've only seen it from the air from miles away when I'm not very high. I saw it last weekend and it was looking quite fat. The goal for the next flight is to fly much closer to it and also the entire Palisade crest.
Thanks! I love discovering a new place from the air. Have you watched my 2023 version of the Owens valley flight? Its titled "A tale of 8 fourteeners".
Really enjoyed your flight - especially over the Whites, which we don't get to see from this perspective. Spent many years backpacking all over the E. Sierra but seeing it from a hang glider is like a dream. Thats me driving on 395 down there!
Thanks Luke. This flight was mostly comfortable, but I have been in bad turbulence on other flights - never came close to tumble or rollover yet, though I've experienced those at other places. It's wise to never drop your guard when flying in the Owens Valley; it is truly the most hard-core place for unpowered flight. But, an experienced thermal pilot can handle it with the right preparation. There's no need to fear the Owens, just respect it.
I had a blast flying the Owens Valley from the Gunter launch during the 1991 Nationals. Oh to have had a modern glider and a modern oxygen system back in the day! That would have made it comfortable. I found the strongest thermals that I have ever flown in. And cloud suck, if you think that you need to take a few more turns under a cloud for an advantage then you are wrong. I learned the hard way by getting spit out of the side of a cloud at 17,999 feet after much chaos and panic inside of the cloud. What a whole experience that week was. I've never been back since.
Haha I have heard so many horror stories of flying in the Owens! I don't know if I'm lucky or just conservative, but in my 4 years and ~20 flights in the Owens, I haven't been in anything as crazy as you describe. Definitely felt white-knuckle lift and turbulence like nowhere else, of course!
@@sohamhanggliding I really enjoyed your video. It brought back memories of what a beautiful and interesting place the Owens Valley is. I'm remembering the time a bunch of us HG pilots camped out at Horseshoe Meadows in July without realizing that it can get cold enough way up there for water to start freezing overnight. Also, the time where I had a low save along the Whites, North of White Mountain Ranch where there are no access roads. I kept drifting North along the bottom of the foothills turning in zero sink and hoping to get close to a road, but then after a long time, I slowly started to climb. I'd had my harness unzipped because I was sweating like mad down that low. I ended up slowly climbing out and getting up above Boundary Peak for a 10,000'+ altitude gain. Then I ended up landing on a dry lake bed in Nevada were a bunch of other pilots had already landed. I threw my glider on a van along with some other pilots. Then we set out to find where the owner of the van had landed. That turned into a huge ordeal. It was night time before the van owner, with a weak radio battery, finally heard us and could see our headlights. Then we realized that we wouldn't have enough gas to both retrieve him and reach a gas station so we diverted to Tonopah for gas. By the time we retrieved and got back to Bishop it was passed 3:00 AM. All of us got a Zero score for that day's task because we couldn't drop off our turn point film before the deadline. Then we had to get up and fly the next day's task.
No, this flight was not turbulent by Owens Valley standards. The lift was never stronger than 1500 fpm (7.6 m/s) and averaged closer to 500-800 fpm (2-4 m/s). The thermal edges were not too hard, so I didn't "fall out" of thermals in a sudden or steep drop.
The textbook 100 mile Owens hang glider flight, with great narration. We were at Walt’s in the mid 80’s, July, maybe 9AM, when a B52 and fighters came in from the west and did terrain following down the ‘saddle’ ridge to the valley floor. Too early to launch HG’s, fortunately. It turns out that entire area can be ‘hot’ on weekdays, from 500’ AGL up.
Cool video, I was looking for the salt pits below Gunther where I had the "pleasure" of landing with my UP Condor 194 in 1982 as dummy for the Nationals.
Wow, I’ve heard about this place, but never flown in America. Thanks so much for the great photography, information, and brilliant presentation. Great job…
@@sohamhanggliding The Blade is terrific, with all the functionality you need in one instrument. A lot of pilots in the UK use the Kobo for its large screen - useful for navigating our complicated controlled airspace. Both instruments fit inside a sleek pod not unlike yours.
There isn't a lot of GA or commercial traffic out here - I've never seen any planes here in my ~50 hours. I have flown with sailplanes a couple times, we do need to watch out for each other!
Nice video Soham! I really like your commentary, which made it interesting and informative. That sagebrush stuff - is it all over the place there? You can't just land anywhere if you bomb out?
Thanks Darren! I've watched most of your commentary videos, really enjoyed them. Yes, most of Owens Valley is covered in sagebrush, but since it's short it's ok to land on it as a bailout option. There are large areas of hard volcanic rock that can look land-able from high up but must be avoided. There are a few clear patches of sand or dust, but it's good to be prepared to land on sagebrush. The best landing options are around the few towns in the valley - I've landed in nice large grassy fields in Big Pine and Bishop.
Thanks. There is only one way to start, that is to find a certified school near you, or travel to a school if it's not near you and stay there a few weeks and finish the training. Where are you based?
@@sohamhanggliding Thanks mate. I am based in Delhi, India. I am unsure of a good school near by. But I have a question, is it a safe sport in your sense and experience. Would be good to have your view on this.
Very nice video and fantastic glider. I flew Owens in 1995 and made the exact same mistake you did. My first flight I didn't have O2 and was struggling for air at 15,500'. I also was too impatient and left lift too early and my first flight only took me to Bishop. My second flight I made sure to take advantage of all the lift I could find. I followed the exact same path as you in my WW HP-AT158 except I arrived at Black Mountain half way down the mountain and spent some time scratching to get back up. Once on top of Black Mountain I encountered 1,500fpm up thermals and topped out at 17,300', what a rush. I was just bobbing along at cloud base through Montgomery Pass and landed in Mina, about 25 miles past the ranch. 125 miles and 7 hours in the air. My buddy, a 1st class petty officer in the navy, and I drank many many beers on the way back to China Lake ha ha (none of us were driving).
Fantastic video that brought back so many wonderful memories for me. Way back in May 1985 I flew my Progressive Air - ProStar hang glider from Walt's Point, HorseShoe Meadows to past Boundry Peak landing just across the Nevada State line near Highway 6. 103 miles I believe. Took me 6 hrs & 42 minutes. I lost a lot of time due to scratching in weak thermal lift once across the valley to Black Mt. & Westgart Pass. Left the Sierra at 14,500 and arrived over the Whites at only 6,500. Still finally climbed back to 14,000 just before passing White Mt..Peak. Best part of the flight was thermalling up from 11,000 wing tip to wing tip with two majestic American Bald Eagles to 15,500 about 15 miles N of Whitney!!! Truly felt like an Eagle at that point. Thanks for bringing back such great memories for me in this amazing video. I do wonder though, what camera.and battery did you use to last throughout the flight?
Great to hear about the same flight experience from many many years ago. I'm thankful to your generation for pioneering hanggliding in the Owens Valley. This flight is recorded on a camera mounted on the downtube, so I turn it on and off during the flight. I only recorded for about 1 hour in the 5+ hour flight.
@@sohamhanggliding Sorry. I assumed Ed Levin. I stand corrected . I did watch a few of your videos. I was really interested in the HWY 395 corridor flying though as I love the high sierras and that part of CA. Have done it many times on the motorcycle! That’s where I dream of flying.
How do you manage your camera battery? Just turn it on when relevant? Currently I fly with a Gopro at the keel (non 360) and even with remote / standby the battery hardly holds longer than 3h
Yes Erico, this camera setup allows me to turn it on and off during flight. It also makes editing easier, as I only recorded about 1 hour of the 5 hour flight. I sometimes use an extended battery which can record over 3 hours.
Excellent video. I finally left hang gliding in 2012, on good terms. But a funny story about a guy I knew who departed the sport in 1988 after an Owens Valley event. He had a decent flight in relatively strong thermals and was about 800 feet above the LZ setting up for a landing when a thermal caused him to do a very smooth, slow 360 degree barrel roll. He landed safely and was never seen again.
@@Candyapplebone Oh definitely. Quite the story. He had been well-known (was even a dealer for 2 glider manufacturers) but after getting barrel-rolled at low altitude, he packed up and no one heard from him again. Must have literally scared the c*** out of him.
That’s an excellent description of your trip, I didn’t realize one can travel that far with glider. I like the land marks you point out and different information you tell of like the popular tourist spot and the bristle pines age.
Thanks! I hope to make another video of a similar flight this year with my new camera and glider and the fresh snow in the Sierra Nevada. In case you didn't know, the longest flight on a hang-glider like mine is 475 miles. The longest in a sailplane glider is over 1800 miles!
![[Narrated] A tale of 8 fourteeners - my longest and highest flight](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/7wpIbHjYuFc/mqdefault.jpg)
Here is my critique: That was spectacular. Amazing glider and skillful pilot. The footage was excellent, the commentary was so good and informative and the flight was epic. This is one of the finest hanggliding films I had the pleasure to watch. Excellent job young man.
Thanks Gary! Reading comments like yours motivates me to make more such videos even though it takes a lot of time and effort.
Thanks much for sharing this extraordinary experience !
This is amazing. Quite an adventure. I use to fly gliders, sailplanes, in N CA. Never did anything like this. Didn’t know that the delta was so airworthy. Could this be done with a a paraglider, are they as airworthy or more subjected to rotor. And do they have the ability to penetrate like you. Thanks again.
@@roadboat9216 you're right that paragliders can handle less wind and turbulence than a hang glider, but they absolutely can fly long distances. The world record is 380 miles compared to 475 for hang gliders (both in Texas). Advanced paraglider pilots fly in the Owens Valley early or late in the season on light wind days when turbulence is tolerable.
Great compilation, fantastic commentary and I really appreciated the landmarks that you highlighted, it makes the viewing so much more engaging. Congrats! 👍💯
Flew there in 1975. Cerro Gordon on white range also. Great memories. Hang 4#212.
I've lived here for almost 50 years and it's an absolute delight to see this outstanding aerial footage of our mountains and valley. Thank you so much!
-- that is, I live in Benton Hot Springs. My neighbors and I are sharing this around, and we're all loving it! Feel free to "drop in" sometime -- we have a pretty good landing spot and we'll make you dinner!
@@joyfatooh1123 very happy to read that my video is being enjoyed your community! I will definitely take you up on the landing offer at Benton hot springs! We don’t like landing in the old airstrip at the abandoned ranch. We will likely be back there on memorial or Independence Day.
Same thought. I've hiked the trails there for years and how cool to see from the air, in HD no less. I think I saw some trout rising.
Epic you paid your dues to be able to fly like that!
Absolutely loved it I live on Goodale Creek , and That was the best view I’ve ever seen of the Owens Valley and Sierra Range
Thanks! You will enjoy my 2023 version of a similar flight, check it out (it's the latest one on my channel).
Thanks for sharing your flight..and great job !!
Fantastic job. It's been many years since I made that flight and this brings back great memories.
Great video. I loved your clear narration together with the tracklog insert. Thanks for taking the time to put this together.
Amazing video I flew gliders back in the UK in the 70's when we made our own. I mainly Kite foil now as I live next to the beach in Long Beach
Best video I’ve seen that shows other pilots how it’s done! Congrats on a great job showing what pilots can look forward to when they go for the milk run from Walts to Janies!
Great and beautiful flight! Owen's Valley is one of a kind for sure
Great video wit great views!! Thank you for posting it....
Excellent !!!, this is the sort of video about the Owens that we've been lacking and I've been wanting to make, but since I don't like doing video editing you've relieved me of that chore, many thanks, flight and editing well done !!!
Thanks Peter. Couldn't have done the flight or the detailed narration without all the discussions with you.
Very well narrated.
Superb, intelligent narrative and great flight. Such a pain when landings don't pan out as planned. In the grips of winter here in NZ so nice to live vicariously through your superb flight(s). My T2 has been very neglected of late.
Thanks James, hope you get a chance to fly here someday, and I get to fly in NZ someday.
I like the narration! For people unfamiliar with the site it is a nice touch.
Great video Soham. Excellent recording and editing. The scene at 8:12 pretty much says it all !
Those rugged mountains are beautiful...and menacing. Great piloting, Soham. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for sharing this great video from the Owens Valley with us! Good job! That awakens memories in me.
I was flying back in 1990 with a Wills Wing HP 2 world team glider there. I love the Owens Valley, we had a great time there.
I remember flying to Luning (Nevada) some times. The american pilots called me afterwards mister Luning ;-)!
After watching your video I wish to fly there once again...with my rigid wing if possible.
Thanks Tony. It's crazy that I still haven't flown beyond Janie's. Something in me doesn't want to fly into the emptiness of Nevada but hopefully in 2024. You will enjoy my 2023 version of a similar flight, check it out (it's the latest one on my channel).
Then. In 2007 I did the reverse from Tehachapi to Walt’s point in my Sparrow Hawk glider.
Good times indeed!
Excellent video, gorgeous scenery, and impressive flying, Soham! The narration was really great too! Well done on all fronts!
Thanks, appreciate your appreciation!
Really nice edit and descriptions.
Well done brilliant video about why we do it 😍
Thanks Nick!
Holey MoonRocks! Great video. Brings back memories of this same flight I did back in 1985 in my UP C1. Back then Jamie’s Ranch was open for business and had certificates on the walls of others who did this 100 Mile flight.
जब मैं फिसलना लटका करते थे, वहां केवल दो या तीन एशियाइयों खेल का पीछा कर रहे थे । बधाई हो, सोहम अपने ओवेंस घाटी उड़ानों पर,
Great flight and an awesome video!
Fab video and excellent narration - just getting back into hang gliding after a lay-off, and these kinds of videos help to remind me of what I've been missing and why it's important to follow my passion. Have signed up for an aerotow competition in May (and paid the entry fee!) to ensure it happens.
Just amazing!
this is awesome
Espetacular vôo...belas imagens ...parece lunares... termal poderosas..sempre ouvir falar cada 10 asas pelo menos 1 capotava...não sei se verdade....parabéns por proporcionar e compartilhar seu belo vôo...
Rio de janeiro
Brasil
Thanks for the comment! This place can be dangerous to fly but if you check the weather and be conservative you can be safe. Gliders are much safer than they used to be.
Well done … enjoyed that one. One day I will make it out that way !
I flew through here so many times in airplane, mostly I feel scared and in awe every time I am here. Just wondering, what do you do if you want to pee since your flight lasts more than 3-4 hours?
Thank you for being an indian youtuber that actually speaks coherent english.
Very nice video really inspires me to get training please make more videos.
I first completed this flight in 1991 whilst practicing with the British team before the US nationals. On another memorable day there was overdevelopment at the north end of the Whites so two of us went due east over the back of the whites and flew on into Nevada for several hours. I wish we had GoPro cameras 30 years ago!!. Excellent footage and commentary.
Really enjoyed that. Brought back some memories from the days when we didn't have tiny video cams onboard. What an amazing landscape to fly over.
amazing, what do you do about the moa's in that area. are you using flight follow or local airport rf. the jets that fly around there are no joke
The MOA jets usually stay far south of Lone Pine, I've never encountered them and others have reported them near our launch area only a couple times in the last few years. Further, we fly pretty close to the mountains (except valley crossings or when we get very high) where the jets are unlikely to fly.
According to www.aopa.org/news-and-media/all-news/2000/march/pilot/california-flying-(3) :
"The Owens MOA has its own high-traffic point. Several low-levels cross Owens Lake on generally east-west headings. A few of these low-level routes continue up the east side of the Owens Valley, only turning to the southeast near the complex’s northern border near Bishop. Incidentally, the low-levels used in the complex are not printed on sectionals, and FSS is not notified of their activation because they are part of the MOA airspace."
This is a wonderful video. Thank you for taking the time to put it together. I've traveled all over the Owens Valley region on the ground and have goals to get up there via paraglider one day.
Epic adventure!
whoever disliked this video, please go cuddle a puppy dog or kitten, you fucken need it
Haha Steven, even that will not help this person. There's a local pilot who goes around disliking everyone's videos.
@@sohamhanggliding This video got me back in the air after a 12 year break, thanks mate
Great video Soham!. I am planning to start hang gliding in the near future.
I’m H2 pilot, how do you avoid aircraft at that height
The views are unbelievable, what was your average climb rate?
It changes a lot depending on location and time of day. Some climbs were slow 200 fpm, some averaged 1000 fpm for several turns. Then there were the rowdy ones, 1500 fpm for half a turn and 500 down for the second half.
Great flight. Loved the narration.
Another great flight Soham - well done!
Wow, four hours or more in the air, up to 14,000 plus feet in altitude. Wow, is all I can think of. Even recently, I've watched videos with tens of thousands of views, and thousands of comments. And, none of those videos are as impressive as this one! Btw, I was raised in San Diego, CA, and took a backpacking trip in 1976 up the Sierras, near Palisade Glacier. I think that was only 13,000 feet, and on the ground. Well done, Soham.
Thanks! Sometimes even I find it hard to believe my reality when I'm up there at 15-16000 ft looking down at the giant mountains! Speaking of the Palisade glacier, I've only seen it from the air from miles away when I'm not very high. I saw it last weekend and it was looking quite fat. The goal for the next flight is to fly much closer to it and also the entire Palisade crest.
Otherworldly, and your enthusiasm is a great buzz. Thank you for sharing something so inspiring, God bless you. 👍👏👏👏
Thanks! I love discovering a new place from the air. Have you watched my 2023 version of the Owens valley flight? Its titled "A tale of 8 fourteeners".
Going to have to rewatch in VR.
Really enjoyed your flight - especially over the Whites, which we don't get to see from this perspective. Spent many years backpacking all over the E. Sierra but seeing it from a hang glider is like a dream. Thats me driving on 395 down there!
Thanks Larry! Did you see my latest video flying at the same place? I think that's my best video yet and much better than this one!
Awesome! This makes the Owen's Valley look a just a little less scary, lol!
Thanks Luke. This flight was mostly comfortable, but I have been in bad turbulence on other flights - never came close to tumble or rollover yet, though I've experienced those at other places. It's wise to never drop your guard when flying in the Owens Valley; it is truly the most hard-core place for unpowered flight. But, an experienced thermal pilot can handle it with the right preparation. There's no need to fear the Owens, just respect it.
My old stomping grounds. 🎉
HOW CAN I GET INTO HANG GLIDING IN TEXAS??
Try 100 + miles from Hobbs / Roswell NM , or 200 or 300 . Same for from Marfa tx ( and stay below 18000 ft ) or from La Luz NM .
A good friend flew a 100 mile triangle from Hobbs , landed with in 50 feet of the hanger . Aero tow on all .
Hi there. Please tell me , what is the gear you are using for the flight. I would really want to know that. Thanks! Great video by the way!
as mentioned in the beginning of the video, I am flying a Wills Wing T3-144 with a Rotor Havana harness. Anything specific you want to know?
How long did it take to travel 100 miles?
A little more than 5 hours! Fast pilots can do it in under 4 hours, and then they continue into Nevada to go for 200 or more miles!
A bit low at 12,000 ft😮! Wow
Wow, this is one of the best viewing videos I've seen from out west- spectacular views of the mountains.
Wow, thanks! Have you seen the my 2023 version of a similar flight? It's this one: th-cam.com/video/7wpIbHjYuFc/w-d-xo.html
Did you need to use your oxygen at all?
@@Strickalator yes I did use it. Automatic system turns on above 10K feet.
Loved living and flying the Owens, nice vid......wack!!!
It's a magical place to live, walk and fly for sure! I'm sad about the water shortage and politics.
Very impressive!
I had a blast flying the Owens Valley from the Gunter launch during the 1991 Nationals. Oh to have had a modern glider and a modern oxygen system back in the day! That would have made it comfortable. I found the strongest thermals that I have ever flown in. And cloud suck, if you think that you need to take a few more turns under a cloud for an advantage then you are wrong. I learned the hard way by getting spit out of the side of a cloud at 17,999 feet after much chaos and panic inside of the cloud. What a whole experience that week was. I've never been back since.
Haha I have heard so many horror stories of flying in the Owens! I don't know if I'm lucky or just conservative, but in my 4 years and ~20 flights in the Owens, I haven't been in anything as crazy as you describe. Definitely felt white-knuckle lift and turbulence like nowhere else, of course!
@@sohamhanggliding I really enjoyed your video. It brought back memories of what a beautiful and interesting place the Owens Valley is. I'm remembering the time a bunch of us HG pilots camped out at Horseshoe Meadows in July without realizing that it can get cold enough way up there for water to start freezing overnight. Also, the time where I had a low save along the Whites, North of White Mountain Ranch where there are no access roads. I kept drifting North along the bottom of the foothills turning in zero sink and hoping to get close to a road, but then after a long time, I slowly started to climb. I'd had my harness unzipped because I was sweating like mad down that low. I ended up slowly climbing out and getting up above Boundary Peak for a 10,000'+ altitude gain. Then I ended up landing on a dry lake bed in Nevada were a bunch of other pilots had already landed. I threw my glider on a van along with some other pilots. Then we set out to find where the owner of the van had landed. That turned into a huge ordeal. It was night time before the van owner, with a weak radio battery, finally heard us and could see our headlights. Then we realized that we wouldn't have enough gas to both retrieve him and reach a gas station so we diverted to Tonopah for gas. By the time we retrieved and got back to Bishop it was passed 3:00 AM. All of us got a Zero score for that day's task because we couldn't drop off our turn point film before the deadline. Then we had to get up and fly the next day's task.
Great video!
You are a skilled and daring pilot. Brave and knowledgeable . I enjoyed every minute of the video. Subbed.
It looks like a quiet turbulent flight. Was it?
No, this flight was not turbulent by Owens Valley standards. The lift was never stronger than 1500 fpm (7.6 m/s) and averaged closer to 500-800 fpm (2-4 m/s). The thermal edges were not too hard, so I didn't "fall out" of thermals in a sudden or steep drop.
The textbook 100 mile Owens hang glider flight, with great narration. We were at Walt’s in the mid 80’s, July, maybe 9AM, when a B52 and fighters came in from the west and did terrain following down the ‘saddle’ ridge to the valley floor. Too early to launch HG’s, fortunately. It turns out that entire area can be ‘hot’ on weekdays, from 500’ AGL up.
Cool video, I was looking for the salt pits below Gunther where I had the "pleasure" of landing with my UP Condor 194 in 1982 as dummy for the Nationals.
Wow, I’ve heard about this place, but never flown in America.
Thanks so much for the great photography, information, and brilliant presentation.
Great job…
Good
What instruments do you fly with? I have a power pod with a naviter hyper at the front and a kobo bluefly running xc soar.
Nice! I use only one instrument a type, usually my Naviter Blade. I prefer the flying to be as free from digital distractions as reasonably possible
@@sohamhanggliding The Blade is terrific, with all the functionality you need in one instrument. A lot of pilots in the UK use the Kobo for its large screen - useful for navigating our complicated controlled airspace. Both instruments fit inside a sleek pod not unlike yours.
Incredible stuff! I hiked up Boundary peak in 2017!
Hiking up there is definitely harder than flying 100 miles to it!
@@sohamhanggliding i dont know about that, only took me 3:20 to go up and down. That big mountain air you fly in is pretty intense!!
How do you GPS your way to your destination?
@@dr.strange6458 I fly with a small instrument that shows me on a map using GPS. You can see it to the left of my head
I hope airplane pilots in the area have eyes out for you!
There isn't a lot of GA or commercial traffic out here - I've never seen any planes here in my ~50 hours. I have flown with sailplanes a couple times, we do need to watch out for each other!
Nice video Soham! I really like your commentary, which made it interesting and informative. That sagebrush stuff - is it all over the place there? You can't just land anywhere if you bomb out?
Thanks Darren! I've watched most of your commentary videos, really enjoyed them.
Yes, most of Owens Valley is covered in sagebrush, but since it's short it's ok to land on it as a bailout option. There are large areas of hard volcanic rock that can look land-able from high up but must be avoided. There are a few clear patches of sand or dust, but it's good to be prepared to land on sagebrush. The best landing options are around the few towns in the valley - I've landed in nice large grassy fields in Big Pine and Bishop.
Great commentary and beautiful flight and great scenery 😍😍😍
This is incredible glad I found this by mistake.
It was a nice video. I am interested in starting this sport but unsure how to start, can you guide me.
Thanks. There is only one way to start, that is to find a certified school near you, or travel to a school if it's not near you and stay there a few weeks and finish the training. Where are you based?
@@sohamhanggliding Thanks mate. I am based in Delhi, India. I am unsure of a good school near by. But I have a question, is it a safe sport in your sense and experience. Would be good to have your view on this.
great flight, edit and narration Soham ! Almost like I was there :)
Very nice video and fantastic glider. I flew Owens in 1995 and made the exact same mistake you did. My first flight I didn't have O2 and was struggling for air at 15,500'. I also was too impatient and left lift too early and my first flight only took me to Bishop.
My second flight I made sure to take advantage of all the lift I could find. I followed the exact same path as you in my WW HP-AT158 except I arrived at Black Mountain half way down the mountain and spent some time scratching to get back up. Once on top of Black Mountain I encountered 1,500fpm up thermals and topped out at 17,300', what a rush. I was just bobbing along at cloud base through Montgomery Pass and landed in Mina, about 25 miles past the ranch. 125 miles and 7 hours in the air. My buddy, a 1st class petty officer in the navy, and I drank many many beers on the way back to China Lake ha ha (none of us were driving).
Thanks for sharing the story. That must have been a life-changing experience, as it was for me!
Do you carry a parachute ?
Yes, all hang-gliders and para-gliders carry a reserve safety parachute. I've never needed to use mine (in my ~600 hours of flying).
Fantastic video that brought back so many wonderful memories for me. Way back in May 1985 I flew my Progressive Air - ProStar hang glider from Walt's Point, HorseShoe Meadows to past Boundry Peak landing just across the Nevada State line near Highway 6. 103 miles I believe. Took me 6 hrs & 42 minutes. I lost a lot of time due to scratching in weak thermal lift once across the valley to Black Mt. & Westgart Pass. Left the Sierra at 14,500 and arrived over the Whites at only 6,500. Still finally climbed back to 14,000 just before passing White Mt..Peak. Best part of the flight was thermalling up from 11,000 wing tip to wing tip with two majestic American Bald Eagles to 15,500 about 15 miles N of Whitney!!! Truly felt like an Eagle at that point.
Thanks for bringing back such great memories for me in this amazing video. I do wonder though, what camera.and battery did you use to last throughout the flight?
Great to hear about the same flight experience from many many years ago. I'm thankful to your generation for pioneering hanggliding in the Owens Valley. This flight is recorded on a camera mounted on the downtube, so I turn it on and off during the flight. I only recorded for about 1 hour in the 5+ hour flight.
Such a great video!! Thank you, Soham!
Awesome vid, flight and narration. When do you start using O2 ? Makes sense that you have it at those altitudes.
I have a popular O2 system that starts delivering automatically above 10,000 ft, and delivers more the higher you go.
@@pentachronic thanks, but I trained for PG in Vallejo with Penguinparagliding.com
Did you see my newer version of this video from 2023?
@@sohamhanggliding Sorry. I assumed Ed Levin. I stand corrected . I did watch a few of your videos. I was really interested in the HWY 395 corridor flying though as I love the high sierras and that part of CA. Have done it many times on the motorcycle! That’s where I dream of flying.
@@pentachronic yes it's a special place for sure! Remote, intimidating and spiritually beautiful
That is spectacular thank you so much for sharing
How do you manage your camera battery? Just turn it on when relevant?
Currently I fly with a Gopro at the keel (non 360) and even with remote / standby the battery hardly holds longer than 3h
Yes Erico, this camera setup allows me to turn it on and off during flight. It also makes editing easier, as I only recorded about 1 hour of the 5 hour flight. I sometimes use an extended battery which can record over 3 hours.
Oh man…👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
@@StrumVogel if you like this, you should watch my 2023 version of a similar flight.
Excellent video. I finally left hang gliding in 2012, on good terms. But a funny story about a guy I knew who departed the sport in 1988 after an Owens Valley event. He had a decent flight in relatively strong thermals and was about 800 feet above the LZ setting up for a landing when a thermal caused him to do a very smooth, slow 360 degree barrel roll. He landed safely and was never seen again.
lol do you think the thermal spin spooked him out of the sport?
@@Candyapplebone Oh definitely. Quite the story. He had been well-known (was even a dealer for 2 glider manufacturers) but after getting barrel-rolled at low altitude, he packed up and no one heard from him again. Must have literally scared the c*** out of him.
That’s an excellent description of your trip, I didn’t realize one can travel that far with glider. I like the land marks you point out and different information you tell of like the popular tourist spot and the bristle pines age.
Thanks! I hope to make another video of a similar flight this year with my new camera and glider and the fresh snow in the Sierra Nevada.
In case you didn't know, the longest flight on a hang-glider like mine is 475 miles. The longest in a sailplane glider is over 1800 miles!
@@sohamhanggliding Damn. 475 miles ! where was that record set ? Must have been a long mountain range somewhere!
Awesome
talk about talk, its to much