Getting in Deep

A tour of the next ring of peaks (as if Rampart Ridge wasn't scenic enough)

I'll start with a picture that's not too exciting but the incident was. We ran off launch and onto the up elevator. Almost pulled me out of my shoes. I was still climbing on my way back to the cliffs when I see this bird headed straight for me. I was just getting started so I didn't have my camera out yet. The bird stayed on a collision course until he was about 10 feet from my head where he wanged over showing the beautiful spotty black and white plumage of a Gyrfalcon. That shot got away but he stayed close while I took this one. This bird really liked Brian and followed him around for the longest time. BTW you can just barely make out Mt. Rainier and Mt. Adams in the distance.

We climb out quickly to 7,400. It's a blue high pressure day and the top of the thermals gradually come down over the next 3 hours but the air is nice and smooth for the most part. I decide to see how far north I can get and aim for Alta Mt. (middle right)

Here it is getting closer. The usual big sink hole right about here was not home today so... on we go.

I arrive there over the top but cruise around to get a few shots and I end up a bit low on the far side.

I figure I should bail if I don't find lift but I can't help taking just a few more pictures of the beautifully colored earth here and I end up a bit lower still.

Hang glider pilots will relate to a funny feeling in the stomach when seeing the nearest landing area so far in the distance.