Home to Ocean hike

I was dreaming about walking from my home to ocean for couple of year, but finally did it. Its a relatively easy 20 miles hike with only 1300 ft elevation gain. It took me 6:26 hours to complete it.

I started at 5:50. During first part through San Fernando valley I had constant feeling that I'm in Mexico. Apartments looks exactly like Posadas, people on gas stations filling junk cars. Next part was Topanga State Park, which I crossed from north to south. Trail is a fire road in the beginning (with lots of bikes):

eventually turn into small trail on Temescal ridge:

After exit from the park I entered into completely different city with rich houses, different people walking on the streets and after another few miles arrive to the ocean:

NorCal XC League, Dunlap, April 2011

A lot of new faces, probably over 30 pilots participated. Weather was not epic, but good enough to move around. We even made it out from Dunlap valley on the second day. First day we had a fishbowl task with 3 valley crossing and goal at ranger station. I tag all waypoints, but did not make it to goal unfortunately. I should probably stay on the west side of GRNY ridge longer rather than fall back to Dunlap valley. 4 pilots in goal with Josh win the day.
Sunday's task was more interesting LASTCH->AIRSTR->BIGCAT->SQVAL(3km)->SNDCRK(3km)->SQVAL. Cloud base was almost at launch altitude and a lot of clouds, so right strategy were to fishing for sun spots in the valley instead of usual ridge flying. Many pilots struggle and finally landed near first waypoint. I managed to get up slowly and flew toward launch where I find a strong thermal. Everybody else take a direct route with slow climbs. But after all we all arrived to GRNY at the same altitude. Timo and Josh were in the lead and gliding toward BIGCAT already. Our gaggle tag AIRSTR, but then we split. I find a better thermal and try to catch up with Josh. Timo was low scratching over BIGCAT where he landed eventually. Josh was climbing, but then he moved toward 49917, which was overcast. Jug joined me and after we topped out we flew toward ranger station. Slow climb there, but we managed to establish on BALD Mt. Jug had extra altitude and flew to SQVAL first. I waited 10 minutes or so for next cycle, climb and continue to SQVAL. There was several pilots over ranger station, including Josh who did not climb out. Ruth hill did not word very well, but I had low save over valley and dive into next valley toward SNDCRK. Landed on the same field with Jug.

NorCal XC league in Dunlap from Alex Gagarin on Vimeo.

My track log:
http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/435624
Results:
http://norcalxcleague.pgcomps.net/comps

Kagel to Lukens and back, 20 miles

Original plan was to fly from Kagel to Marshall, but day was too weak for such task. I started at 11:37 and first half an hour was straggling to maintain couple hundred over launch. Then Jonathan join me and we left for the east. It was difficult to establish on Big-T (as usual), but after 3 attempts I finally get up there and catch up with Jonathan. Then we glide to Little Lukens, get up there and continue to antennas. Most of the canyons until Lukens are landable, but next gap over highway 2 is wide and land there is problematic. It was obvious that we don't have enough altitude to jump toward Mt. Wilson, so I turn around and flew back. When I arrive to Kagel day turned on and it was easy to move around. Here is a Jonathan's video of the day:



My track log:
http://www.paraglidingforum.com/leonardo/flight/431394

Snowboarding at Lake Tahoe

Its about 8 hours drive from Los Angeles to Lake Tahoe, but with chains installation and slow traffic just before the pass on highway 50 it took us 10 hours. I was at Tahoe before, but never ski or snowboard, so this was my first winter trip there. There are 10+ ski resorts around lake and my choice was Heavenly because of close proximity to Motel 6 in South Lake Tahoe where we stayed. Well, that was a bad choice. Conditions was perfect with a lot of fresh snow, but resort does not designed very well, it takes forever to move from one side of the mounting to another. You have to unhook board because trails is not steep enough. There are couple good, steep trails on Nevada side, but there is no lift in the bottom. You have to walk along park boarder to lift for 15-20 minutes. So, I had a mixed feelings: on one side we enjoined by fresh snow and some good trails as well as gorgeous lake view, but on the other side I was disappointed, Mammoth Lakes so much better in terms of park design and trails available.

Monarca Paragliding Open 2011

This was my second Monarca. Conditions was perfect as expected, we flew everyday and only one task was cancelled due to strong wind. I was much more confident this time in flying and stay around 45-ish place whole comp, but did not tag a start cylinder last day, so drop to 57 (out of 109) overall. There is no results for serial class, but my estimation is 28 (out 76 or so). I had one scary moment when trying to get out from cloud suck on big ears and went to deep stall -> full stall -> cravat -> etc. It was my first cascade on Venus-2, lost about 150 meters, but finally exit fine. Good idea was to apply speed bar with big ears, which could prevent deep stall in the first place, but I did not realize how important its to use speed bar with ears at that time. Now I know. Here is a video:

Valle de Bravo, Mexico 2011 from Alex Gagarin on Vimeo.

Happy New Year

This time we join our friends to celebrate New Year holidays in mountains near Big Bear Lake. Weather was great sunny with fresh snow, ideal conditions for snowboarding.

Big Bear Mountain Snowboarding from Alex Gagarin on Vimeo.

Alta Peak hike

Forecast was for 20% chance of rain on Saturday, but I was desperate to go hiking in Sierra before winter comes in. I saw small bear in Potwisha campground on Friday night, he came to check out what I'm cooking on fire, which is smells so good. Wake up at 6:30 and on trail by 8:00. It starts from Wolverton parking lot (GPS 36.5966, -118.7341), 1.8 miles via Lakes Trail, then 1.0 mile via Panther Gap trail. Until this point you walking in forest and there in not much to see, but after you have a gorgeous view on canyon to your right and high peaks in front. You continue another 4.2 miles to Alts Peak (36.5906, -118.6611, elevation: 11,204 ft/3415 m). It took me 4 hours to get there and 3.5 to come back. Snow/rain finally catch me on the way back.