Photo Page 5

Every fall, The Greater Boston Soaring Club sends a tow plane and several club gliders to Gorham, NH to soar in the Mt Washington wave. Mt Washington is the highest mountain in the northeast US at 6,288 feet (1,917 meters) - I know, a hill for some of you :-). Here is a shot of my LS-6b "6N" and the Cessna Skylane, N1869X, that I own a (small) piece of at the Gorham airport. 1 October 2005.

Lined up for departure and waiting for the tow plane. The club's Blanik L-13 has just landed.

Mt Washington summit.  The view is toward the west and was taken at about 8000 feet. This was on a very weak wave day that got me to 11,600 ft. On a good wave day, more than twice that altitude can be achieved. Mt Washington is known for rapidly changing weather and has the worlds highest recorded wind speed of 231 mph (370 kph). 135 hikers have died on the mountain since 1849. See http://www.mountwashington.com/. Access to the summit is via an auto road from the east and a cog railway from the west.

On another flight above Mt. Washington, the view from 15,350 feet.

On the same flight as above. Photo by Peter Stauble and Tim Greenwood flying the club's Blanik L-13.

For shots like this, careful planning and radio communication is required to keep it safe. The L-13 was maybe a wing-span away.

High flights, above 13,000 feet or so, require supplemental oxygen.