Hull Mt. 4-18-15

Jon J, Jim F, Mike K, myself with Leo J, along to drive headed up to Hull for the day.  Mike had been up to his cabin earlier in the week and reported not seeing snow on the Mt. so we figured we'd give it a try.

We stopped at the Bluebird Café in Hopland for breakfast on the way up. good eats!

The forecast was for a convergence area with some moisture entailed in it to produce clouds over the region and we were seeing this before we got into the basin of Lake Pillsbury.

We picked up Rick from the Bay Area in the LZ and headed up after securing some streamers and a wind sock.  Believe we are the first to fly Hull this year. Lake is way below normal spring levels.

Nice cycles at Timberline Launch when we arrived so we rigged quickly and I got off first at 1:44.Climbed out slowly to the right of launch, up over the top and into Rattlesnake Canyon to hook into some better lift and took it up to 8000' over the peak.

Cloudbase was still 3000' higher so headed out Windy Ridge under the dark clouds and got into the good stuff, 1000' up max on the averager to 11064' my highest altitude of the day.

Pulled in to avoid the White Room and headed west over toward Sanhedrin Ridge with more clouds forming that way.   Some rough spots in the sky but nothing serious as the winds were converging from lots of different directions. 

I headed south toward Elk Mt. to see what the air was like out in the blue after playing with the clouds for awhile.  It was pretty buoyant and I was still at 9000' when I crossed the Eel river. I turned back soon thereafter not hitting any lift, with enough alt. to make it back to the clouds.

Hit very strong lift and ratty air which I made some turns in but then decided I didn't like so headed out of it. Still gained 2000' doing it.  It was raining on the mt. by then with a few lightening strikes so I flew out over Lake Pillsbury and found some smooth air to descend in before landing.

Nice landing in 12 mph winds off the Lake. 1hr 33mns. TAT

Thanks for coming out and driving for us Leo, and thankyou again Mike for bringing your big rig to take us there.

We had dinner and drinks at the brewery in Cloverdale on the way home. Nice way to spend a beautiful spring day. Life Is Good.

Here's the pics (click to enlarge).

Jon and Leo see me off

Nice clouds

Not much snow on the Peak for April 18th

Pulling away from the White Room

More clouds toward San Hedrin . St. John, Snow Mt. and Goat behind me.

 

Rain beginning to drop on the peak.

Lake Pillsburys a bit low for this time of year.

 

The LZ is nice and dry

Nice landing but a little short of the spot.

Jon, Jim, Leo, and Rick plus Dazzle on the ground. Mike came in shortly.
Beautiful spring day!