Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Sunday July 13 Sail Plane Fly-by

Anyone who summited last Sunday (July 13)around noon, how about that sail plane that buzzed the summit? was that cool or what! In my seven trips to Whitney its the first time Ive ever seen that. I did see a sail plane buzz San Jacinto a couple of years ago. Are those pilots really good or really crazy? That day on San Jacinto two women flashed the pilot. Maybe thats why they do it. No flashers or mooners last sunday.

Hello to the group from Escondido we shared the switchbacks with. (We were Rick and Tom) Can you still smell the solar toilets?

P.S. being an addict of this board I also really got a kick seeing fellow hikers gathered on the southeastern most rock calling wives, children, parents and friends on cell phones. (Yes, my friend and I called our wives to let them we made it.)

I was at the top two Saturdays ago, and there were 5 sailplanes in the area of the summit. They look so small at first that I thought they were model airplanes. But some guy in a beard buzzed the summit. I could have almost reached out and touched his wingtip. It looked like Snoopy.

Last year a guy had more balls and did a loop directly over the summit, finishing no more than forty feet above it.

In 1988, I was at a window when an F-14 flew through. I could see both men in the crew. Other than thinking I might be shaken off the mountain, I remember the pilot looking back, and I was close enoough to see the black and yellow ribbon around the ejector seat handle.

Certainly with all the traffic on the mountain, somebody will soon get plastered to the peak.

I've also seen sailplanes buzz San Jac, and you're right, it looks pretty cool. For the most part, the pilots are good, but occasionally run into problems. Last summer, a pilot out of Driggs, Idaho flew into the leeward side of the Tetons, tried to fly back under conditions of decreased wind and lift, and crashed into the Grand. I'm a former pilot and always tried to avoid large, hard objects like mountains, especially when they make their own unpredictable weather. With all the air traffic in the Owens Valley and around the Sierra, it's a matter of time before someone splatters the summit, maybe taking out a few hikers as well.

Was at the top of New Army Pass Sunday and saw the sail plane cross over Langley ... VERY cool! I guess they're just thrill seekers of another sort.

I got buzzed by a sail plane on San Jacinto last year. That evening, after I got home and was watching the late news, they mentioned a sail plane had crashed on San Jacinto, killing the pilot. Made me feel a little sad, like I knew him or something...

Nine years ago on first summit I was at the windows and a white sailplane was just THERE! Came up like a big shark and I jumped so much I almost fell off the west side of the trail. I scrambled to get my camcorder ready, but he never came back. I think someday I'll try to hitch a ride. My dad flew gliders and taught me (I never could land the thing, though.) He says if you pay the owner the tow fee you can usually get a free ride.

When I was passing by the window's on my way to the summit on the 25th of june this year, a nighthawk flew right over and I got a picture of that son of a gun!
Matt

Yes! I saw a sail plane near the summit on July 13 also. It was earlier in the morning, probably around 7:00. I wonder if it was the same plane you saw.

As an avid climber/hiker and a licenced glider pilot, I can tell you that doing a fly-by on Mt. Whitney is not particularly unsafe if you know what you are doing and are experienced in mountain flying. I've been as high as 25,000 ft in a glider (with O2) and I can tell you it is quite an experience. It's a challenge in a whole different dimension. I've been thinking about trying to combine my passion for climbing and my passion for flying -- perhaps paragliding off the top of Whitney? Anyone know if it's legal/been done?

By the way, most glider clubs have something like a trial 1-day membership where you can go for a ride or two and try it out. If you like it, join.

Have fun. See you on the mountain (by foot) in September. (Or above it perhaps earlier?)

There was a white sailplane flying the ridge from Muir to Whitney on June 14th when I was up there. It was probably 100-200' above the ridgeline.

There was also a Cessna about 2,000 below the summit and about 2-3 miles west, heading northeast. Looked like he was heading for the pass north of Whitney to get to the Owens Valley.

I fly also but only piston powered and I doubt I could get above 14,000 without a turbo.