Chiefs Sunday 5-6-12

[dteal]

Looking to fly from Chiefs on Sunday since the road is now open. I have a driver, but need a 4WD vehicle with HG rack. Call 805-795-7979
Dave Teal

[sd]

Sunday's weather looked classic to fly back to the beach from Pine. The lapse rate above 6K was strong and the wind aloft forecast reasonable, but might have needed to launch north side. The forecasted upper level flow from the NE was light in the morning and building to 15ish in the afternoon. There was an enticing NW/NE convergence over Old Man Mountain with good CU development visible from the coast.

Had we only known the roads were open. Through the weekend, the Ojai Ranger District web site listed both the Nordhoff Ridge Road and the Pine Mountain / Rayes Peak Road as closed with an expected opening date around mid May, but we noticed a lot of vehicle traffic at Chiefs Launch on Saturday. The vehicle occupants said the road was open and they got their permit from the ranger station in Ojai. As of Monday morning the ranger district web site is current, listing both roads as open (but you do need a permit and a 4WD vehicle to access the Nordhoff Ridge Road). http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/lpnf/alerts-notices/?cid=stelprdb5309152

[BobA]

only sledders in town from Skyport/Eliminator...Plowshare on Sunday had 8 pilots to 11k...posted Adam Dobbs on the Santa Barbara Pilot Zone group on fb...