Chelan July 7: US Nationals/Canadian Nationals/Pre-PWC practice day


I'm now in Chelan, WA for the combined US/Canadian Nationals/Pre-PWC, which actually starts tomorrow.  Today was a practice day and launch was very busy with pilots getting their gear sorted and figuring the site out.  The Butte is very green for this time of year...usually by now the grass has gone all yellow and dried (if not burned), but there is plenty of greenery still on the Butte which indicates it's been a wet spring so far.  I did see one fire to the south near Wenatchee but nothing that should impact the comp.

Most pilots opted to do the usual cross-over-to-the-flats and fly to Mansfield or return, or Sims Corner and return, but a smaller group of us decided to fly back towards Lake Chelan along the mountains rimming the southern edge of the lake.

Lots of nice cu's in the mountain passes but not so many around the lake (the northern side of the lake had no cu's), so I didn't go too far.  Lots of lift out front and easy to stay up in the vicinity of the Butte.

Since we had to be in Chelan to get registered and waypoints downloaded etc, most pilots didn't go too far either, and landed at Chelan Falls LZ for an easy flight and no hassles.  There were reports of a pilot who landed in McNeil Canyon, and I'm sure several other pilots landed on the flats either in Mansfield or on the way to Mansfield.

There are about 24 Canadians here for the comp and tomorrow is looking very good weather-wise.  Fingers crossed we get a good task tomorrow!

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