Contact, Tim Culligan WVSC Vice President, tim_c@comcast.net

The Alvord Safari dates this year are from Saturday, June 20th through Saturday, June 27th. Our club has done this trip for years during the 3rd week in July but we are trying an earlier date this year. A few of us will likely arrive the day before on Friday, June 19th to start setting up camp. At the end of the trip, we’ll pack up camp on Sunday morning, June 28th and drive back to Portland. It’s an all-day drive. The camp takes a community effort to run. Everyone is also expected to take turns driving or spotting in the tow vehicle and running wing during launches.

To fly with us, you will need to be checked out on the “wire” for launch with our CFIG. It may take as few as 3 tows to get checked out but that depends on the discretion of the CFIG. Checkout will occur using one of WVSC’s two place ships. We’ll have either a Blanik L23 or a Grob 103. A $60 WVSC Temporary Membership would be required in addition to the Alvord fee of $220 and a renter’s insurance policy in the amount of $50K. A membership in SGC is also required. Skywatch.ai is the company many of our club members use for renter’s insurance. The Alvord is BLM land and we are required to obtain a permit and pay the BLM fee based on the number of people attending the event. Deadline for commitment to the trip will be at the end of May.

We use an unusual launch method utilizing an auto and a 4000’ long wire. The Alvord playa is a huge dry lake bed that extends about 11 miles north to south and about 7 miles east to west. The playa elevation is at 4000’MSL and the release height from the wire is typically 6000’ MSL. Wind conditions can be very turbulent. It can get dicey in the Alvord and severe weather can move through rapidly. In addition to the two-place ship, the club typically brings 1 or 2 single place ships including an SZD-51 Junior and possibly the HpH304. To fly these ships, you would need to be checked out by our CFIG.

Are you planning to camp and if so, what with? You would need to be prepared for sudden, very high winds. If not camping, there is a small motel about 20 miles to the south in Fields Station, OR that only has 4 units or at the Alvord Hot Springs nearby that has metal “bunk houses”. I’m not recommending these places either way, just mentioning them. Ten miles of the trip between Fields Station and the camp is on a gravel road.

Since we are camping, you have the option to purchase the meal plan for $250 which provides three meals each day but does not include personal water, soda or other beverages. Breakfast and dinner are typically communal activities in camp. The morning briefing / safety meeting happens after breakfast at 9am. We go over events of the previous day including a review of safety related items, the weather forecast, nearby MOA activity, etc.

Oregon Field Guide did a segment about us one year that gives an idea of the type of flying and camaraderie we share. https://video.wttw.com/video/alvord-desert-gliders-z23lvz/
Camping in the desert is an adventure. Let me know what other questions you have.