Black Cap
1.5 miles NE of Lakeview
Soarable: Ridge and thermal, needs S-SW (but typical
for the area) winds, excellent X-C
potential to the N-NE with S-SW winds.
This has proven to be an excellent afternoon glass-off site, with gain
to 11,000+`MSL, but use caution as it can have smooth but strong lift, being
hard to get down from these altitudes at and after sunset and it gets very dark
fast. This site also has a new north
facing launch.
Location: Black Cap peak, S . 11, T. 39 S., R. 14 E., 42* 12`18 N., 120* 19 42 W.; 1.5 mi.
NE of Lakeview I/S of U.S. 395 & Hwy. 140.
Access: About 3.5 miles good 2WD dirt road from Center St. and North D St.
Route: Take Center St. E from F St. (U.S. 395) E
past the city public swimming pool (N. D St.)
up Bullard Canyon. At 1.9 mi.
from North D St., opposite a large tree on the right, take the left fork. After another 0.6, under the power lines,
tale the left fork. Continue up and
around the south side below the radio towers.
Take this last left fork off the last switchback of the main road. This is to the lower launch. You can launch from here at the dirt ramp
and further out around into the W-SW
spine just past where the road ends. In
1991 Lakeview constructed new upper launches with setup areas and gravel parking.
These launches are further east and face more southerly than the lower
launches. Caution: There is a slight
spine to the west of these upper launches
that can cause rotor turbulence if the wind is west-crossed.
Launches: The lower main launch is at about 6,240
MSL, the new upper launches are at about 6,370, the summit is about 6,400,
1,500 AGL, S to W-SW facing, moderate to shallow sloped dirt ramps.
Landing: Several private fields north of town about
1.5 miles W-NW of launches. The closer
LZ is the field between U.S.395 and the
hills, E across 395 from two churches.
There is a gate for foot access only.
Hunters Hot Springs Resort created a large LZ W of U.S. 395 on the W
side of their main entrance road. Their
90 sec. Geyser just W-NW of this LZ and their windsock provide wind
direction. Do not land in the field W
of the RV park.
Protocol: Unregulated, USHGA H2 with altitude
experience and good FSL Special Skill necessary for zero to light winds recommended. H1 with USHGA instructor supervision for first altitudes possible.
Records: 38+ miles N to THE n Abert Rim area, 5-90, by Terry Cook, in 1 hour in strong S
winds. This is southernmost developed
SE Oregon site in the Warner Mt. Range, a good possible site for 100+ mile open distance X-C flights to the NE
towards Burns.
Maps: USGS 7.5 min. (1 = ½ mi.) Lakeview NE, 1964: Klamath Falls NK
10-61:250,000 (1/4=1 mi.), 1970 (good for all Lakeview sites except Sugar Hill and Doherty); and
Fremont National Forest, OR, (1/2 = 1 mi.), 1976, U.S. Forest Service,
Lakeview Ranger District, HC 64, Box 60, Lakeview, OR. 97630, 947-3334.
Nearby
Sites: See S. Abert Rim/Tagues Butte
and Sugar Hill, Doherty Slide and Hadley Butte but are further drives.
Misc.: Closest site to Lakeview. This site was substantially improved with
Oregon Lottery funds in 1990 and Lakeview further improved the site in early
1991 by making new upper launches and parking.
.