Hi -

I'm just learning to DS. I've been trying Shell Ridge, but most promising DS area (the saddle just past the rocks) has this giant tree offset from the center. Am I in the correct location for this site? Getting a lot of this:

I can't say exactly, 'cause I was just there for the first time myself (on Wednesday afternoon, 15-20mph and good). But that's where I was flying too... I hiked up to the next section of ridge and there were nothing but trees on the backside so based on that observation and what I could gather off the web this first saddle seems to be the spot... and that tree seems to be the plane eating tree everyone has talked about.
Let me know next time you go out. I just moved to the bay area and I'm looking for places and people to fly with. I'm in Oakland.

-James
DS junkie

I was flying my 3M moldie and definitely didn't want to get in the tree so I was standing at the rocks and flying really deep (the backside here is nice and steep and deep) and flying out as close to myself and as far from the tree as possible. Landing on the steep frontside was almost trickier than the DS, especially with all those hidden rocks.

-James

You should give the site at the Marin Civic Center a shot. It's got to be the "bunny slope" of DS spots. You have to DS over a line of trees, but the slope is so sharp the layer is fairly high up.

If you want directions let me know.

Originally Posted by wr_mizzard

I just moved to the bay area and I'm looking for places and people to fly with. I'm in Oakland.

-James
DS junkie

Wow - did you get a step-up for OBSF? Kind of a seismic shift from North County!

Never flown Shell Ridge but I have goofed around at the Civic Center. Neat slope.

Originally Posted by screamin' eagle

Wow - did you get a step-up for OBSF? Kind of a seismic shift from North County!

Never flown Shell Ridge but I have goofed around at the Civic Center. Neat slope.

I've had to pull-out the 6'8" a couple of times... and a hoody and booties

-James
getting seismically well adjusted

Slopemeno -

Thanks for the Civic Center suggestion; I found your directions from another thread, will check it out sometime.

James -

Welcome to the Bay Area. There are a number of sites fairly close to Oakland. Here's a few:
1) Berkeley Marina: http://goo.gl/maps/g88YV
This is not a DS site, only a light frontside slope, but there is a social group here that flies on Tuesday afternoons.
2) Coyote Hills: http://goo.gl/maps/QsRRG
This is a large bowl. Not sure what the legal status on DS is. There are usually a few people out on the weekends.
3) Sibley: http://goo.gl/maps/0lLps
I'm OOT for 2 weeks, will PM you when I head out to try DSing again.

You guys should check out NorCalSlopeSoarer's home slope, the Slot. Has a really huge backside ridge and a nice grassy LZ. You'd need to be a club member and fly F3F a bit to get access, but its the best backside in the bay that I've found.

Hope to fly with you again James/maybe get in a race or two with ya at Davenport ISR next spring.

Peace

Originally Posted by c.walker

Slopemeno -


3) Sibley: http://goo.gl/maps/0lLps
I'm OOT for 2 weeks, will PM you when I head out to try DSing again.

I went out to Sibley today to check it out and had a good flight or two. The backside was a bit rough but I got some good circuits in.

I found a set of keys just off the trail on the backside where I assume one would stand or set their stuff down when flying there, right at the top of the knoll (that's where I set down my planes and stuff). If you lost them send me a PM and I'll get them back to you.

-James