Photo Credits: Shada Luby
| Site Description:
Wonderful, long desert ridge for hours of soaring and top landing
delight with the right wind conditions.
NOTE: AS OF 2-18-2009 DO NOT FLY THIS SITE; ISSUES
WITH ACCESS. ACCESS ROAD IS POSTED NO TRESPASSING AND LANDOWNER IS
UNHAPPY WITH THE FLYING PUBLIC. DO NOT FLY
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Wind Requirements: Ridge faces SE. Probably soarable with winds anywhere from South to East directions. | Preferred Rating: P-2 under instruction or P-3 and above. | Hazards: Thermal activity, rough rocky terrain, semi-cliff launch. | Restrictions: Most of this site is on private land... due to current problems with landowners, DO NOT FLY HERE! |
| Driving Directions: From downtown Nampa, ID, travel somewhere in the neighborhood of about 14 miles South on Highway 45 toward Walter's Ferry. As the road begins a long sweeping turn to the West, you will go past a large commercial farming operation on your left. At the edge of this farm property, a gravel road leads due South out into the field. This is the access road to the launch area. Travel South on that road about a mile or so until the road curves to the East (left). Follow faint road over to the rim. | Access: Well.... I am not real sure. Takeoff along the rim may be public land or may be private, I don't know. The access road is definitely on private land, so either check in with the farm or proceed at your own risk/discretion. Landing areas are mostly farm fields & pasture, or better top land or land short right at the base of the hill and hike back up. | Vehicle requirements:
2wd vehicle
with good clearance will get you to launch. Road is kinda rough
and a 4X4 is definitely
preferred. Access in the landing areas are on public paved roads.
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Takeoff & Landing: Nice grassy area to layout wings. Semi-cliff launches (canyon rim but not vertical). LZ is large with some obstructions, fences, etc. but nothing frightening. This site is very top landable and is a good place to work on your top landing skills WITH GOOD WIND CONDITIONS ONLY! | Approximate GPS Launch coordinates: 43 *21' 39" North 116*34'44" West Vertical: 300' Launch Elev: 2700' |
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Peter Hammett makes a low pass as John Barsness, Pat Harper, and Jeff Meyer prepare to join in the fun... |
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Whoa Horsie! Whoa! Not what your wing is supposed to look like when you launch... Good view here of Melba and the Boise Front to the Northeast. |
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This was one wonderful afternoon of flying... |
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Google Earth picture of the flying ridge and landing areas... |
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Topo map of the Melba flying ridge. It is the ridge facing to the SE on the right edge of the map. Access is off of the Walter's Ferry Highway |
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Peter Hammett getting in a little moonlight soaring at Melba Ridge... conditions stayed soarable until well after dark on this day. |