Bills Hill

[uplandann]

Hello everyone,

Was wondering if someone could give me better directions to Bill's Hill than the site guide. Here is what the site guide says:

"...Go 2.2 to a Y in the road, turn right and head towards Hustontown. Go 0.2miles, turn left before stone house onto a gravel road (Summit Rd.) Follow gravel road 5 miles until you come to a clearing the trees".

With google maps, I can find the Y in the road at 915 (wells valley road/state route 4013), but after that, even with the photo feature that google has, can not find a stone house 0.2 miles up Wells Valley road... there is a gravel road on the left, but it isn't called summit road, it says township road, and basically loops back to the road left of the Y (North Valley Rd).

Thanks,
Ann

[Matthew]

The directions in the site guide are accurate. Don't worry about google maps. You won'e miss the stone house.

FYI-- Bill's Hill isn't safely launchable right now for a hang glider. The launch area needs a massive clean-up.

Matthew

[brianvh]

The gravel road is totally tree covered until launch, and is a forest service road, so is not likely to be mapped. And the photo option is usually done by a truck (or even a bicycle) dragging a multiple camera trailer behind it. They won't expend the effort except in populated areas.

But Matthew's right: the directions do work. Just don't give up while driving down the gravel road to launch: if it seems like you've gone way too far and are about to give up, that's the best hint you're on the right road.

[XCanytime]

You are looking in the wrong place. Mapquest.com is the place to find just about every road, gravel or otherwise. Try the following link:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Wells ... ocode=CITY Bacil

[brianvh]

That still doesn't help unless you know that when you veer right at the Hustontown sign you are actually getting off on sr 4006 (also called mountain house road) and then the gravel road is called summit road. If you go to google earth you'll be able to see the launch and LZ if you follow summit road far enough.

[XCanytime]

Then click on the "aerial map" tab and you'll see a satellite photo of the area. If you zoom in far enough the road names will be overlayed on the satellite photo.

[Dan T]

My wife and I are going to take a road trip to Maine the week of the 11th-19th of September. I'd like to stop at a PGable flying site or two along the way. Can anyone make any suggestions, or suggestions on any other events/activities/locations that we might visit along the way?

Thanks,
Dan

[uplandann]

The gravel road is totally tree covered until launch, and is a forest service road, so is not likely to be mapped. And the photo option is usually done by a truck (or even a bicycle) dragging a multiple camera trailer behind it. They won't expend the effort except in populated areas.

But Matthew's right: the directions do work. Just don't give up while driving down the gravel road to launch: if it seems like you've gone way too far and are about to give up, that's the best hint you're on the right road.


Okay, so the Y in the road you get to on 915 (the first Y) is Wells Valley Rd (on the right) and 915 (keeps going to the left), correct? The aerial view does show, what looks like a house and maybe a gravel road there on the left. It's not labled as summit road on mapquest, that I can see. Is there a barn there on the right side?

Any other place look good this weekend??

Ann

[Dan T]

Ann,

Bill's hill is a good first mountain flight location if the slot is clear which it probably isn't. It's the only suitable east facing site anywhere near us.

You seem to be trying very hard to get your first mountain flight in and from what I have seen you haven't been successful. This has been the result of either the wrong conditions, inadequate maintenance of the sites, or you being not quite ready to go out. Let us know if you are ready, including equipment, training, etc. Then ask the observers if you can contact them by phone the morning of the flight day. I'd like to see you get in the air. I think we all would.

Dan

[XCanytime]

Okay, so the Y in the road you get to on 915 (the first Y) is Wells Valley Rd (on the right) and 915 (keeps going to the left), correct? The aerial view does show, what looks like a house and maybe a gravel road there on the left. It's not labled as summit road on mapquest, that I can see. Is there a barn there on the right side?

Gone too far on 915 from Rt. 30. Back up to a previous fork where 915 and Mountain House Road split. Take the right onto Mountain House Road (SR 4006), and then the next immediate left onto Summit Road. Click back onto the Street Map tab in Mapquest and these road names are there. Click on the Aerial Map tab and zoom in enough to see Summit Road overlaid on the satellite photo and keep heading north on Summit Road and the helipad clearing that is Bills Hill launch is clearly visible. Bacil

[uplandann]

Great, found it! Thanks, Bacil! Google maps has it too, I like that I can scroll in and out and it's a little faster.

Dan... Yes, it is a little frustrating, My freedom oportunities are hard won and take much planning, so that is the biggest limiting factor for me. Factor in weather, site conditions, driving 6 hours in one day (overnights even harder), and the fact that I need to get the dust off my launch and landing skills first before a mountain flight, and there you have it. But I will keep trying. I am watching the board to see where others are going, as well as looking at training hills with John Middleton. Fall is coming, I've got to catch a break sometime.

Thanks for all your feedback and help!

Ann

[brianvh]

Try hard to make it to the Pulpit Fly-in. You'll meet everyone and even if the weather is bad someone would likely be happy to take you to look at Bill's hill, walk the LZ, etc. If the weather's good you'll see some flying and gain some site familiarity.

And check out Manquin/blue sky to get some flying experience via towing. Yeah, more money and time, but it does pay off as it opens up the sites and conditions observers are willing to send you off in.

[davidtheamazing1]

Here is a link to Bills launch on Google maps.

It only took me about 2 mins to find it via the sat photos.

[hang_pilot]

Also, good info (prior to Google Earth) on flying approaches at our usual mountain sites is here: http://www.chgpa.org/SiteInfo/SitePhoto ... hotos.html. Your observer will update you on the appropriate approaches for the given conditions, but if you're looking to daydream, you could spend you time in ways worse than looking at these.

Cheers,
Daniel