VA Mountains

[mingram]

I was searching Google Earth for new North and East sites because Hogback and Flattop are a bit tricky. As well as mountains that could provide a variety of launch directions. If found two, but both mountains are tiny so you'd likely have to launch into a thermal.

Big Cobbler Mountain is only an hour from DC just outside of DC airspace. It hasn't been cleared and doesn't appear have a road up, but is surrounded by grassland/pasture. It has tiny W and E faces. It's privately owned by many people - Learning Tree Farms owns most of it.

Hickerson Mountain - the top has been cleared and there are two easy roads up, but I can't tell if Google Earth is making the launch point look better than it really is. Has anyone seen it in person? Properties on the mountain are for sale.

Are they too small to have much potential?

[pink_albatross]

hmmm...
Big Cobbler's top is at 1500 feet, with valley at 800 - not bad. It's also the only elevation -> thermal trigger?
Hickerson is at around 1360 feet with valley at 600. It is already cleared at the top and has a bowl on the NE side...

might be worth checking out in person?
-- ellis

[eggzkitz]

Big Cobbler's launching east, looking at the rise/run, is about the same as Daniel's or Woodstock.
It would be a great east launch, flying back toward Front Royal, away from the Dulles airspace.
There is an old road visible on the imagery, coming up from the house on the eastern side... but it is really grown over.

Hickerson may not have enough height/run for PG. Plus it faces SE at best. We really need an east site and a north site.