Wednesday's task was cancelled due to high west winds over the
back on launch, a launch that faces southeast. Will they be able to open a west
facing launch, because the winds over the next three days will be as strong or
stronger out of the west according to the NAM forecast on XCSkies?

Pilots on Wednesday reported that conditions were quite doable at 16,000' with
the winds forecasted at noon to be 25 knots out of the west. Thursday the
forecast is 27 knots, southwest, Friday, 33 knots west, and Saturday, 27 knots,
west, southwest, all at 16,000'.

On Wednesday the forecast was for 8 knots at 8,000'. The mountain is at 9,150'.
On Thursday the forecast for winds at 8,000' is 8 knots, Friday, 12 knots, and
Saturday, 6 knots. So if it was too strong on Wednesday at launch, I can't
imagine its going to be any better over the next three days if this NAM forecast
holds.

The launch was closed on Wednesday as it was considered dangerous. You can see a
report here:
http://www.nicolemclearn.com/2012/08/sun-valley-pwc-august-22.html.

Some pilots very quickly went downwind getting further than they did on the
first task that was counted in many fewer hours. The Wednesday task had them
flying cross wind up to Challis, which would have been way beyond exciting. The
pilots who got out in the flats had a much better time landing than those who
landed back in the valleys near the launch. The LZ's were actually closed due to
rotor.

Will this give Idaho, Sun Valley, and Baldy a bad name? It was quiet on the
ground here in McCall, 120 miles to the north west of Sun Valley, but the
Wednesday noon forecast for here was 17 knots at 16,000', and merely 10 knots at
1000' AGL. It certainly didn't get any where near that strong on the ground.

UPDATE: Task cancelled due to strong upper winds.