The annual Ephrata Dust-Up event will be held on the Memorial Day Weekend, May 23-25, 2026. Come and enjoy the special soaring that Ephrata offers, along with the excellent facilities! 

This event will emphasize cross country training for the soaring pilot who wants to stretch their legs and move beyond flying close to the airport. We suggest that you complete the SSA Bronze Badge at your local club before coming to this event. There are several videos on the SGCSF YouTube channel to help you get started with Flying XC, the EPH area, and the Dust Up.

Please let the event organizer know if you are bringing a cross-country-capable two-place glider and are willing to provide into to Cross Country Soaring Flight.

Due to insurance requirement, all participants must be members of the SSA and the SGC. Online registration is available for both SGC membership and tiedown fees.

If you are bringing a glider, either your own or a club-owned, you will need to have evidence of liability insurance coverage.

Any club that brings a glider for their members to use needs to indicate if it is for club members only.

The entry fees are to help cover towplane ferry fees, water for launch personnel, and meals for Tow Pilots.

We strongly recommend that all gliders have a FLARM or OGN device.

If there are pilots that want to get an introduction to racing, we will have a daily meeting to discuss tasks and strategies; and we may post tasks for you to try.

We need trained ground crew participants at the DustUp. To ensure everyone on the ground crew is familiar with general standard ground operations, and despite the unique elements of operating at Ephrata and any prior experience you may have, we use the SSF WingRunner course as a baseline. To volunteer each day, one day, or even part of a day during the DustUp, attach a copy of your WingRunner certificate to an email to brian.hart@hartcraft.com indicating your intention to volunteer and what times/days you will be available to do so. If you do not have your WingRunner certificate, you can get it online by taking the test at the end of the free online SSF WingRunner course.

Check the Evergreen Soaring website for details.

The New York folks are in town!

FAST (Fly A Sailplane Today)!

REGISTRATION OPENS April 9th, 7:00PM PST

EVENT DATES: Saturday, June 6 first tows following our 0931 daily safety briefing, to Saturday, June 13 last tows.

More details to follow but mostly the same as prior years. As before, FLARM is advised for each glider, but not an absolute requirement. For any wave flights above 18,000’msl either ADSB-Out, or a mode C transponder with altitude reporting is now required by FAA.  We are still working with ARTCC and FSDO on the reassignment of Washington (and Oregon) wave windows and having everything ready to go by June for >18,000’ may be a stretch (working on LOA, MOU, agreements, pilot training required by FAA, etc.). Wave can still be great up to 17,999’ !

 Again, the plan is to have 0900 daily educational discussions led by our most experienced pilots, not required but always entertaining. Remember, the primary goal is to have a good time, and to do it safely. The Methow and our ‘Northern Alps’ are the most awesome soaring sites in the NW!

 * If you have not flown the Methow Valley area previously, we ask that you receive an area familiarization discussion with an experienced Methow glider pilot before taking any flights. Learn about landout options, areas with good lift and/or areas with typical sink or poor landout options, etc. The Methow and surrounding areas are not inherently unsafe but local knowledge is vital.

 ACCOMODATIONS: The Methow Valley is a popular vacation destination and gets booked up very early.  I would suggest you book now and cancel if you can’t come.  Consider sharing a VRBO or Air BnB with several pilots or motel rooms either in Twisp or Winthrop, etc.  For RV’s there are no hook ups on the field but there is some limited space for dry-camp RV’ing or tents. An RV park is available in Winthrop with the usual amenities – it fills early so call soon. (I will be parked on the field near the hangar and have arranged for power since I need to be there..)

 I already have three rooms (each one queen) reserved and free for our tow pilots at the Sportsman Motel in Twisp, check in Friday, June 5, check out Saturday, June 13. For others wanting a room at the Sportsman, they have new owners, Richard Diaz. Book Online: www.twispsportsmanmotel.com(Rates are up a bit, $85/NT + Tax). New phone number is 509-761-9786.  Nice folks.

 All participants and pilots taking part in this activity accept that flying gliders involves risk and the above entities (Clubs), officers, organizers, volunteers, and tow pilots associated with this event shall be indemnified and assume no liability for any damages or injuries suffered in connection directly or indirectly with this event. When you sign up you fully accept these terms.

 Looking forward to another great year soaring in Northern Washington’s beautiful Methow Valley!

2026 SSA Region 11 - Shasta Valley Soaring
Contest Location:
Montague, CA
Description:
Enjoy soaring the mountains surrounding Scott,Shasta, and Butte valleys. Contestants requiring tows will be limited to 21 entries Deposits will be non refundable 30 days prior to the first contest date. Breakfast, and Dinners will be provided on site for all contest days for an extra charge TBD. Read the Sept. issue of Soaring magazine R11 contest for details.
Dates:
Practice: 6/13/2026 - 6/13/2026
Contest: 6/14/2026 - 6/19/2026
Classes:
15 Meter, 18 Meter, Sports, FAI/20M
Fees:
Deposit: 150.00
Entry: 375.00
Checks to: Stephen Smith 1804 Anderson Creek rd. Talent, Or 97540
Host Organization:
Shasta Valley Soaring
Contest Web Site:
none
Control Point Site:
https://soaringweb.org/TP/Montague_contests/HomePage.html
Contest Manager:
Mario Galliano | Phone: 530-200-0164 | Fax:
 
Contest Status
Sanction Staus: Approved
Online Registration
Registration is open. Click here to register for this contest.

Contact, Tim Culligan WVSC Vice President, tim_c@comcast.net

The Alvord Safari dates this year are from Saturday, June 20th through Saturday, June 27th. Our club has done this trip for years during the 3rd week in July but we are trying an earlier date this year. A few of us will likely arrive the day before on Friday, June 19th to start setting up camp. At the end of the trip, we’ll pack up camp on Sunday morning, June 28th and drive back to Portland. It’s an all-day drive. The camp takes a community effort to run. Everyone is also expected to take turns driving or spotting in the tow vehicle and running wing during launches.

To fly with us, you will need to be checked out on the “wire” for launch with our CFIG. It may take as few as 3 tows to get checked out but that depends on the discretion of the CFIG. Checkout will occur using one of WVSC’s two place ships. We’ll have either a Blanik L23 or a Grob 103. A $60 WVSC Temporary Membership would be required in addition to the Alvord fee of $220 and a renter’s insurance policy in the amount of $50K. A membership in SGC is also required. Skywatch.ai is the company many of our club members use for renter’s insurance. The Alvord is BLM land and we are required to obtain a permit and pay the BLM fee based on the number of people attending the event. Deadline for commitment to the trip will be at the end of May.

We use an unusual launch method utilizing an auto and a 4000’ long wire. The Alvord playa is a huge dry lake bed that extends about 11 miles north to south and about 7 miles east to west. The playa elevation is at 4000’MSL and the release height from the wire is typically 6000’ MSL. Wind conditions can be very turbulent. It can get dicey in the Alvord and severe weather can move through rapidly. In addition to the two-place ship, the club typically brings 1 or 2 single place ships including an SZD-51 Junior and possibly the HpH304. To fly these ships, you would need to be checked out by our CFIG.

Are you planning to camp and if so, what with? You would need to be prepared for sudden, very high winds. If not camping, there is a small motel about 20 miles to the south in Fields Station, OR that only has 4 units or at the Alvord Hot Springs nearby that has metal “bunk houses”. I’m not recommending these places either way, just mentioning them. Ten miles of the trip between Fields Station and the camp is on a gravel road.

Since we are camping, you have the option to purchase the meal plan for $250 which provides three meals each day but does not include personal water, soda or other beverages. Breakfast and dinner are typically communal activities in camp. The morning briefing / safety meeting happens after breakfast at 9am. We go over events of the previous day including a review of safety related items, the weather forecast, nearby MOA activity, etc.

Oregon Field Guide did a segment about us one year that gives an idea of the type of flying and camaraderie we share. https://video.wttw.com/video/alvord-desert-gliders-z23lvz/
Camping in the desert is an adventure. Let me know what other questions you have.

Registration is OPEN! Details are on the SSA's website competition web page.

Use THIS link and log in with your SSA account.

For more information check out the Hood River Soaring website

and the March 2026 issue of the TOWLINE newsletter.

Contact for more info is Stuart Larimore +1 (208) 724-0587

For this year we are planning to have most evening meals at the airport in a tent we are bringing. More folks will be staying at the airport and fewer will be staying at Moose Crossing RV park.

Monthly SGC GM meeting for September, 2026.

Agenda: TBD

Use this link to join:

Click this link to join the meeting

Reminder: we have switched from Zoom to MS Teams for our meetings. If you have never used MS Teams, here is a detailed list of steps on how to join using any web-browser on a Mac or PC:

1. Click the link above, and a new webpage will open up.
2. If MS Teams is installed on your computer, you may see a pop-up saying "This site is trying to open Microsoft Teams". If you do not use MS Teams regularly, click the "Cancel" button!
3. The website should say "How do you want to join your Teams Meeting?" - choose the option that says "Continue on this Browser"
4. Your web-browser may prompt you to allow use of the Camera and Microphone. Click "Allow"
5. A preview of your meeting/camera will show up on your screen. Find the area in the middle of the window to type in your name. You may use the buttons to toggle the camera and microphone off.
6. Click the "Join Now" button to the right of your name, and you're good to go!

You may also join the Teams meeting using a Smartphone or Tablet; but you will need to go to the app store and install the Microsoft Teams app first, then click on the meeting link listed above.

Additional information:

Meeting ID: 217 761 541 036
Passcode: nkDid2

Download Teams | Join on the web

Or call in (audio only)

+1 312-593-1554,,374694593# United States, Chicago

Find a local number | Reset PIN

Learn More | Meeting options

Need to clear facility for possible snow removal operations.

Date and location TBD.

Monthly SGC GM meeting for December, 2026.

Agenda: TBD

Use this link to join:

Click this link to join the meeting

Reminder: we have switched from Zoom to MS Teams for our meetings. If you have never used MS Teams, here is a detailed list of steps on how to join using any web-browser on a Mac or PC:

1. Click the link above, and a new webpage will open up.
2. If MS Teams is installed on your computer, you may see a pop-up saying "This site is trying to open Microsoft Teams". If you do not use MS Teams regularly, click the "Cancel" button!
3. The website should say "How do you want to join your Teams Meeting?" - choose the option that says "Continue on this Browser"
4. Your web-browser may prompt you to allow use of the Camera and Microphone. Click "Allow"
5. A preview of your meeting/camera will show up on your screen. Find the area in the middle of the window to type in your name. You may use the buttons to toggle the camera and microphone off.
6. Click the "Join Now" button to the right of your name, and you're good to go!

You may also join the Teams meeting using a Smartphone or Tablet; but you will need to go to the app store and install the Microsoft Teams app first, then click on the meeting link listed above.

Additional information:

Meeting ID: 217 761 541 036
Passcode: nkDid2

Download Teams | Join on the web

Or call in (audio only)

+1 312-593-1554,,374694593# United States, Chicago

Find a local number | Reset PIN

Learn More | Meeting options