Tuesday 6/3 @ Strawberry Reservoir/Ladders

[RonBert]

As was Sunday (6/1), Tuesday (6/3) was an excellent day at Strawberry/Ladders. I didn't get on the board due to head cold, but my friend Brett came out from SLC (~1hr drive) for the afternoon. He rode his 12m from 2:30 to 5pm on a surfboard and my 144 twin tip. Only a few lulls down to 9mph from when I got there at 1PM, but winds averaged 15-16mph for 15 to 40 minute periods, with some short sustained 18-21mph periods, and no gusting. The wind shifted from WNW to W, working perfectly for the mini-bay NW of the Ladders' chute. A little more work at times on a 12m, a 14m would have worked well, and a well depowerable 16-17m could have stayed up all afternoon. Water temp was 60 at the surface, and air temp was 73. It was only getting better when we left at 6pm. I'll try to upload a vid of Brett's session to Youtube later...

[Todd Jacques]

Ron thanks for tips. I have kited there before at ladders a year ago. What point forecast do you look at. I looked on NWS and point to ladders and I did not see the forecast you posted on main log.
Good job getting us stocked to go to strawbs. I will try again. I just need to start looking at forecast to see indication to drive.
You are looking for SW forecast or NW?

[Kenny]

Todd,

Ladders does well when there is a good westerly flow, so when Craig mentions Sulfur in the forecast, it will probably blow at Ladders as well. Sometimes, the point forecast will indicate it as well. The forecast was good for Sulfur (6m sail) today and resulted in rideable wind at Ladders, I don't think I would make the drive if Sulfur was anything less.

Hope that helps and see you out on the water!

Kenny

[Todd Jacques]

it does thanks Kman. see you out there

[RonBert]

Ron ...What point forecast do you look at. I looked on NWS and point to ladders and I did not see the forecast you posted on main log...just need to start looking at forecast to see indication to drive...

So I zoom in on the Ladders bay and click on it making sure the area lands on the water surface. The winds yesterday did not blow the 24+mph given in the forecast, as far as I know. I did clock about 45 minutes of 18-22 mph W winds around 1PM. Then it settled to long periods of 15-16mph winds around 2:30PM.

As for local Strawberry wind conditions, having stayed at the reservoir on a daily basis for months at a time, in every season, the wind when it blows , and it blows kiteable at least several partial days most weeks, even in summer, it blows steady with a bit of lumbering oscillation, for hours on end. The NWS reports are a good gage, but I’ve had days it was not suppose to blow anything and it did, and days it was suppose to blow and did not. I’ve ordered my 17m because with any kind of a kiteable wind forecast I can most times count on at least enough wind for a few hours riding a big kite with a light wind board. Even in summer, when nothing is in the forecast, the afternoon and evening Katabatic winds generated by the mountains to the west and the setting sun, will produce 13-16mph winds. Although I have seen Katabatics in more recent evening forecasting; and maybe NWS tweaked the algorithm or picked up another local wx sensor.

I’m not sure how Sulfur weather might affect Strawberry’s, but Strawberry really has its own micro climate. Once you cross over Daniel’s Summit and drop into the Strawberry valley you feel and see the change. The Wasatch mountains to the west are low relative to the valley’s elevation at 7.600 ft, peaks are about the same height, they are smooth and round, and lie about 2 miles west of the main body of the reservoir. The Wasatch ridges hem in the southern lobe of the lake and along with the tail end of the Unita’s hem in the east side and north of the Strawberry valley.

The Strawberry reservoir altitude (atmospheric pressure) and valley shape seem to help maintain compression of the air dropping in over the mountain ridges from lower altitudes, distributing it fairly evenly across the water’s surface, especially for the N, S, and West directions. (East winds may work for spots on the west side of the reservoir, but I’ve not witnessed those conditions. And North winds I only know are good for snowkiting.) For west to northwest winds, there is two to three miles of water surface from where the mountains slowly slip down into the reservoir, east up into Ladders bay. From the south to southwest make it 5 to 9 miles of water surface. For W to NW winds, the low lying island and land mass forming that end of the bay minimally obstruct wind flow, and even produce nice flats and a west wind funnel between them. In all the surface gives the winds coming over the mountain ridges, from the south to the northwest, a lot of flat surface over which to stabilize. This contrasts with DC winds, where the height of the mountains and their jagged profile near the reservoir seem to produce erratic winds except for straight down the chute.

I’m just saying, if you are willing to suit up, I think Strawberry has some of the most consistent wind for kiting in the area (no idea why the windsurfers aren’t out here:-). Too, I feel pretty safe in Ladders bay with short drifts or body drags into wide shallows and across road reefs; much more so than the ride I may take with a mishap at the deep end of DC. Water temps are moving into the 60s now. Later in June and early July water temps peak at about 70 degrees. The fall water temps stay warm into mid October (> 55), and the water is cooling after the hot summer, rather than warming up during spring from the frigid winter temps. I’ve always thought there is a reason there are big ocean going sail boats out here; good wind; lots of it. And it may blow a bit later today!-)

[Kenny]

Ron,

The connection between Sulfer (southern Wyoming) and Ladders is that both receive wind when the jet stream has a westerly flow. Craig does not specifically forecast for Strawberry, but I did forecasts for Strawberry in the winter for a couple years and I noticed the strong correlation between a westerly jet and wind at Ladders. The other sure bet is good northerly flow after a frontal passage on the lake (However, I don't know the best place to ride at Strawberry on a north wind). Beyond that, Strawberry can be an enigma. As you stated, the point forecast is often wrong and it can blow there unexpectedly. The reason you don't see windsurfers there is that windsurfers like strong wind and the wind at Strawberry can be difficult to predict and on the lighter side, plus many drive right by rocking wind at Deer Creek.

It sounds like you are becoming an expert spending so much time on the water there, so we look forward to your wind reports and thank you for them.

Kenny

[RonBert]

Ron,

The connection between Sulfer (southern Wyoming) and Ladders...Kenny

Thanks Kenny, I'll keep an eye on that high pressure stationary front over Sulfer at the moment then; when it's suppose to roll out to the SE on Sunday and crank at Sulfer (WNW @ ~18mph) and Strawberry/Ladders (WNW @ ~21mph). Be interesting to see the actuals...if it happens--weather forecasting!