Flying at Snow Ranch

By Jack Hagerty, LUNAR #002

Great news, everyone!

On the last day of January, the LUNAR board and other senior members held a special "check-out" launch at Snow Ranch outside of Stockton. This is the Orvis family ranch where Bruce and Roma Orvis (parents to our equipment manager and web meister, Bill) raise breeder bulls. It is several thousand acres of open, mostly treeless land in the Sierra foothills that they have generously allowed us to fly from during the non-fire season.

We spent several hours flying rockets from a large grazing meadow that's in a slight depression (you can't quite call it a valley) surrounded by low hills. We got of some one, two and even three-stage flights off with both black powder and composites. One of Charles Winter's TARC teams came out and did nearly a dozen R&D flights, all two-stage clusters. Whether or not we fly from this exact field depends on the weather just prior to launch day, and how wet the ground is in the area.

The launch area from the top of an adjacent rise.

Joe Pettinicchi scans the field with his cool laser range finder.

I've included some photos that I took showing the field and activities. Joe Pettinicchi has posted more on his site http://homepage.mac.com/jpettinicchi/SnowRanch.html. After the launch, the complete board held a meeting to discuss the use of the field. We were unanimous on the suitability, and the Class III Pyros have determined that it is usable as a low Level 2 field. That means a maximum of "J" motors for now until we get the feel for administering an L2 launch field. We may go one or two sizes higher in the future, but for now this will at least let us do Level 2 Cert flights. I am starting a request with the FAA for a 10,000 foot waiver, but there are no guarantees that it will be granted, or if it is, if it will be in place by the first launch. If it is, be advised that the winds can be quite strong and consistent. A couple of the flights at the checkout launch involved walks of a mile or more over hill and dale to retrieve. There are no obstacles around, and you are pretty much limited by your own stamina.

TARC Team setting up.

That first launch is scheduled for Saturday, February 21. Directions on how to get there (it's about an hour's drive from Livermore) are already on the website (if you don't have web access, contact me and I'll get them to you). Right now we are still working out the logistics of getting everything there on time. This is the first time the club has done a full-blown remote-site launch, and how to get the equipment trailer and other amenities there by start time is still being worked on. We are shooting for a 9 AM start time, like normal, but don't count on it. In addition, with so much driving involved, we want to give everyone plenty of flying time, so these will be all-day events. We will be limited only by the weather and darkness.

VP Steve Kendall's rocket flying on a Redline.

One detail still being worked out at my deadline for this article is the hotline. Since I live only a couple of miles from Robertson Park, it's fairly easy for me to walk out to my driveway at 6:30, check the weather and update the hotline. Now the launch/no launch decision will be made based on someone else's weather observations 50miles away, and hopefully in time for the 7 AM update. Please be tolerant for the first launch or two as we sort things out.

Here are some things to be aware of when coming to the ranch:

This is a working cattle ranch, so wear boots or shoes you don't care about. The BS around there is real!
The ranch is easy to get to, right on Highway 4, but once you're on site, the road is a typical farm/ranch road, i.e. dirt and barely one lane wide. Please take it slowly, especially around ruts and dips. We don't want anyone leaving mufflers or other car parts behind.
There are no bulls currently in the area where we will be flying. They are kept in another part of the ranch by fences. To get to the launch field, you have to go through a gate mid-way. Be sure to close and re-latch it after you go through it. We don't need any uninvited 3,000 lb visitors!
There may not be bulls, but there is the possibility of lots of other critters joining us, including squirrels, rabbits, hares (yes, they're different) and even rattlesnakes as the weather gets warmer. Please educate any children coming with you that these are WILD animals and must be enjoyed from a distance. When recovering a rocket, or even just walking around, do not step, or especially put your hand, into rocks or crevasses where you can't see. Those are natural hiding places and the last thing you want to do is startle something lurking in there.
The launch field is just that, a field. There are NO facilities at all. Everything that you may want during a launch, except for launch equipment, you'll have to bring yourself. This includes tables, chairs, canopies, food and drink. The one exception is that the club will provide a porta-potty. We are investigating the cost right now, and if it is too expensive, we may have to charge a small launch fee to cover it.

Snow Ranch Launch Site Directions

FROM THE NORTH BAY AND EAST BAY FROM OAKLAND NORTHWARD:

Take I-80/580/680 (whichever is closer to you) to State Route 4 and head east. Continue on 4 all the way to Stockton where it joins I-5 for one exit, then continues on its own as the "cross-town freeway." In about three miles it merges with 99. Go south on the combined 4/99 two exits until 4 splits off again at the "Farmington" exit. Continue east on 4 and in about 17 miles you'll come to Farmington. This is your last chance to buy food or other supplies (but there is presently no gas station). Continue about 10 miles further on 4 east, and you will cross the Milton-Eugene road. About 1 mile beyond the Milton-Eugene road, Highway 4 bends slightly to the right. On your left you will see two stone gateposts. This is the entrance to Snow Ranch (the sign reads "Orvis Cattle Company"). Turn in and travel up the driveway until you reach the houses and garages. Turn right immediately before the garage, go over the cattle guard and follow the road into the field. A few hundred feet beyond the cattle guard the road branches. Take the right branch and continue about one mile to the launch site. There is a gate about halfway along that you must open, and be sure to close and re-latch it after you have passed. CAUTION! Stay only on the road. The land on either side can be very soft and a car (even a 4WD) can easily get stuck

FROM THE EAST BAY FROM SAN LEANDRO SOUTHWARD:

Take 580 east over the Altamont Pass. Continue straight when 580 splits off to the right and the road changes to 205. Continue on 205 until it merges with I-5 north in Tracy. About 10 miles up I-5 you will come to the junction with SR 4. Take 4 east (that's the second "4" exit, the first one is west) about three miles where it merges with 99. Go south on the combined 4/99 two exits until 4 splits off again at the "Farmington" exit. Continue east on 4 and in about 17 miles you'll come to Farmington. This is your last chance to buy food or other supplies (but there is presently no gas station). Continue about 10 miles further on 4 east, and you will cross the Milton-Eugene road. About 1 mile beyond the Milton-Eugene road, Highway 4 bends slightly to the right. On your left you will see two stone gateposts. This is the entrance to Snow Ranch (the sign reads "Orvis Cattle Company"). Turn in and travel up the driveway until you reach the houses and garages. Turn right immediately before the garage, go over the cattle guard and follow the road into the field. A few hundred feet beyond the cattle guard the road branches. Take the right branch and continue about one mile to the launch site. There is a gate about halfway along that you must open, and be sure to close and re-latch it after you have passed. CAUTION! Stay only on the road. The land on either side can be very soft and a car (even a 4WD) can easily get stuck

FROM THE SOUTH BAY:

Take I-680 north over the Mission Grade. After you're on the far side of the grade, you have a choice of continuing up 680 to 580, or taking SR 84 to Livermore and through town to 580. The all-freeway route adds about 10 miles to the trip, but there are now a large number of stoplights along the route through Livermore, so time-wise it's about the same. Once on 580 east, continue over the Altamont Pass. Continue straight when 580 splits off to the right and the road changes to 205. Continue on 205 until it merges with I-5 north in Tracy. About 10 miles up I-5 you will come to the junction with SR 4. Take 4 east (that's the second "4" exit, the first one is west) for about three miles where it merges with 99. Go south on the combined 4/99 two exits until 4 splits off again at the "Farmington" exit. Continue east on 4 and in about 17 miles you'll come to Farmington. This is your last chance to buy food or other supplies (but there is presently no gas station). Continue about 10 miles further on 4 east, and you will cross the Milton-Eugene road. About 1 mile beyond the Milton-Eugene road, Highway 4 bends slightly to the right. On your left you will see two stone gateposts. This is the entrance to Snow Ranch (the sign reads "Orvis Cattle Company"). Turn in and travel up the driveway until you reach the houses and garages. Turn right immediately before the garage, go over the cattle guard and follow the road into the field. A few hundred feet beyond the cattle guard the road branches. Take the right branch and continue about one mile to the launch site. There is a gate about halfway along that you must open, and be sure to close and re-latch it after you have passed. CAUTION! Stay only on the road. The land on either side can be very soft and a car (even a 4WD) can easily get stuck

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