Location: 20 miles south of Reno, NV. Drive south on Hwy 395 to East Lake Blvd. Turn left onto East Lake and drive south. Turn in at the rangers headquarters at the SE corner of the valley. Follow the dirt road up past the water tank and travel south to intersection. Turn at the first left and drive to the next intersection at Goni Rd. Turn left and follow the road up the mountain. Turn left off Goni Rd onto the road going north 1/2 mile past the red pit. Turn left at the next intersection 1/3 mile from Goni Rd. Go west for 1/8 mile and the setup area and launch will be on the right side of the road.
Launch Direction: Northwest
Seasons: Spring, Summer, and Fall. Winter, too, if snow hasn’t made the launch inaccessible.
Site weather: There is a weather station in the south end of Washoe Valley next to HWY 395 [1]. The Reno area soaring forecast is at [2]. Here's a link that provides an overview of winds for the area[3]
Launch Elevation: 7,000’
LZ Elevation: 5,050’
Recommended Pilot Rating: Intermediate (H3), Advanced (H4).
Type Launch: Sloping loose dirt, rocks, and sagebrush. Wire help to carry glider to launch may be necessary when the winds pick up. High density altitudes can easily exceed 9,000' in the summer. This is a shallow slope launch with the slope continuing a long way out. You don't want to launch here without wind.
LZ Location: South end of Washoe Lake State Park. Several areas behind the launch can be used for top landing.
Type landing: Very large, flat, grassy field. The hay fields out in front of launch can be used for bailout. Land at the edges of the bailout fields. Watch out for power lines, fences, and rolling sprinklers if landing in one of the bailouts.
Setup Area: Dirt area located behind launch with unlimited room for gliders.
Site Protocol: Controlled airspace lies to the north of Washoe Valley. Look at an area sectional to familiarize yourself with it.
Launch Access: Partially maintained dirt road with a 30 minute turnaround. 2WD with good clearance.
Info Contact: Any local pilot.
Miscellaneous: This site is located 1 mile south of the regular McClellan launch. Excellent high altitude mountain flying site. Watch for dust devils at launch and in the LZ. Winds often increase to over 25 mph in the afternoon. Keep an eye on the conditions. If the wind switches to north, this area around the launch can become very turbulent.
Coordinates: Launch – N 39° 15.091’ W 119° 43.364’
LZ – N 39° 14.560’ W 119° 45.918’