Close encounter with a sailplane

[Michael Blakely]

I went hiking north of Los Angeles this Saturday up a peak called Mt. San Anotnio and nicknamed Mt. Baldy. It's 10,064 high. It's the highest peak in the San Gabriel mountain range that sits between the Los Angeles basin and the high desert where Edwards Air Force base is located. After enjoying the view for 30 minutes and eating lunch, I was about to start down when I saw a sailplane above my head. Without any visual references, I thought someone was flying and RC model, but then as it came closer I realized it was the real deal with a pilot inside. It came in from the high desert in the north, circled the peak once a few hundred feet above our head, then headed back north towards the desert. As I was hiking down, I saw him come and do it a second time. Knowing it's almost silent in his cockpit, it must be a really cool experience.