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In normal clothing what's a reasonable target for tracking at YO/LM? The treeline?

Gus

If you reach the treeline at YO with normal clothing then you are my hero!!
I would say if you get to the middle of the trees then you are good.
Same for LM.
Good trackers with phoenix fly tracking stuff cross the tree line at YO and cross the street at LM. But you have to pull low for this...

Edited to add:
I'm a bad tracker so it does not need much to be my hero...

 The tree line at either place in street clothes, or non tracking garb is a very good track. I am not sure it's possible at YO, I know it is at LM.
In tracking gear, pulling almost to the road at YO is a great track. At LM, over the road with a very high pull is normal. A low pull there will put a good tracker to the river.
It's nice to practice there, you can see what works and what doesn't. The landmarks give great reference points.

but don't wait to reach your point to pull. Pull at the desired altitude, even if you didn't track as much as you wanted.

Gee ....thanks for that nugget, I'm guessing you dont know Gus is quite an experienced jumper..

Regardless of Gus's experience, I'm glad that got thrown in there. How far you go depends not just on how good your track is, but on how low you pull. It's easy to start pulling lower in order to get the extra distance when we're aiming for a mark on the ground.

I definitely think it's useful to have an idea how far good trackers are getting, but it's also important to remember that if you have to pull ridiculously low to get there, you might be missing the point.

Michael

Huckfinn is apparently a *very* good tracker in 2 trips to the valley, during a fairly busy time there I've only seen maybe 1 person -over- the road in tracking gear and they were deffinately not 'high'.
Most people I saw who pulled low (5-6) second canopy rides were mid field.
Just remember to look down *below* you, not ahead of you while you are tracking.
~J

 I took it as a 'given' that someone with a dash of experience BASE jumping is aware that pulling at a sensible height is preferential to the distance they 'aspire' to track....
Seems like my mistake to make that assumption...

 I guess it depends who you are there with, there are many who are really getting the subterminal track going there these days. We got a chance to watch Karleen last year, she is well over the road and pulling high, very impressive, and not just for a female! (Is that sexist?) Also, great tracking there doesn't just happen on jump #1, our best tracks are after many years in the valley, lots of my lovely wife's time on the sewing machine, (she hates it when I come up with another "great idea"), and many variations in tracking garb.
That video posted just above does show a very nice track, is that Moritz? That lanky boy can track.
I think I know what mean about looking down, but at least for some of us, if I am looking forward, I'm not really going anywhere. I tuck my head and try my best to look where I'm going out the tops of my eyes. Also, the warnings you hear about tracking and looking behind you or I guess in front of you and not noticing how close the talus is getting below don't apply very much in the valley. Since the area we are tracking over is flat, the reference to pull height is there 360 degrees.

>>Since the area we are tracking over is flat, the reference to pull height there is 360 degrees.
It's not flat untill you clear the trees, and most people I have seen do not.
~J
There is also a big tree on the other side of the road which holds mermaids that will guide you in if you are not careful For some reason I picked this tree to fly towards on one jump and opened right over it...

That is hands down probably the most impressive track I've ever seen from LM. I've seen many people cross the road from there but none as high as this fella. Very nice work indeed.

I know people with "more than a dash of experience" who ended in the trees (gladly with an open tarp) because they wanted to track "till this distance"

Nothing wrong with that advice.

Thanks everyone, I like to have stuff to aspire to. See you out there soon.

Gus

Treelines is possible from LM. Just with Trackjeanz ;-))

What is the mening of clearing a wall when you end up in the trees.

The swiss valley is a hardcore place. I have more than 200 jumps only in that valley and I still think its one of the most deseaving places we have. Cause it looks so easey.

The reason why we have so many accidents there is first the amount of jumps and allso that so many low-timers jump there.

Its not a place for people that have less than 50 jumps (or 100) Also its not for you who have less than 10 trackingjumps terminal.

THe ciffs are very underhang even if they are overhanged on the top. You have to know subterminal tracks and be sure of your exitand track-skills to go there.

Reaching treelines or not, ening up in the treas is not really a success.
And it is not the less experienced jumpers who end up in the treas, more often the ones with more experience.

But this is a free and uncontroled sport (thank good) so its all up to the jumper, and I like that. But now your skills and learn it the righjt way before you go to the valley. its jus a suggestion, nothing else.

/martin

I guess a reasonable target would be, no matter which clothes you are wearing, as far as you get without going in - or something similar, like going into the trees or hitting the talus after a 180. With time and experience you will fly further, or change your flight-path, but the target will stay the same.

Other than that, I think Martin is right about the swiss valley; it is not a place for beginners. The more you jump there, the more you will realize that.

Obi