Icicle Ridge

• Wind directionENE (70°) → ESE (115°)
• Ideal speed4–12 mph
• Upper limits≤ 15 mph base · gusts ≤ 18

Icicle Ridge (a.k.a. "Icicle Creek" launch) above Leavenworth, WA, in the Cascades. Launch faces E/SE; works in NE-E-SE flow. Best treated as a thermal/XC site rather than a soaring site — multiple reports describe strong thermic lift, instability, and climbs to ~5,000-5,500 ft, with "squirrely" launch conditions. Effectively advanced-skill: the hike-in (~45-60 min on the Icicle Ridge Trail carrying gear, then descend slightly to launch) and committing, canyon-influenced air make it unsuitable for novices. Hazards: thermal turbulence and rotor near launch trees, terrain/canyon channeling in the Icicle Creek drainage, and serious danger flying ahead of cold fronts or squall lines (one pilot report explicitly warns off pre-frontal/gust-front conditions). Best flown midday-to-afternoon for thermals on spring/summer/fall days; avoid strong synoptic wind, frontal passages, and overdevelopment. Speed range and gust ceilings are inferred from the E/SE thermal-site orientation and general Cascade conditions — no club/USHPA guide published explicit numbers. Access via Okanogan-Wenatchee NF; standard wilderness/leave-no-trace rules apply.