BOW WAVE GOES BIG

For years there's been some controversy around here about whether wave can exist UPwind of mountains. We who fly nearly every day observe such phenomena several times a year, but it's typically weak and unrealiable as a form of soarable lift. This past Sunday however, was one to remember.The wind aloft (measured) was about 50 knots from the north-northeast. After climbing from low in ridge lift to 10,000 feet MSL, we began penetrating into the wind. Unlike penetrations in classic wave, we never really lost much altitude - but always found more lift the further we went. Finally we were fully ten miles UPwind of the low ridge we started on, gobbling smooth, steady 4- to 6-Kt wave lift - wondering how much higher and how much further to windward this miracle would continue to work.But it was getting late, so from 12,000 feet we quit climbing and headed downwind toward home. Typically, bow waves tend to migrate downwind toward their source like surf massaging the beach, and on this day we kinda sorta proved that too. As we glided along in that 50-Kt tailwind, the maximum lift remained all around us, drifting also, for a solid five miles... Not bad for something that some folks say can't exist!