GLIDER PLT RUNS OUT OF LIFTING AIR AND LANDS ON THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN CAUSING ONLY MINOR DAMAGE AND INJURY TO THE OCCUPANTS.

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INITIALLY; I WAS SCHEDULED TO FLY WITH ANOTHER INSTRUCTOR AND AT THE LAST MIN GIVEN ANOTHER CLUB MEMBER WHO WAS A STUDENT PLT. THIS WAS A XCOUNTRY CAMP AND I RECEIVED ABOUT 2 HRS OF TRAINING PRIOR TO FLT INCLUDING INFO ON HOW TO THERMAL AND THAT BEING TOO CONSERVATIVE CAN ALSO BE POTENTIALLY UNSAFE. EVEN THOUGH I HAD NOT FLOWN RECENTLY AT AIRSAILING; I REVIEWED THE AIRFIELD DIAGRAM AND THE PATTERN PROCS AND FELT COMFORTABLE. MY LEAD PLT TOOK OFF AFTER ME AND INSTRUCTED ME TO THERMAL AFTER OFF TOW AND WE (ABOUT 3-4 SAIL PLANES) WOULD THEN GET TOGETHER FOR FURTHER INSTRUCTION. THE TOW WENT FINE. THE OTHER PLT AND I DECIDED I WOULD FLY UP FRONT. I GOT OFF TOW ABOUT 6000 FT MSL (1700 FT AGL); A LITTLE LOWER THAN NORMAL; HOWEVER I FELT IT WAS A GOOD THERMAL. I WORKED THE THERMAL A LITTLE AND THEN TRIED TO FLY SOME RIDGE. WHEN FLYING RIDGE; I KNEW TO TURN AWAY FROM THE MOUNTAIN. AT THIS TIME I LOST 200-300 FT AND WENT BACK TO WHERE THE THERMAL WAS. I DECIDED ON ONE MORE TURN TOWARD THE THERMAL; AFTER WHICH I WOULD RETURN TO THE FIELD. UNFORTUNATELY; I STOPPED THINKING RIDGE AND TURNED TOWARD THE MOUNTAIN TO WORK THE THERMAL. AT THIS TIME THE WINDS SHIFTED AND I ENCOUNTERED SOME SEVERE SINK. MY AIRSPD WENT FROM 60 KTS TO 40 KTS AND I IMPACTED THE GND. BOTH PLTS ONLY HAD MINOR INJURIES. POSSIBLE CAUSAL FACTORS: PHYSICALLY NOT 100 PERCENT; OVERTASKED WITH TOO MUCH INFO; DID NOT GET A THOROUGH CHKOUT FOR THE NEW CONDITIONS; OVERRELIED ON MY 4000 HRS OF JET TIME; MY CFI-6 TRAINING WAS LIMITED TO BASIC AND ALSO OVERFIXATED ON TRYING TO THERMAL AND LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS.