Oh I think you'll definitely notice an improvement with an current design wing. I started out on a 1999 Gin Bolero (DHV-1 EN-A). Flew it in the mountains for a long time before upgrading to an Airwave Sport 4 (DHV-1-2 EN-B) and it was an instant win in terms of thermal and glide performance. I still have it and I got it out to kite a few years back - that wing is soooo heavy and soooo slow. When I wore out the Sport 4 I went to a Nova Ion 3 Light and stepped down a size. Again, night and day in how responsive it is, and much more stable - in three seasons of flying I don't recall having more than a 25% asym collapse and no frontals. Having a wing that is solid as a rock is very confidence building when you're flying in shitty mountain air. I mean you usually get used to stuff - but the first time I saw my Sport 4 go below me after a massive sink induced frontal... well I wasn't happy and it cut my flight short.
Hat Creek is in NorCal - just north of Lassen. It's a 2000' volanic ridge that is usually only for evening ridge soaring / glass off - it generally howls from noon onwards in the summer. So unless you're into an epic and super spicy ride over the back and into the wilderness you'll launch about an hour or two before sunset as the wind backs off (if it backs off) and soar / glass-off until sun-down.