Yosemite

All things flight-related for Hang Glider and Paraglider pilots: flying plans, site info, weather, flight reports, etc. Newcomers always welcome!

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rlweber
Posts: 250
Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2006 8:30 am

Yosemite

Post by rlweber »

I am planning a trip to visit my daughter in San Francisco at the end of April. Last time I was on the Left Coast in October I flew my paraglider at Mussel Rock (The Dumps) and a local's hang glider at Fort Funston. Both flights were enjoyable. The left cross increased the challenge at Fort Funston. This time I think we will head up to Yosemite. I would appreciate if someone would give me some guidance about how one goes about flying in Yosemite. I will need to secure a hang glider.
Thanks
Randy (hoping to fly on Saturday) Weber
Keep Calm And Soar On
mcelrah
Posts: 2323
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 11:30 pm

Re: Yosemite

Post by mcelrah »

Randy,

Yosemite Hang-gliding Association has a web page where you can sign up for a monitor. No monitor, no fly. April may be a bit early on accounta snow - but they aren't getting much this winter - again. You can sign up for a spread of dates to give yourself a weather day. Eves Tallchief is a longtime monitor there - hopefully he hasn't aged out.

This is a bucket-list item for me and I was thinking about driving out with my glider sometime around then - trying to beat the wildfires, which will come earlier due to the 2nd year of 500-year drought.

Let's talk. - Hugh
mcelrah
Posts: 2323
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 11:30 pm

Re: Yosemite

Post by mcelrah »

The earliest monitor I see on the website is 5-8 June. Might do some calling around to see when the locals say the site is "open" and see if we could recruit a monitor. - Hugh
Dan T
Posts: 1082
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2005 5:58 pm
Location: Northern VA

Re: Yosemite

Post by Dan T »

I think Eves Tallchief's son has mostly taken over his father's activities in support of the site. The site is well away (about 40 road miles) from Yosemite Village in the main part of the valley.

I parked the motorhome in Yosemite valley for a few days two summers ago late in the summer. The time to see it is in the Spring if you possibly can. That's when the waterfalls are most impressive.

I've always wanted to fly it too. I assume you both know that the flight windows close fairly early in the morning before there is any significant thermal activity. It's a pretty long way to get there from anywhere. The road in winds around a lot and is probably going to take you longer than you think. Give yourself plenty of time to get there when you plan to fly.

Dan
theflyingdude
Posts: 358
Joined: Thu Jan 06, 2005 11:40 pm
Location: Cumberland, MD

Re: Yosemite

Post by theflyingdude »

I did it in June of 1988 and we camped in a campground near Glacier Point so there wasn't much driving to launch involved. You had to be off the hill before 8:30 AM and the best part (other than the flight itself) was having Eves Tall-Chief meet you in the LZ with a magnum of champagne shouting, "Breakfast of Champions!"

JR
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