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  1. #126
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
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    8,715
    Yep, that is Cove. Not my picture, my friend Brad who takes awesome photos.

  2. #127
    Join Date
    Mar 2017
    Location
    SLC, Utah
    Posts
    4,283
    follow up question:

    are there any mags who are certified instructors and want a new student?

  3. #128
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
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    8,715
    Quote Originally Posted by tgapp View Post
    follow up question:

    are there any mags who are certified instructors and want a new student?
    Not that I know of. Assuming you live in SLC, go down to Point of the Mountain - South Side in the mornings when "Flight Park South" is forecast South and less that 20mph. There will be a ton of students and instructors out. I suggest just kind of observing the scene and talking to the instructors after there session. It is one of the best places in the world to learn, IMO. It is like about who is a good instructor and more about who's style you like and what is a good fit.

  4. #129
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    CO
    Posts
    2,206
    Some beautiful desert flying stoke from earlier this month:

    https://www.instagram.com/tv/CHeg5ZL...d=g59c1mryekoj

    Lift was very light, I don't think my vario topped 1.5m/s, but we managed to fly for about an hour before going for the towers.

  5. #130
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    12,609
    Quote Originally Posted by zartagen View Post
    Some beautiful desert flying stoke from earlier this month:

    https://www.instagram.com/tv/CHeg5ZL...d=g59c1mryekoj

    Lift was very light, I don't think my vario topped 1.5m/s, but we managed to fly for about an hour before going for the towers.
    Nice vid, I gotta get into this one day.

  6. #131
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    670
    Quote Originally Posted by zartagen View Post
    Some beautiful desert flying stoke from earlier this month:

    https://www.instagram.com/tv/CHeg5ZL...d=g59c1mryekoj

    Lift was very light, I don't think my vario topped 1.5m/s, but we managed to fly for about an hour before going for the towers.
    That is an awesome flight.

    Anyway to get to that launch without ascending that rope?

  7. #132
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    CO
    Posts
    2,206
    Quote Originally Posted by tetzen View Post
    That is an awesome flight.

    Anyway to get to that launch without ascending that rope?
    I don't think so, the terrain is pretty damn vertical all around there. We use the fixed ropes the BASE jumpers put up. Jugging the ropes really adds to the adventure anyway.

  8. #133
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    670
    It does notch up the adventure aspect of it. Have you known anyone else to fly that?

    This is probably the time of year to fly that area like that (October-March). I'd imagine most other times have some ripping desert thermals waiting to take the wing for an unpleasant ride that close to the rocks.

  9. #134
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    CO
    Posts
    2,206
    There's no way I'd be that close to the rocks if it wasn't as light and smooth as it was. The wind went to zero, so it was smooth as can be on all sides of the towers.

    Not many people fly there that I know of. Maybe a dozen? I think Foggy has flown it. I've only been in November. Last March a Boulder pilot flew xc to Moab and back.

  10. #135
    Join Date
    Nov 2003
    Location
    none
    Posts
    8,335
    Spectacular!

  11. #136
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    Upper Left, USA
    Posts
    2,151
    Wow, must be exhilarating and slightly scary to fly that close to the towers.

  12. #137
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Posts
    8,715
    Yeh, I've flown it. I think you can get to launch without jugging the fixed lines (which I suck at) but it is rumored to be much sketchier. I hope to get down that way yet this year but weather and schedule has not been cooperating.

  13. #138
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Posts
    602


    500K ! Pretty Impressive .
    "It's only steep if you're backseat"

  14. #139
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Not Brooklyn
    Posts
    8,319
    My wife wants to take up paragliding but it's on the forbidden list with our life insurance. Anyone deal with this and find a solution? Thanks.

    Sent from my Pixel 3a using Tapatalk

  15. #140
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    670
    Mostly what I have heard is to write up a rider that excludes any claims from a related death.

    Some older discussion on the topic is here: https://www.paraglidingforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=10364 Dunno if it is still applicable. Would be curious to see if coverage is still available under it.

  16. #141
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Posts
    361
    A bunch of speedrding stoke from yours truely:

    https://vimeo.com/520489789?fbclid=I...YyCzAfnKSADtrM







    And then a bunch more filmed and edit by some good friends with footage from multiple of the SLC crew:








    I'll put up some more paraglding specific stuff in the future. For now, enjoy the speed!

  17. #142
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Posts
    8,715
    So the season is off to a pretty good start here in North West Colorado. Bigger flights are starting to happen. My friend just flew from above Rancho to Hot Sulphur on Wednesday.

    We have an odd request. We are looking for drivers. Basically, we drive up and fly down. Without a driver we have to shuttle back up or hike. We pay money. $5 per person if you drive my truck. $10 per person if you drive your truck. Historically we have used high schoolers, retirees, etc. but the ultimate are trail runners. They get paid to run up and drive our vehicle down.

    The frequently flown spot that need drivers and Williams Peak (by Green Mtn. Res.), Wolcott (above the Eagle County Dump), and Steamboat (the ski area).

    Another group for which this is attractive are those who are free flight curious. You'd kinda get to check out the scene. We may be able to arrange a tandem flight.

    If you have interest or have any ideas about how to to in touch with people who may, post up here please.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  18. #143
    Join Date
    Oct 2007
    Posts
    12,609
    Quote Originally Posted by Foggy_Goggles View Post
    So the season is off to a pretty good start here in North West Colorado. Bigger flights are starting to happen. My friend just flew from above Rancho to Hot Sulphur on Wednesday.

    We have an odd request. We are looking for drivers. Basically, we drive up and fly down. Without a driver we have to shuttle back up or hike. We pay money. $5 per person if you drive my truck. $10 per person if you drive your truck. Historically we have used high schoolers, retirees, etc. but the ultimate are trail runners. They get paid to run up and drive our vehicle down.

    The frequently flown spot that need drivers and Williams Peak (by Green Mtn. Res.), Wolcott (above the Eagle County Dump), and Steamboat (the ski area).

    Another group for which this is attractive are those who are free flight curious. You'd kinda get to check out the scene. We may be able to arrange a tandem flight.

    If you have interest or have any ideas about how to to in touch with people who may, post up here please.
    PM sent

    I could help out at Williams or maybe Eagle.

  19. #144
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    cb, co
    Posts
    5,035
    Bump. I've been talking about this and thinking about it for far too long. I'm doing it. Present thoughts are to go to POTM for the first 2-3 weeks of June and do as much as I can. I want to be able to fly CB, but that will take a while since it's P3 and pretty sketch from what I know.

    Anyway, anyone want to talk me out of it? Give me brilliant advice? Anything.

  20. #145
    Join Date
    Apr 2022
    Posts
    66
    Quote Originally Posted by goldenboy View Post
    Bump. I've been talking about this and thinking about it for far too long. I'm doing it. Present thoughts are to go to POTM for the first 2-3 weeks of June and do as much as I can. I want to be able to fly CB, but that will take a while since it's P3 and pretty sketch from what I know.

    Anyway, anyone want to talk me out of it? Give me brilliant advice? Anything.
    I'm a P2 with well more than enough flights for P3, but been out of it since a few years after moving to CO. Learned in the upstates and flew a bunch on the west coast too, but was not able to fly regularly in the mountains. Coastal sites are much more consistent. The parawaiting in mountains when I had limited time for other adventuring killed it for me. Not flying regularly definitely ups the sketch too.

    But I would not try to talk anyone out of it. Foot launch free flight is amazing and I miss it tremendously. Was hiking on mount royal this fall with my kid and a gaggle was soaring Peak 1, I assume launching from copper. I would get back into it if I could pick up and go when its on. Great sport if you have the schedule you can travel for it too.

    just about everyone I flew with in CO learned at POTM. Been years since I've known anyone that went to get their p2 or p3 there, but I would expect its still the place to go if you can spend some time there
    Last edited by ENDOOO; 03-03-2023 at 09:17 PM. Reason: edit to add

  21. #146
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Posts
    8,715
    I certainly don't want to talk you out of it. I'm an admitted free flight addict. The short story about paragliding in Colorado is that our conditions are too consistent do to high base winds and frequent thunderstorms but when conditions line up it is amazing. As a 200ish hour 5 year pilot and has flown almost exclusively in the Rocky Mountains, I'm pretty qualified to tell you how it is. Once your skill set has developed to the point where you are safe in the big terrain, the options are mind blowing.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er_xhBlPin4

    Generic advice for those that are free flight curious:

    1. Fly a tandem to make sure you actually like it!
    2. Understand that the time commitment to learn AND stay current is substantial and required for safety.
    3. The enemy is us. The only problem with PG is that the accidents can be life changing. We need a lot of personal honesty and we need to be wise enough to maintain wide margins. There really is no going for it.
    4. Pilots are amazing people. The community, support and expected behavior is life changing. It can be a bit overwhelming for some.
    5. Your choice in instructor is a life decision. Make sure you feel a good connection to the school you are considering.

  22. #147
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Posts
    8,715
    Endoo, I might have been in that gaggle. People launch Royal and other bumps on that end of the Ten Mile but usually we launch Peak 6 after hiking the Continental Divide Trail from Copper. Copper has an off again on again paragliding launch program that we are constantly looking to improve access to.

    I'm not sure when in Colorado you live, but the options for a casual paraglider are much better that they used to be. Boulder is a really friendly site and Hike and Fly in mellow conditions is pretty approachable for those with good launching and landing skills.

    Hit me up if you want to talk about it.

  23. #148
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    cb, co
    Posts
    5,035
    This isn't Europe, so I think today was the first time I've seen a speedflyer created avalanche in the CAIC report: https://classic.avalanche.state.co.u...p?obs_id=74803

    Anyway, back to me. Thanks for those comments. The waiting around definitely might be a thing for me- it's one of the reasons I MTB in the summer vs rockclimb. I don't need a partner, there's no sitting around, I just go...

    Foggy, what am I looking for in an instructor? I've known someone for years who has a company. We chatted for a while, it sounds like he's $2500 for a year of flying, that way he isn't charging me if we just sit around all day and never get the wind. I guess that's pretty common?

  24. #149
    Join Date
    Nov 2002
    Posts
    8,715
    Re: Instructor/School Your school tends to be a bit of your flock. You develop a style and a mindset that reflects this. You learning path will take you to some pretty personal places and you will, hopefully, feel challenged and be faced to address personality traits that may affect your safety as an aviator. For his reason, I find it important to have connection and ability to communicate with your instructor.

    Re: waiting Parawaiting is a bit of a game. For me, it actually taught me some patience and relaxation techniques that have really helped me in life. It is not too much of an issue while you learn as the appropriate conditions are pretty predicable. As you season and start chasing the sky crack, you tend to need to be a bit selective. Second year pilot tend to want to go all the time and end up chasing shit conditions. After a bit you realized that you are best just shooting for the good days. In the mountains of Colorado, most thermic flight is in the evenings. I don't feel like I give up much by flying after work.

  25. #150
    Join Date
    Jan 2005
    Location
    cb, co
    Posts
    5,035
    Thanks Foggy. I had time to watch that video- that was sick watching someone fly over my home range like that. Lots to think about- didn't realize picking an instructor was like picking a spouse or something, ha.

    I might actually be OK reading your comments about parawaiting. I feel like I've gotten pretty good at picking my spots skiing. When I skied all the 14ers, for instance, I only turned around or got skunked a couple of times. Not because I was too goal driven, but because I was pretty obsessed with doing the research before ever leaving home. I didn't see the point in trying if the forecast for Long's was 60mph winds. Hopefully I'll develop that sense and just ride my bike if the window looks mediocre. I guess I'll see.

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