Sites & Weather
If you’re new to the area, check out our New Pilot Orientation.
Learn how to decide if it will be flyable.
Members-Only: Google Map and Google Docs containing up-to-date LZ status and carpool meeting spots.
Edith’s Gap – Site Guide – Weather
Quickly becoming our most used site and probably the best for XC options. SE ridge that heats up early in the morning. Soaring can start as early as 10:30am in the summer. The landing zone is tricky due to downslope and power lines and requires a very careful approach. Please seek a site intro. It’s too small for hang gliders, though it has been done at least once (downwind/uphill!).
Woodstock – Site Guide – Weather
NW ridge. Not good in a W cross due to spine to the left of launch. Winds are typically lighter than forecast, but with strong thermal activity that will be the opposite. We often get Wave lift here in the Winter. The bridge field is planted in crops in the summer. Check the google site guide for status.
Woodstock underwent MAJOR renovation to complete revamp and expand launch thanks to Patrick Terry’s multi-year long effort. Construction totalled $40k! Half was paid for with membership dues and the other half was a grant from the Foundation for Free Flight. Please become a member to support projects like this! Videos and pictures of the construction are on facebook.
Pulpit – Site Guide – Weather
NW ridge, but launch faces W. Difficult in a N cross. Venturi at launch causes actual winds to be higher than forecast. Paragliders typically don’t go if it’s forecast to be over 7mph.
Launch is owned by the CHGPA and has a slope and two wooden ramps. Camping is allowed on launch and we typically host a Fly-In here every Fall. Secondary landing zone is planted in crops in the summer.
Dickey Ridge Weather
SW ridge inside the Shenandoah National Park. One of the only paragliding and hang gliding sites on National Park land in the United States! Requires P3/H3 with Cliff Launch and Special Use Permit. Additional sites in the SNP, Hog Back (N) and Millers Head (SW) are pending NPS approval and would become our highest sites – hopefully in 2017!
Daniels – Site Guide – Weather
Faces SSW. Not good in a West cross. Daniels also has a weather station close by called Little Edge Farm that’s good for hourly observations.
Bill’s Hill Weather
East facing ridge. Top landable by paragliders. Landing zones are currently off limits due to crop. Requires notifying the Buchanon State Forest prior to flying (717) 485-3148. PA DNR Maps show locations of some of our flying sites!
TRAINING HILLS
Smithsburg – NW training hill, but closed in the summer for crops
Taylor Farm – SW training hill – requires waiver before flying
REGIONAL WEATHER
Short Range Forecast – high pressure and post frontal are best
Windmapper – regional surface wind direction/strength conditions and forecasts
NoStepper – hourly winds aloft forecasts for all of our sites, including radar and satellite loops, and thermal blip map
Winds Aloft – always check winds aloft at 3k feet to see if there’s any strong winds at altitude. Paragliders typically don’t fly when the forecast is 15-20kt at 3k feet.
Area Forecast Discussion – text forecast