What You Need to Know
Paragliding is an exhilarating and relaxing sport. To ensure your safety, we require all passengers to be reasonably athletic and below 220 lbs.
What do I need to bring?
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Shoes with some grip. No sandals or slip-ons. We need to be able to run and stop without slipping and falling
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Water and snacks
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Sunglasses
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Weather appropriate clothing. Light gloves for cold days. Light jacket and pants unless it's very warm out, then shorts and short-sleeves are acceptable.
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We will provide helmets, but you are welcome to bring your own if you'd like. Ski helmets are the best option.
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If you have a tether for your phone or camera, you are welcome to use that but we will have GoPros available and can send you pictures or video after the flight.
Why do we meet so early?
We generally meet at 8 am for Bellyache Ridge flights because we have a limited amount of time before the wind direction shifts and eliminates our ability to safely launch tandems.
From 8 am to 10 am, the cold air flows down-valley from the high peaks and gives us a consistent headwind with which to safely launch. As the valley warms up, we can get extended flights due to thermals releasing from the ground. These thermals can sometimes cause turbulence, both making our flights longer, but also more bumpy.
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Once the valley heats up to a certain point, the wind begins to blow from behind the hill, meaning that our flying opportunity is over for the morning.
Why are there weight limits?
Our tandem gliders are certified within specific weight ranges. Legally, we have to fly within the weight range of our gliders.
Conditions also play a role. In order to launch our gliders, we have to run together and build enough speed to glide away from the terrain. In light winds, it can be difficult to achieve this speed with heavier passengers. Conversely, in strong wind, if we are too light on the glider, it can be difficult to control effectively.
What is the landing like?
Depending on conditions, we will either land on our feet or slide in on our butts. The passenger harnesses have cushioning built-in, making butt landings feel like landing on a firm pillow.
Is there a waiver?
Yes! Scroll to the bottom of our brochure. If you do not have a printer, we will provide the waivers at the meeting point.
How long does the flying season last?
We typically operate from late May into early October. Winter tandems are uncommon due to the added difficulty of running through deep snow to take off.
How long should we plan to be out?
For Bellyache Ridge (our morning site), plan for about two hours. This gives us time to fill out waivers, do our pre-flight talk, fly around, and exchange photos and video.
For Wolcott (our evening site), expect to be out from 3 or 4 pm until sunset.
How many people can fly at once?
Our tandem gliders are certified to fly with two people at once. One pilot and one passenger. Depending on the number of pilots available, we can do groups of up to 12 at the morning site, and usually no more than 4 at the evening site.
I have mobility limitations. Can I still fly?
Yes! We are able to provide free adaptive tandems for children at Bellyache Ridge. For adults, we have other locations we can fly from. This is due to the additional weight of the adaptive chair. With more weight under our canopy, we need to fly at windier sites. Williams Peak, north of Silverthorne, is our go-to spot for adaptive paragliding. It requires a 30 minute drive up with a high-clearance vehicle, but we have gorgeous views of the Gore Range during the whole flight. And of course, we will land right by your car!
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Contact us below for more information.