Hang Gliding in Owens Valley, California

The arid expanse of California's Owens Valley pumps massive thermals from earth to sky. On a cloudless day, this very muscular shove of wind is invisible from the ground -- until a hang glider or a paraglider takes to the air. Then, it's all too easy to see what this region's legendary "big air" is all about: powerful, often turbulent lift that pops skilled pilots to heart-pounding heights, allowing them to fly record-breaking distances over the magnificent landscape.

  1. The Owens Valley Flying Season

    • Most recreational hang glider pilots visit Owens Valley sites during the spring and fall, as these seasons offer the best balance of moderate thermals and lower turbulence for cross-country hang gliding. Newer and more timid pilots prefer the winter months, when cold greatly reduces the valley's legendary bone-jarring thermals. Summertime flying excludes beginners, but provides the powerful conditions required for pro-level altitude gain and serious open distance flying.

    Owens Valley in Flying History

    • According to Noah Whittall's "Paragliding: The Complete Guide," Owens Valley pumps with "some of the strongest lift anywhere." These dynamic conditions can easily pull hang gliders to altitudes where freezing and oxygen starvation are real risks. Some pilots are drawn to that raw power. Owens Valley local Kari Castle, for example, set the women's long distance cross country record in the valley in 1983. Thirty years later, the 200-mile record still stands.

    Local Owens Valley Launches

    • Six regularly launched sites in the Owens Valley range from 5,600 to 11,000 feet in altitude. The most storied of these -- the record-setting launch at Walt's Point, also called "Horseshoe" -- is recommended for advanced pilots only. The site can be busy on a morning with great conditions. Respectful non-pilots are welcome to sit at the back edges of the launch area to watch the hang gliders as they scoot their colorful wings out into the valley air.

    Tandem Rides and Instruction

    • While the valley's tough conditions exclude rank beginners as a solo proposition, you don't need to be a professional hang glider pilot to fly Owens Valley. Tandem passengers -- as well as hang gliders looking to better their technique -- can find world class instruction in the valley. "The Explorer's Guide to Yosemite & the Southern Sierra Nevada" recommends contacting the aforementioned world champion pilot Kari Castle to take a tandem, hook up with a flying clinic or receive first-time instruction.