Mt. Howard |
| Contact: toddweigand@hotmail.com Web site: http://wallowaparagliding.blogspot.com/ You need to be signed off by a local pilot to fly this site. Contact Phil Stonebrook who is the site rep. Here's John Saltveit's Mt. Howard site description that was printed in
Description of site: Near the town of Joseph, Oregon, and just past Wallowa Lake State Park on left. Ask any local how to get there. Take the $12 tram ride. You might be able to get two rides, because the hang glider pilots do at 9am and noon. Work it. Mt. Howard is a spectacularly beautiful site, with sheer granite walls, almost a 4000 vertical, snowcapped, 9000 foot peaks, and wilderness all around. Mt. Howard faces the prevailing high pressure direction, north in this area. For other nearby sites, see Mt. Emily and Mt. Harris. Spectacular soaring flights are quite possible here; David Lankton had one in June, 1997. I felt that even my sled ride was amazing. You very well may have to no-wind launch, and it isn't an easy place to do it. The main lift is in front of a steep face in front and just to left of launch. The benefit of landing in the creek bed near the park is a better turn around. Long hike (1/2 mile) downhill and northeast to steep area for launch. Site protocol: Try to contact locals. Do not land in state park. The standard LZ is far off to the right beyond the small hill. You probably will get a $500 fine if you land in the park. There is a small, sometimes dry creek bed that you can land in near the park, but you need to ask the park manager how to do that. While flying or preparing on top, avoid stepping on Greenman?s desert parsley, an endangered local plant. Only top-land on the west side of the path to avoid it.
Todd Weigand toddweigand@hotmail.com
|