First Hang Glide 2008 - DEFCON 2

There have been quite a few soaring days in Colorado this year, and as usual I miss them either due to not checking the forecast until its too late or working. Today I checked the forecast early and made plans to fly after work. It looked like there would be a good soaring window ahead of a cold front packing a late winter snow storm. After getting off work and spending way too long trying to sell Jo's Saturn to an overly meticulous buyer we loaded up and headed to Golden.

Before I go any further I should explain my title. DEFCON levels are a measure of readiness activation for the armed services, 5 being the least and 1 being the most. The hang gliding community has spoofed DEFCON as slang for how motivated a pilot is by conditions to fly. They are reversed, 1 being the least ready to fly 5 being the most. The following DEFCON levels have been debated by hang glider pilots while waiting on launches for years for favorable conditions.

DEFCON 1 - Driving to Launch Site

DEFCON 2 - Hiking Glider to Launch
DEFCON 3 - Setting Up Glider

DEFCON 4 - Hooking In

DEFCON 5 - Taking Position on Launch

Today Jo and I made it to DEFCON 2. We managed to make to Lookout Mountain at about 2:30pm. As we drove up we counted 8 paragliders and 1 hang glider in the air and two hang gliders which had already landed. At launch, I chatted with a couple other pilots for a condition report and quickly unloaded the glider while wrangling Molly on the leash until we were safely away from the road. Jo wrangled Diogee and carried my harness. After a quick hike up I soaked in the conditions. They weren't good. Cloudbase was dropping and the wind was shifting from North East to North West. The cold front was upon us. After about 15 minutes of resting, decision making, and hand stands I decided not to fly.

I probably have could have set up in time to get off before it turned completely North West, but I would have had to glide straight to the Miner's Field LZ. It was too North in the Valley to land in the normal LZ. I decided rather than have my first flight of the year involve a hectic set up followed by trying launch before the wind turned completely North West and then a hectic lee-side sledder straight to the LZ, I'd just bag it and enjoy a hike with Jo and the dogs.

As Jo and I hiked up to the top of Lookout Mountain the wind shifted North West and the snow started. It didn't take long for cloudbase to drop and we soon found ourselves with our heads in the clouds.

It was good fun, maybe next time I'll at least make it DEFCON 3!