Yosemite Hang Gliding Mission

I've never offically blogged about this so here it goes. In 2009 Jeff, Adam and I met up for one of our occasional hang gliding missions. Adam has been in South Africa for the past couple years so we have to make the best of short time we get together when he is stateside. Jeff delivered with a hang gliding mission to Yosemite National Park, the only legal hang gliding site in a national park.

The park was burning with a huge fire on the western edge of the Valley. It had filled the park with smoke and made the prospect of actually flying doubtful. We would have to rig and find out just before the launch window opened at 9:00 am. The reduced visibility from the smoke added a depth and mystery to the park with sheer cliff walls and geographic features appearing as giant looming shadows through the haze.

In the end we did get to fly, finding out minutes before the launch window opened. The flights were an epic, once in a lifetime experience and the realization of the reasons why we hang glide. Adam said it best in an article published in Hang Gliding & Paragliding Magazine and Jeff captured photography that sets the bar for aerial hang gliding shots. I was able to capture enough video to put together a clip that I use in my Phoenix Multisport slide show. Like most of our trips the fun extends far beyond hang gliding. I'll let the photos below tell the story.

The Fire

First View of the Valley

Smokey in the Valley

Meeting Up with the Boys

Going for a Dip in Yosemite Creek

Fish Eye View

(literally)

Dinner

Smokey Dawn

Rigging

Looking Down Launch

Launching

The LZ

Full Video of my Flight

The Entire Crew

(the real hero's of the trip, are the volunteers of Yosemite Hang Gliders Association who give their time so others can fly)

A Day Well Spent

On the way out of the park I stopped to watch the fire fighting effort. There was a small break-off fire burning up the south side of a steep wooded ridge. There were two Air Crane helicopters alternating drops using water from Yosemite Creek. The Air Crane is an amazing piece of machinery and seeing it in action against the backdrop of the Yosemite Valley was incredible.

The Fire

The Air Crane

The Backdrop

The Drop

Passing in Flight

Close Up