Visiting Pilots

Visiting pilots are welcome. Information and description about many of the different flying sites in our area is listed below. Most of these sites are accessed via 4x4 vehicle or on foot and are non-regulated sites, located on public lands. However, Bald Mountain (9100' MSL) is a regulated, USHPA insured, paragliding site. To fly Bald Mountain, you must be a member in good standing with USHPA with a P3 rating. All pilots must join the local club, (Sun Valley Paragliders) and obtain a current membership card. Annual membership to the club is $25. Temporary memberships are $10 and valid for 10 days. When you arrive, please have your USHPA card and any other credentials available. When the lifts are in operation, lift operators will inspect credentials and deny access if a parapilot does not have a current membership card. Helmets, reserves and radios (USHPA frequency 151.925) are mandatory. If a pilot has not flown from Bald Mountain, the pilot's first flight must be accompanied by a local pilot or instructor/guide to get acquainted with the launch sites, and protocol. To get current weather conditions on Bald Mountain, click on Bald Mountain.

View a satellite image of the area.

Site Descriptions

Mt. Baldy
The primary flying site is Mt. Baldy, (top of the Sun Valley Resort) a high altitude mountain flying site with the summit at 9150ft MSL. The landing zone is approximately 3400 ft. below, at 5700ft MSL. Baldy has launch sites for essentially every wind direction. Competent P3 pilots with some mountain flying experience should feel comfortable in smooth conditions. This is a site requiring advanced skills as conditions can change, reasonably quickly. Please fly within limitations, exercise caution and be respectful when conditions become strong. Bald Mountain offers great XC potential all summer long. The current Idaho state distance record of 126 miles was flown in August of 2006 from Bald Mountain, by local pilot Nate Scales. The 2006 US National Paragliding Championships were also held on Bald Mountain. A total of 5 tasks were flown with a sum total of 460 kilometers/290 miles, the most distance ever flown in a US paragliding competition. On day 2 of the competition, a record was set for the longest task ever called and completed in US paragliding history, 125 kilometers/78 miles!

Baldy is accessed by a multitude of high-speed ski lifts. Launch sites are a few steps away from the top of the lifts. The landing zone, is within a few hundred yards of the bottom of the lifts at River Run Plaza.(The day lodge located on the east side, base of the mountain) Baldy is also accessible between May and October, via 4x4 vehicles operated by Fly Sun Valley.

Please be aware, if you are a pilot new to mountain flying, airspeeds, including launch and landing speeds are greatly increased by the altitude/elevation.

Winter Flying on Baldy
Our winter flying season coincides with the opening and closing of the Bald Mountain ski area (usually Thanksgiving Day to mid-April) and lift access to the mountain. Paragliding/foot passes are available from the Sun Valley Company. In the winter, paragliding is permitted from 3 different launch sites on "Baldy". Their names are Easter Bowl, Limelight and Heaven. Wind direction for the launch sites is 170°, 350° and 320° respectively. It is important to stay aware of skier traffic while laying out and launching. Since Baldy is a busy ski resort, there is often a large audience of spectators at the launch sites, especially in the wintertime. Demonstrate your best skills and please show the greatest courtesy and patience to all skiers and mountain personnel. Stay keenly aware of activity up hill from your location. Most skiers are ignorant about paragliding and many can not see glider lines lying on the snow while a glider is laid out. We've all had our lines skied over at least once! Awareness and proper launch protocol will also help avoid skiers from crossing your path during launch. December and January offer ridge soaring conditions and smooth, long sled rides. February brings better soaring conditions, with increased thermal activity as the month progresses. March and April can offer spring thermal soaring conditions. Expect packed snow conditions at the launch sites, which is great for foot launching. The landing zone is located at the north end of the River Run parking lot, at the base of the mountain. This LZ usually remains empty except for the busiest ski weekends. However, be aware of any potential obstacles. There is an alternative LZ at Atkinsons Park & Hemingway School in Ketchum. Please do not land on the cross-country ski trails unless it is an emergency.

Summer Flying on Baldy
Bald Mountain is the primary site to fly in the summer, with lift access operating from late June to early September. Day passes and summer season lift passes are available at River Run Lodge/Plaza. Fly Sun Valley also offers access to the launch sites as early as May and as late as October with a 4x4 vehicle. The launch sites utilized in the summer season are Christmas Ridge/DD, Easter Bowl, Limelight, Heaven and Alabama. Wind direction for these launch sites is 140°, 170°, 350°, 320° and 270° respectively. Baldy is a highly consistent flying site offering wonderful mountain flying, tremendous views and XC potential. It is also a potentially complex flying site where strong thermal conditions, turbulence and valley winds can build quickly. Like all flying sites, given the timing, conditions can be big and challenging or as benign as a morning stroll. Conditions in the LZ are also known to deteriorate rapidly with sudden directional changes with thermal activity and/or strong valley winds. Midmornings tend to be an optimum flying window when thermal strength is good, but before the valley winds potentially pick up. Evenings flights can be truly classic with the dramatic light of a setting sun, fat late day thermals and a glass off. Please avoid landing on the bike path adjacent to the River Run LZ unless it is an emergency. Landing at Atkinsons Park & Hemingway School is also possible.

Greenhorn
Located about 6 miles south of Ketchum. Greenhorn is 1800ft vertical difference. Access is via 4x4 or hiking. It is a fairly rugged 4wd road that is accessible when the road is sufficiently dry--usually from May to early November. This site has a south-facing launch with great thermal flying, excellent XC potential and large landing zone.

Sky Ridge
Sky Ridge is 5 miles west of Hailey, the town 12 miles south of Ketchum. This dry west facing site located on BLM land is a 3 mile long ridge and provides magnificent spring, summer and fall evening flying. Rugged 4wd road with tight switchbacks. 1800 AGL.

Sun Peak
A local site located on the edge of Sun Valley city limits by the golf course. This is a hike up site used both summer and winter. It is facing south and west. 1500' AGL. Usually best for mid-afternoon and evening flights. 

Mindbender
A magnificent northerly site 3700 AGL. About 10 miles SE of Ketchum. Mindbender is only accessible from midsummer to October via a rugged 4x4 road at the end of Indian Creek Ranches.