Utah Paragliding and Hang Gliding Handbook
stacy@cuasa.com
updated 24 Feb 2010

Let's imagine. Let's fantasize about the perfect paragliding Launch. First let's visualize a place that is soarable in both morning and evening, with consistently smooth winds and easy access as well as forgiving ground characteristics. Can such a place really exist? Now let's dream of a perfect mountain flying site with 2WD access no more than a half hour's drive but over 3000 feet above a mile wide LZ. It must have a nice flat top but good slope after Launch and access to at least 270 degrees of Launching directions. It must be soarable and have the option of climbing higher in soarable winds. Say 3000 feet higher. It must have excellent cross-country potential and just because we are dreaming let's imagine it has a NOAA weather site right on Launch, so we can check soaring conditions before leaving home.
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Utah.
Paragliding Paradise.
Home of the Wasatch Front Mountain range that creates consistent coast like conditions almost every day of the year. Welcome to Point of the Mountain.
Welcome to Utah.
Home of Cove Mountain, where a ridge finger extends miles out into and 3300 feet above the Sevier Valley, and creates a soarable take off in three different directions. Where you can climb in evening ridge lift up over 3000 feet and look down on mountain lakes and streams along with 3000 foot shear cliffs and the panorama of Color Country. Where thermals can carry you to the Wasatch Plateau and you can thermal above Skyline Drive, a mountain ridge road that runs 60 miles between Sanpete and Carbon Valley's, and seldom dips below 10,000 feet.. From there you can thermal right into the Uinta Mountains and on to Wyoming if you want to. Welcome to Utah. Home of the Parker Ridge - 30 miles of unbroken soarable ridge line, with roads at the top and the bottom, Where else can you get a 6000 ft sled ride in baby butt smooth early morning air from Monroe Mountain or a 5000 foot sunset flight while watching the sun immerse itself in the Great Salt Lake in Glass Off conditions from Francis Peak. Or take the thermal elevator from Inspo over the top of Mt.Nebo or from Hancock and cruise the Fish Lake Hightop Plateau. If you are World Class take the tram at Snowbird and launch in gnarly terrain for a shot at world record flight distances. Whether you are a beginner or a master, or somewhere in between you can find it in Utah. The following list of Utah launches is a work in progress, and not meant to be a complete list by any means. It should give you a place to start and an idea of what is out there. Just because you know how to get to a site doesn't make flying it a great idea. Always fly with a buddy and contact the locals who understand the site specific details. Always think safety first and approach each new site and conditions with the “launching is optional, landing is required” mindset.
Have fun, live large, and enjoy a long lifetime of freedom, and victory over earth bound existence.

After the name of the Launch I have listed the nearest town or some landmark (where available). Then the launch (TO) altitude with GPS coordinates; then landing (LZ) altitude (with GPS coordinates). If you have access to Google Earth you can just put in the coordinates and have fairly good look at how to get there and what is available. Then accessibility, reasons you would want to fly there, some directions, and comments about the site.

Send any comments, corrections additions, and snide remarks to stacy@cuasa.com
Utah Paragliding launches

Point of the Mountain, Draper World famous flying site because of consistent airflow South in the morning, North in the evening. The Banks of the ancient Lake Bonneville left very smooth sand ridges on a Mountain finger that runs perpendicular to the air flow- providing smooth soarable conditions almost every day.
South side Launch: 5150ft/1570m GPS 40 27'24”N 111 54'06”W LZ: 4850ft/1478m GPS 40 27'15"N 111 54' 02"W Great training hill; consistent morning soaring.
North side Launch: 5100ft/1555m GPS 40 28'29”N 111 53'30”W LZ: 4800ft/1463m GPS 40 28' 39"N 111 53'40"W Consistent evening soaring. The north side provides an opportunity to bench up and soar the 2 mile long mountain behind launch.

One of three paved to launch sites in Utah. Randolph ,(Crawford) Launch: 7700ft/2347m GPS 41 40'17”N 111 05'46” W LZ: 6450ft/1966m GPS 41 40'10"N 111 06' 55"W 2WD drive-up. West facing ridge; 10 miles soarable. Consistent winds, very reliable launch for evening ridge soaring.

Strawberry, Strawberry Reservior Launch: 8700ft/2652m GPS 40 05'36”N 111 07'34”W LZ: 7800ft/2377m GPS 40 05'47”N 111 08'44"W 2WD drive-up. West facing ridge; 2 miles soarable. Take Provo Canyon to highway 40; S on strawberry Rd; E on Big springs Rd turns into Forest Rd. Beautiful views overlooking strawberry reservoir.

The V, Bountiful Launch: 6341ft/1933m GPS 40 54'40” N 111 50'44”W LZ: 4600ft/1402m GPS 40 54'38” N 111 52'35”W 2WD drive-up. West facing Launch. P-2 when conditions are right. One of the easier mountain sites.

Francis Peak, Farmington Launch: 9200ft/2804m GPS 41 01'38”N 111 50'17”W LZ: 4300ft/1310m GPS 41 00'28”N 111 54'47”W 2WD drive-up. West facing launch in a nice meadow, sometimes soarable. Take Shepard Lane just past Lagoon; 45 minute dirt road. 9600 ft ceiling because of air traffic (Bummer). Nearly 5000 ft vert; fantastic view over the Great Salt Lake. (Note: watching the sun sink into the Great Salt Lake while you are soaring in glass off conditions. 4000 feet above the Lagoon Amusement Park changes your attitude about what fun is.)

Big Beacon (Mt Wire), University of Utah Launch:7047ft/2148m GPS 40 46'15”N 111 47'58”W LZ: 5100ft/1555m GPS 40 45'45”N 111 49'17”W Immigration Canyon, Hike up site. Nice multi directional launch.

The H (Highland) Launch: 5474ft/1660m GPS 40 43'48”N 111 48'36”W LZ: 5150ft/1570m GPS Foothill Dr. 2100 S. SLC. Hike up site, sometimes soarable. P-3

Grandeur Peak, Salt Lake City Launch: 5900ft/1798m GPS 40 42'1”N 111 47'01”W LZ: 5100ft/1555m GPS Straight up from 33rd south.. 800 foot vert; maybe a fly to the Point on the right day, thermal site.

Olympus, Salt lake City Launch: 5524ft/1684m GPS 40 39'40”N 111 47'56”W LZ: 4900ft/1494m GPS Wasatch blvd; E on Fortuna Dr; S on Mile High Dr. Short hike up, 300 ft vert. Thermal site. The “cool guys” fly Olympus to the Point. It's a right of passage thing. P-4 only. Lousy postage stamp LZ (- but who wants to use it anyway…).

Jupiter, Brighton ski resort Launch: 9920ft/3024m GPS 40 36' 45”N 111 32'30”W LZ: 9000ft/2743m GPS Late morning site. Thermal potential; Big air; gnarly mountain site.

Snowbird, Little Cottonwood Canyon Launch: 10980ft/3347m GPS 40 33'38”N 111 38'43”W LZ 8280ft/2438m GPS 40 34'51”N 111 39'11”W Take the Tram up. Great Thermal potential. P-4 and by invitation only! Home of the North American foot launch cross-country record. 154 miles - 2001 by Bill Belcourt.

The B, Butler area SLC launch: 5700ft/1737m GPS 40 36'34” N 111 47'08 ‘W LZ: 5200ft/1585m GPS Another hike up and fly to the Point thermal site. Small LZ: not recommended. If you are going to fly this site - get away from terrain quickly and be willing to hike back up if you sink out.

Stockton Bar, Tooele Launch: 5176ft/1578m GPS 40 27' 48” N 112 22'28”W LZ: 4950ft/1509m GPS 40 28' 00” N 112 22'10"W Mile long, North facing ridge; P-2 site. It's like a North facing South side of the point, evening soaring site. Same consistent air flow from the Great Salt Lake. Meso-west weather station on launch.

Mt. Ibepah, Calleo Launch: 11960ft/3646m GPS 39 49'39"N 113 55'11.6" W LZ: 4470ft/1363m GPS"39 53'09"N 113 44'14" W. Utah's 3rd highest launch and biggest vert at nearly 7500 feet. That is a record unlikely to be bested, because nowhere else in Utah is a mountain that high next to a flat that low Mt Ibepah is the highest mountain in the Deep Creek range. It's a six hour hike, but absolutely breath-taking. The landing is less than 300 feet above the Geat Salt Lake, completely desolate. When we launched the temperature was about 40 degrees and on landing it was in the 80's.

Inspo, Orem Launch: 6650ft/2027m GPS 40 17'23”N 111 39'19”W LZ: 4850ft/1478m GPS 40 18'04”N 111 27'32”W Home of the very successful 2009 national paragliding competition, 8 days 8 successful tasks. East on Prove Canyon Rd; South on Squaw peak Rd. Very high cross-country potential, many flights over 50 miles.. 97 miles from Inspo on a paraglider July 11, 2007. Many obstrutions around the LZ; P-4 or instructor supervision recommended. One of three paved to launch sites in Utah.

Y Mountain, Provo Launch: 6270ft/1911m GPS 40 14'53”N 111 37'12”W LZ: 4900ft/1494m GPS Take 820 E. to Oak Cliff Dr. Hike up site, good thermal trigger.

West Mountain, Payson Launch: 6764ft/2062m GPS 40 05'20”N 111 49'37”W LZ: 4550ft/1387m GPS 40 06'01”N 111 47'47 2WD high clearance drive-up. East facing TO. Take the Benjamin exit; go W on 7300S to 5300W; go North around the turn and follow the road up to the towers. Good first time mountain site. Easy slope launch and open LZ. Morning thermals. Don't land in the fields with animals and don't block off access to gates with vehicles parked in the LZ. Some XC potential.

Lake Mountain, Saratoga Springs Launch: 7602ft/2317m GPS 40 16'49.1”N 111 56'06.7”W LZ 4900ft/1493m GPS 40 18'41”N 111 54'34”W Morning thermal site. Very rough, rocky road - (OK not so much a road as a tire eating dragon waiting to devour rubber)

Fire Hazard @ Lake Mountain, Saratoga Springs Launch: 5600ft/1707m GPS 40 14' 22”N 111 53'04”W LZ: 4600ft/1402m GPS 4WD drive up. East facing TO. 25 minute drive from the Point. Very soarable when it's East cross at the Point. Good soaring and training site with N. and S. facing training hills. Same type of sandy benches from lake Bonneville as you find at Point of the Mountain.

Mt Nebo, Nephi Launch: 11870ft/3618m GPS 39 49'19.1”N 111 45'38” W LZ: 4962ft/1512m GPS 39 49'01”N 111 51'24” W (Mona City Park)The highest peak in the Wasatch mountain range. Utah's fourth highest Launch and 2nd biggest vert.(6909 ft) 3.5 hour hike up and lousy loose rock Launch area (bring a tarp). a launch from the saddle 1500 feet lower is recommended.

Horse Heaven, Levan Launch: 8036 ft/2461m GPS 34 29'26.2”N 111 49'56.1”W LZ: 5060ft/1542m GPS 39 30'26.0”N 111 52'17.6”W Good 2WD read. Thermal site. Southeast and west launch options. Wide open LZ

The “V” (Venice), Richfield Launch: 6410ft/1954m GPS 38 48' 15"N 111 58'01”W LZ: 5285ft/1611m GPS 38 48' 01" N 111 58'56”W Short hike (400ft vert) - but a true 360 degree Launch. P-2 site. Easy launcheses in all four directions. Soarable in three directions. (If an east wind in these parts is strong enough to be soarable you don't want to be flying. I tried it once – it wasn't fun.)

12 minute, Richfield Launch: 5733ft/1747m GPS 38 45'32”N 112 00'53”W LZ: 5280ft/1609m GPS 38 45'22.7”N 112 01'13.6”W 4WD drive-up site. West side is P-2. East side is P-3. Nice grassy LZ's both sides. East side is very soarable in a South. Down the valley wind that happens often in the spring. Easy 4 stage bench up 1200 ft. West side is a good training hill with a quick turn around time.

Hepler's ridge, Richfield Launch: 6137ft/1871m GPS 38 44'19”N 112 01'21”W LZ: 5280ft/1609m GPS 38 44 47.8”N 112 01 33.1”W 4WD drive-up site.. West and North faces are soarable. Nice grassy LZ. Steep drop off on Launch - probably a P-3 site, although you seldom get to the edge before being lifted.

Cove, Annabella Launch: 8731ft/2661m GPS 38 38'03”N 112 03'39”W LZ: 5360ft/1634m GPS 38 38'46.1”N 112 06'29.1”W The Ultimate Mountain Flying Site! 2WD drive-up, but high clearance site. South ,West, and North soarable faces. Wide open lay out area, and literally a mile wide LZ. (O.K. mile long, only a half mile wide). Opportunity to bench up over 3000 feet, just on ridge lift. Most summer evenings provide smooth ridge lift right up till sunset and then the glass off soar out to the LZ is a 20 minute hands off glide that is awesome. There is also huge XC potential; an excellent thermal generator. To the South is the Sevier Plateau; to the West is the Fish Lake High Top Plateau and to the North is the Wasatch Plateau. Meso-West weather station on launch.

Monroe Peak, Monroe Launch: 11171ft/3405m GPS 38 32'29”N 112 04'24”W LZ: 5447ft/1691m GPS 38 35'20.0”N 112 08'01.9”W 2WD drive-up site. Very clean, easy West facing Launch. From Monroe head up the canyon and follow the signs. Utah's 4th highest drive up Launch, and biggest vert for a drive-up Launch, nearly 6000 ft. 5 mile wide LZ. The glide is similar to Francis Peak, there is awesome cross country potential with afternoon and evening thermals. P-2 Launch in the right conditions.( Jochen Rink 63 miles from Monroe Peak to Tropic, on an old beat up DHV 1, June 28th 2009)

Poverty Ridge, Monroe Launch 6880ft/2097m GPS 38 31'31”N 112 10'23”W LZ 6315ft/ 1925m GPS 38 31'54”N 112 10'13”W Very nice north soaring ridge. The funnel between the Sevier and Piute valleys directs and concentrates the air flow, nice slope for launch and top landing. 2 wheel drive up with easy retrieve. Has some potential for a thermal launch if the winds are gnarly at higher altitudes.

Hancock, Koosherem Reservoir Launch: 9359ft/2853m GPS 38 33'32”N 111 48'13”W LZ: 7000ft/2134m GPS 38 34'04.1”N 111 50'24.0”W Mostly 2WD drive-up (except the last 50 yards); West facing Launch. Excellent Thermal and cross-country site with a straight shot to the Fish Lake High Top Plateau.

Fish lake High Top, Fish Lake Launch: 11,500ft/3506m GPS 38 37'06.3”N 111 44'01”W LZ: 7000ft/2134m GPS use Hancock LZ 4WD drive-up site. West facing launch with a ten mile soarable ridge, in front of a nearly flat table top at 11,400 feet. Drive most of the way to launch.

Parker, Koosherem Launch: 8440ft/2573m GPS 38 24'57”N. 111 52'02”W LZ: 6781ft/2067m GPS 38 25'14.3N 111 53'58.0"W 2WD. Excellent first mountain flying site. Easy west facing launch. 30 miles of evening soarable ridge. Excellent afternoon thermal potential. (I caught my first thermal here as a P1 - it was pure luck. My instructor was on the radio saying, “just stay in that circle” and the truck starting to look like a hot-wheels model, the air getting cold - you gotta love this sport.)

Uranium Ridge, Marysvale Launch 6746ft/2056m GPS 38 29'28”N 112 12'54”W LZ 5835ft/ 1779m GPS 38 28'50”N 112 13'25”W Very nice south soaring ridge, like Poverty except the funnel is from Piute into Sevier Valley 2 wheel drive up, quick turn around and a beautiful green meadow to land in. Revenue Ridge, Marysvale Launch 6856ft/2090m GPS 38 27'11”N 112 15'29”W LZ 6025ft/ 1837m GPS 38 27'00”N 112 14'31”W

Alunite Peak, Marysvale Launch: 11,987ft/3654m GPS 38 22'35.4”N 112 21'8.3”W LZ: 6100ft/1859m GPS 38 26'31.8”N 112 14'48.7”W Utah's 2nd highest Launch. One mile up the ridge from Mt Edna (Probably not worth the hike because the thermals I found were right in front of Mt. Edna anyway, but worth mentioning)

Mt Edna, Marysvale Launch: 11,730ft/3358m GPS 38 23'08.7”N 112 20'12.8”W LZ: 6100ft/1858m GPS 38 26'31.8”N 112 14'48.7”W 4WD drive-up site, true 360 degree launch. About a mile before top there is a closed gate > contact Stacy in advance! Morning thermal site. Beautiful high mountain meadow, easy lay out. Home of Mid Utah radio transmission tower the highest commercial radio tower in the world. (Yes, I said world). Utah's highest drive up launch, highest Hang-glider launch and highest tandem paraglider launch. Weather station on launch( http://edna.midutahradio.com )

Gold Gulch, Junction Launch 8520ft/2597m GPS 38 21'32”N 112 15'46”W LZ 6370ft/ 1942m GPS 38 22'01”N 112 14'10”W It looks small compared to Deer Trail mountain next to it but with 2000 feet of vert.... North Soaring launch or thermaling on a day when launching at a higher altitude would be ill advised. Fly up to Deer Trail over Mt. Edna and the sky is the limit.

Mt Peale, Moab Alunite Peak has relinquished the title of Utah's highest launch. On July 16th 2009 Mario Richard of Moab boldy hiked up Mt. Peale and launched his paraglider where no paraglider has gone before, from just a little over one hundred feet below the summit on a northwest facing scree slope at an elevation of 12,559 feet MSL. He landed 8 minutes later at LaSal Pass, elevation 10,130 feet MSL. The GPS coordinates of his launch are 38 26' 24.29" N 109 13' 41.12" W. Way to go Mario.

Mt.Abajo,Montecello Launch 11250ft/3429m GPS 37 50'26”N 109 27'39”W LZ 8100ft/ 2469m GPS 37 49'28”N 109 24'33”W Beautiful high mountain drive up launch. Soarable in a South wind. Great potential for themaling. Utah's 3rd highest drive up launch.

Frisco Peak, Milford Launch: 9620ft/2932m GPS 38 31'13”N 113 17'13”W LZ: 5200ft/1585m GPS Drive up site. Big air!!!

Brian Head Peak, Brian Head Launch: 11300ft/3445m GPS 37 40'52”N 112 49'48”W LZ: 10500ft/3201m GPS 37 40' 17”N 112 49' 56”W I soared Brian Head one evening in October, it was beautiful, smooth south wind at 11000 feet. Hawks joining me as I soared. I really thought I had found something special. Then I found out that Thomas Stankowski had flown Brian Head years earlier and Sam Halderman had flown it long before that. Thinking that it might have awesome thermal potential. I consulted with Thomas who reported that caution was prudent and the air could be very tricky as three different valleys could be wicking heat to the peak. I have contacted the ski resort about the possibility of using the lifts. They report that it is expressly forbidden by the forest service, ( I'm working on that, because a north flow would make for awesome winter flying) So for now it is a drive up summer south flow launch. Even so 11,300 feet and accessible in a Honda Civic. Utah's 2nd highest drive up launch. Sweeeet!

The “C”, Cedar City the “C” Launch: 8201ft/2500m GPS 37 38'33”N 113 02'06”W Higher Launch: 9046ft/2746m GPS 37 37'32”N 113 00'46”W LZ: 6000ft/1829m GPS 37 39' 36.6”N 113 03' 57.7”W The Highest of the three paved to launch sites in Utah. Good west facing mountain launch. “C”: accessible in the winter.

Powell Point, Tropic (Bryce canyon) Launch: 10,200ft/3109m GPS 37 41'16.5”N 111 54'09.2”W LZ: 7280ft/2134m GPS 37 40'1651”N 111 57'06”W Utah's most scenic launch. Incredible views of all colors of the rainbow spires and sheer rock formations. West facing Launch. Evening thermals triggered from the hoodoo's and spires create consistent but strong lift. Short hike in long hike out. Lousy LZ. Long turn around time.

Molly's Nipple, Hurricane Launch: 4510ft/1375m GPS 37 07' 40”N 113 17'53”W LZ 3300ft/1006m GPS GPS 37 07' 24”N 113 18'33”W Thirty mile long, West facing ridge. 2WD drive-up site. Good winter site because of the warmer weather, besides it is often blown out in the summer. Long turn around time (over an hour)!

Honeymoon, Hurricane Launch: 4300ft/1372m GPS 37 00'77” N 113 17'55”W LZ: 3520ft/1073m GPS 37 00'12” N 113 18'22”W 10 miles down the same ridge from Molly's, but a much faster turn around time. 4WD drive-up site; 10 minute turn around.

The “Usual”, St.George Launch: 3356ft/1023m GPS 37 02'50.0”N 113 28'34,0”W LZ: 2860ft/872m GPS 37 02'50.7”N 113 29'02.4”W 4WD drive-up site; short turn around time. Mile long soarable ridge... I'd call it a P-3 site because of the cliff like drop off and the brush and mesquite covered Landing zone. This ridge was custom made for the SW winds coming up from Vegas in Early spring and Late fall. Glass smooth soaring conditions in warm shirt sleeve conditions when Salt Lake is still frigid.

Launches I am still looking for info on:
South Mountain
Commodore
Heber Launch 8600 3000 ft vert, the gnarly cross- country king before Snowbird
Oakley