Site / Flight regulation

• HPAC Insurance MANDATORY!!

• We are in “uncontrolled airspace”. Visual flight rules apply.

• avoid flying over houses.

• Close gate at Landing Zone

• Park your car next to the road to keep the take-off area open for glider activity.

• Spectators Welcome

• Clean up before you leave.

• NO CAMPFIRES!!

HPAC Skill Level RECOMMENDATIONS

• Mild Conditions: P1 & P2 = April, September, October

• Moderate Conditions: P3 = August

• Strong Conditions: P3 & P4 = May, June, July

• !Mornings are good for P1 & P2 from April till October!

Times to fly

• 8:00 AM till 11:00 AM = Gentle morning conditions for short (15 - 30) min flights.

• 11:00 AM till 4:00 PM = Thermal flying conditions. On certain days it gets too strong at TO between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM!

• 4:00 PM till 7:00 PM = Thermal / Glass off conditions.

Radio Frequency

• Glider Pilot to Glider Pilot

• Aviation Radio Frequency / Glider Pilot to local air traffic = 123.200

Directions to LZ :

The LZ is at Dee’s General Store in Birch Island. From the info center in Clearwater take the HWY 5 North (direction Jasper) for 12 Km – 8 min. Take a right @ Birch Island Lost Creek Road and follow the road (500m) down to ‘Dee’s General store”. Look for happy people.

Soaring Information

Paraglider and Hang Gliders welcome.

A great site for long thermodynamic flights along / above the 12 km long ridge between Clearwater and Vavenby.

Very favourable for hang gliders as well with a steep TO and humongous landing field.

Often the ceiling sits around +3000 m in May, June, July and August with lots of Pilots flying 30 km triangles or local XC. The potential is to fly big XC if you follow Highway 5 North towards Blue River (90 km) or Valemount (165 km) or head South towards Barriere (55 km) or keep going all the way to Kamloops (107 km). The local house thermal sits just right from TO above the small cut-blocks.

Hazards

Strong TO conditions between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM on certain days!!!

ALWAYS make a good wind assessment at TO. If you experience moments of tailwind at TO, it’s a good sign of 90 deg valley winds! Be aware that the thermals still coming up straight at times but the real issue is the valley winds creating turbulence from the high trees either from the right (West) or left (East) during TO!!!

Be aware that there is a local helicopter company as well as recreational sport aircrafts who, on a regular base, fly through the valley!!!

Site Records as of 2024

Altitude Gain: 3040 m (4040 ASL - July 2018)

Duration: 6.20h (Scott Watwood PG - May 2017)

Open Distance:

52 km Kamloops to Barriere (Terry Butcher PG - Summer 2014)

92 km, El Nido to Blue River (Scott Watwood PG - May 2017)

55 km Barriere to El Nido (Scott Watwood - May 2017)

55 km El Nido to Avola (Mark Parminter & Eric Gesinger PG - July 2018)

65 km El Nido to Barriere (John Theoret HG - July 2018)

61 km El Nido to Mesitner Pass (Mario Sachsenweger & Willy Rens PG – Aug 2019)

Triangle:

42 km (Peter Spear PG - August 2016)

45 km (Willy Rens PG - June 2018)

66 km (Mark Tulloch HG - July 2018)