Paragliding Adventure - Epic!
- Girls Gone Adventuring
- Oct 9, 2018
- 4 min read
How do you describe an Adventure where you literally soar like a bird above the landscape - so serene and at the same time exciting and roller-coaster-stomach-churning? Paragliding with Cloud 9 was an Adventure that literally takes you up and away from it all...
First of all, this Adventure was almost a year in the making. And it was worth the wait! We had scheduled to jump off the mountain multiple different times but weather is unpredictable and it seems like the times we had available, mother nature had other plans, and the times mother nature was on-board - we had other plans. I appreciate the fact that Cloud 9 won't push the limit and go when conditions are sketchy or unfavorable just to make the sale, safety is their top priority which is a good thing :) You always call the office to check in the day prior to your scheduled flight, if the conditions aren't good they'll let you know and reschedule you for a different day.
This week-end the stars aligned and we were able to do our flight! We met our tandem instructor, Billy Purden, at the south side Point of the Mountain Flight Park just north of Traverse Mountain and Cabellas off I-15. Cloud 9 sends you a detailed information sheet with what to wear, where to meet, driving directions, what to bring, and what to expect of your flight. It was a beautiful brisk morning, about 46* but with the windchill felt even colder. We bundled up and dressed in layers, beany hat and gloves were a MUST. We were a little concerned as the clouds were building and it looked like rain was on it's way, but the weather held long enough for our flights and was absolutely beautiful to soar through on our flight.
After signing our lives away, we were fitted for a helmet and hooked into the tandem 'seat'-like backpack that held us aloft over 300 feet above the ground. You're literally hanging in a large harness underneath a fabric 'wing' for your flight! The unique conditions here at the Point of the Mountain that allow for morning flights on the South side and evening flights on the North side make this site one of the world's most famous spots for learning and practicing paragliding and hang gliding. We can see how you'd get hooked!
Billy taught us how to take off and land properly to avoid being pulled over backwards or injuring ourselves, and off we went! He has over 18 years experience as an instructor and I felt completely confident and safe throughout the entire Adventure.
Flying in the air with nothing but the wind whooshing past was almost a magical feeling. No motor, no engine, no cranks or grinding or mechanical equipment of any kind. Just you and your thoughts and the big beyond. It was beautiful and peaceful and serene and exactly how birds must feel!
You don't realize how fast you're actually traveling until you bank a turn and the g-forces push against you and you get that roller-coaster 'eeek!' type of feeling in your gut. I had a few moments where we swooshed past those watching on the ground with a quick turn and some screams may have escaped... :) It was exciting and thrilling to be flying so fast and so smoothly at the same time. I almost felt like I should put my hands up like I was on an airborne roller-coaster on some of the 'swoosh'es! Birds must love their lives!
It was interesting to get a feel for how to steer the glider - there is no handlebar or steering wheel or remote control to guide it, it's all done by leaning your hips to adjust your weight and some type of magic with the hand cords attached to your wing. Billy was great to teach us how to adjust our weight to guide our flight and keep us where we needed to be (*knowing your left and right is helpful Aleah :). Honestly, the whole thing was amazing. How he was able to steer and direct the glider with such precision using only the winds and our weight adjustments was simply amazing.
Overall, this was a super peaceful, calm, exciting Adventure that I could definitely see myself getting into further! Many who take an introductory tandem flight like this decide to become certified themselves and go through full instruction, which can actually happen in as little as 7-10 days from what I understand. Being a paraglider means you're piloting the world's smallest aircraft,
Billy has been to Africa, Canada, all over Europe, and all over the world with paragliding. Like he says, "Paragliding is something that can take you all over the world...if you want it to." We definitely want it to - watch out world, we're gliding in!
HOW TO DO THIS YOURSELF:
1) Cloud 9 Paragliding was great to work with, we would recommend them without any hesitation. http://www.paragliders.com or 801-576-6460. Give them a call to schedule a tandem flight!
2) Cost: Aleah used a Groupon, which was $149 for her tandem flight and it included a video which was nice! Tandem flights are typically $145 with the video being an additional $25. Tandem flights are held 7 days a week, year-round, based on the weather.
2) Timing: We met our instructor at the Point of the Mountain flight park at 9:00 am. We signed paperwork, learned basic skills and got hooked up, then each did a flight of about 10-15 minutes each. We were on our way home by 10:00 am.
** Is there an Adventure you think we should discover? Comment below
Comments