Crestline Soaring Society

2007 EIGHTH ANNUAL WINDS OF A HURRICANE FLY-IN

Who: Organizer: Grant Groundhog Hoag & Hungary Joe

Participants: 30-40 pilots, and you!

What: Driving, flying, eating & drinking – Repeat daily for 5 days!

When: Fourth of July Weekend – Wednesday 7/4 thru Sunday 7/9

Where: Hurricane Ridge & Cedar City near Zion National Park in Utah

Why: Fun flying the last seven times we did it!

The long version of the fly-in is:

Qualified pilots are invited to join us on the Winds of a Hurricane Eighth Annual Fly-in. To be held on Independence Day and the following weekend (July 4-9 Wed-Sun), last year 35 hang gliding/paragliding pilots plus families, friends and dogs took over the Red Ledge Campground in Kanarraville, Utah, got high and went far in pure recreational flying. We always have a blast! Many pilots have made the trip 7 times. Most of the pilots are from Sylmar’s SHGA and Crestline’s CSS, but a pilot came from Detroit, too.

This free trip attracts intermediate and advanced HG/PG pilots and their non-flying companions (yahoos and wusses can stay home). Located 130 miles northeast of Las Vegas, we’ll fly Hurricane Ridge and Cedar Mountain. This is the place for first time XC, ‘cause Hungry Joe’s Flying Circus will open gates and point to green pastures, red cliffs, cool rivers, sandy fields, dust devils, farmlands and friendly ranchers.

Cedar Mountain is a morning site with easy XC flying over wide-open fields. Hurricane Ridge is a 15-mile windy escarpment jutting 400 feet above the desert. With afternoon ridge and thermal lift, you have got to fly over to the Zion River. Sinking out is a no brainer with road along all routes outta there. A 4-wheel drive vehicle isn’t needed for either (but is helpful – and that’s what friends are for)!

We will be camping at Red Ledge Campground in Kanarraville near the morning flying site at Cedar Mountain, with cool air, hot showers, picnic tables at a grassy camping site (and 3 cabins available through Grant). There are hotels around, which are a little antisocial, a lot more expensive, but quieter and cleaner. If flying bites, then Zion National Park is nearby. There are lots of rivers, bike trails and restaurants nearby, not to mention the Virgin River LZ, which has been christened the official destination for drunkenness.

We will have an orientation meeting on Sunday June 17th in the SHGA LZ at 6 PM. Want someone to share gas? Need a ride? Speak up at the meeting. Two weeks later on Wednesday July 4 we will meet at the campground at 9 AM. Spend the prior night in Vegas to chow down, sleep in a cheap bed, and cut the drive in half. Don’t be late (and someone always is) -- we don’t wait for stragglers. Alternatively, if you can arrive on the night of July 3rd, you can participate in the Kanarraville 4th of July parade before flying!

Send an email to Grant to let him know you are coming. He will take care of reservations at the campground but doesn’t need your money and he will send you a bunch of cool maps, photos and info.

Grant: (h) (949) 387-5976, (c) (949) 370-8446

P.S. Be sure to read this month's USHPG magazine for story about a 107 mile XC from Hurricane!