cross country magazine travel guide 2012/13 preview
DESCRIPTION
The full 100 page 2012/13 Travel Guide from Cross Country magazine features in-depth guides to 24 of the best flying sites around the world including the Alps, the USA, South America, Mexico, Australasia and Asia.TRANSCRIPT
2012/13TRAVEL GUIDE
The Perfect PLACE 25 brilliant flying sites around the world
euroPe - north aMeriCa - south aMeriCa - afriCa - asia - australasia
VoluMe 2
www.gingliders.com GO FURTHER.
the art of knowing
where to go
XCMag Travel Guide 12.02.indd 1 23/02/2012 09:04:07
3Cross Country Magazine Travel Guide 2012 / www.xcmag.com
COVER PHOTO - Col de Rodello. Photo: Gudrun Öschl THIS PAGE Photos: Marcus King & Fredrik Gustafsson
elcome to the second issue of the Cross Country International Travel Guide – your inside track to some of the best free flight sites around the world. From Mexico to Morocco and from Italy to India we’ve talked to the people
on the ground, flown most of them ourselves, and worked hard to make this a guide that you can count on.
Some of the sites you’ll know, others might be new. One thing connects them all, and that’s their promise of beautiful flying in stunning locations. Some offer shuttle buses or cable cars to launch, others dusty tracks and a step into the unknown – but they all serve up an awesome day’s flying.
Wherever you might be heading, from a long weekend to a trip around the world, enjoy the guide. Send us a postcard or post a photo on our Facebook page – we’d love to hear what you’ve been up to.
See you in the air!
The Cross Country Team www.xcmag.com
Thanks ToMartin Romero Garayzabal (Argentina), Gavin Zahner (Australia), Flor Martínez Villada (Spain), Basilio Silva (Spain), Sabine Duvivier (China), Heniu Dyduch (China), Shi Yuming (China), Gudrun Öchsl (Italy), Kelly Farina (Italy & Slovenia), Charlie Piccolo (France), Davis Straub (USA), Ricker Goldsborough (USA), Mirjam Hampel (Germany), Burkhard Martens (Germany), Astrid Rao (India), Roger P. Frey (Spain), Till Gottbrath (Germany), Pierre Verrier (Morocco), Ali ES (Turkey), Mark Hardman (New Zealand), Bryan Moore (New Zealand), Kat West (New Zealand), Orlin Dimov (Bulgaria), Petar Gavrilov (Bulgaria), Frode Fester (Norway), Josh Morell (USA), Norm Young (USA), Sam Crocker (USA), Donato Fitch (USA), Nick Greece (USA), Jonathan Dietrich (USA) , Salvador Lara (Mexico)
The Travel Guide TeamOn the captain’s bridge: Ed EwingAt the wheel: Anthony GreenIn the engine room: Marcus KingSelling the tickets: Verity SowdenLooking for icebergs: Charlie King
The small PrinTCross Country Travel Guide is published by Cross Country International and distributed in the US by DSW, 75 Aberdeen Road, Emigsville, PA. 17318-0437.Application to mail at periodicals publication rates paid at Emigsville, PA. Postmaster: send address changes to Cross Country, PO Box 437, Emigsville. PA 17318-0437.Cross Country Magazine is distributed in over 75 countries worldwide. Global copyright laws apply. The opinions in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Cross Country.
4 Cross Country Magazine Travel Guide 2012 / www.xcmag.com
CONTENTS3 Editorial
4 Contents
6 Kamshet, India
10 Wanaka, New Zealand
14 Zaachila and Fortin de las Flores, Mexico
18 Bright, Australia
22 Marshall, USA
26 Dune de Pyla, France
30 Garmisch, Austria
34 Flight parks, Florida
38 Lake Garda, Italy
42 Tolmin, Slovenia
46 El Yelmo, Spain
50 Mayrhofen, Austria
54 Woodrat, USA
58 Voss, Norway
62 Sopot, Bulgaria
66 Cervinia, Italy
70 Castejon de Sos, Spain
74 Pamukkale, Turkey
78 Gréolières, France
82 Col Rodella, Italy
86 Nid d’Aigle, Morocco
90 Taining, China
94 Traslasierra, Argentina
98 La Palma, Canary Islands
102 Travel Guide Directory
5Cross Country Magazine Travel Guide 2012 / www.xcmag.com
Somewhere, someone is flying. Photo: Jérôme Maupoint.
JANUARY
INDIA
KAMSHET
THE LURE Escape the northern winter and migrate to southwest India for a magical experience, both in the air and on the ground. Fly in T-shirts and shorts on easy soaring days or buckle up and go exploring on XC when the thermals kick in. The flying scene is vibrant and welcoming and offers a slice of colourful, unpackaged village India far from any tourist trail.
THE SET UPThe Western Ghats is a mountain range that runs along the western side of India. Kamshet is a small town in the Sayhadris, as the Ghats are called here, about 100km east of Mumbai. It’s a rural landscape dotted with lakes, sweeping hills and black cliffs.
Sanjay and Astrid Rao pioneered paragliding here in the 1990s and now run Nirvana Adventures. It’s now a training capital of India: lots of people from Mumbai or Pune come here to learn. For qualified pilots the flying is smooth and easy, with afternoon winds picking up to offer hours of soaring. XC pilots can pick their way around the hills, or head off on an adventure.
There are two main sites, 10km apart. Tower Hill faces
east and works in winter (November to February) while Shelar faces
west and works from January to May. June to September is monsoon.
Most pilots hook up with one of the handful of established paragliding guesthouses. They offer more than just a pilot package of food, transport and guiding – you will be embraced into the local scene and become very much part of the Kamshet flying world for a little while.
FLYING CONDITIONSIn winter the east wind builds during the morning and drops towards dusk. Pilots typically fly Tower Hill at 10am and then later in the afternoon, top landing easily to wait out the stronger winds of midday. Later in the season there is more thermic flying and the wind turns west: pilots walk across the flat, grass-topped Tower Hill and fly the west face.
In summer, mornings are too strong so most flying happens later in mellower conditions. Restitution kicks in most days and there is lift everywhere – flying continues until sunset. It’s a perfect place for pilots keen to clock up airtime and develop their skills.
For pilots keen to break the mould you can take off in the morning and go XC across an agricultural landscape dotted with lakes, hillsides and black cliffs. A day’s journey away and 100km as the crow flies is Panchgani, which offers greater XC potential. Taken together the two sites make a perfect two-week trip.
Cross Country Magazine Travel Guide 2012 / www.xcmag.com6
High over Shelar. Photo: David Obura
THE DETAILSWHEN TO GOTower Hill: November to February Shelar: March to May
ALTITUDE Tower Hill: 857m / 617m landingShelar: 720m / 640m Cloudbase: 1,800m, 3,000m possible
HANG GLIDER ACCESSPossible. Manpower can be arranged to carry the glider to take off.
MUST BE FLOWNMagic hour on Tower Hill at sunset is beautiful. Small classic routes exist: 10km from Tower Hill back to Nirvana’s guesthouse Native Place, or the 4km glide from Shelar to the same. More adventurous XCs are possible: pilots have flown across the Ghats to Karjat and elsewhere. Landing out is no problem and there is always a bus or rickshaw to jump on for retrieve.
WATCH OUT FORThe sites are below the Mumbai to Pune flightpath and planes pass at 1,800m. Watch for rotor if flying the west face of Tower Hill in a southwest wind.
In strong winds there is venturi to the left of takeoff on Shelar – a classic trap for unsuspecting pilots.
ACCOMMODATIONYou can stay in the hill stations of Lonavala and Khandala 30km away but most pilots stay closer to Kamshet. Native Place Guesthouse run by Astrid and Sanjay Rao is a friendly guesthouse with a tropical garden – pick your own papaya for breakfast – views over the lake, excellent food, a great ambience and good company. Choose from private rooms, the bunkhouse or tents.
7Cross Country Magazine Travel Guide 2012 / www.xcmag.com
Fred Gustafsson soars Tower Hill. Photo: Jonna Sture
Street life. Photos: Fredrik Gustafsson
May
France
Chamonix
INDIA
KAMSHETTAKE THE FAMILY AND RAINY DAYSChill in a hammock, swim in the lake, birdwatch, walk in the hills, visit 2,000-year-old Buddhist caves or sharpen your bargaining skills in the market. Pune is an hour away if you want to explore ashrams or go shopping.
WEATHER INFOLocals boast an average of 10 non-flyable days in an eight-month season. Weather at meteoblue.com (search Kamshet) or www.imd.gov.in.
GETTING THERE If staying at Native Place or similar fly to Mumbai and arrange an airport pick-up in advance to whisk you the three hours to Kamshet. If taking the bus from Mumbai head for Pune, but ask to be dropped off at the Rangoli restaurant on the highway near Kamshet. This is the pilot meeting place; you will need to arrange pick-up from there. Kamshet also has a train station.
USEFUL CONTACTS Nirvana Adventures: www.flynirvana.comNative Place Guesthouse: www.nativeplace.comTemple Pilots: www.templepilots.comIndus Paragliding: www.indusparagliding.comParagliding Mantra: www.paraglidingmantra.com
8 Cross Country Magazine Travel Guide 2012 / www.xcmag.com
Sunset on Tower Hill. Photo: Fredrik Gustafsson
Local flora. Photo: Fredrik Gustafsson
January days are 26°C and blue skies. Photo: Fredrik Gustafsson
THAT WAS JUST A PREVIEWMARCH
THE LURE Known as a town for all seasons and with
tree-lined streets that provide summer shade
and brilliant colours every day, Bright is the
site to banish SAD syndrome and give your
year the perfect kickstart. It’s one of Australia’s
best and most easily accessible flying sites:
the house thermals Marcus and Emily will
almost always send you off on any number of
interesting XC routes.
THE SET UP In the heart of the Australian alpine region only
three hours north of Melbourne Bright is a small
resort town. Fifteen minutes away is the launch
of Mystic, probably Australia’s most accessible
launch. Mystic faces north (remember you are in
the southern hemisphere) in a north/south valley,
so the valley wind is always up the face. After
climbing out on one of the house thermals you
can fly any way you wish, or wherever the wind
blows you. Landing fields and roads in every
valley make retrieves and hitching easy and the
journey back to Bright is never very difficult.
The access road is leased and maintained by
the local flying club so a Mystic flying pass must
be purchased before using this site. Pilots can
get one at www.nevhgc.net.
FLYING CONDITIONSSpring and summer thermic conditions are
strong but very manageable with cloudbase
relatively high, usually above 2,500m. Narrow
valleys make transitions easy even for beginner
XC pilots. The region is well suited to big
triangles and competition task flying. With
no coastal influences and no airspace issues
nearby Bright is the perfect place for a first XC
flight and has also been home to many comps,
from local events to the Paragliding World Cup.
18 Cross Country Magazine Travel Guide 2012 / www.xcmag.com
Climbing out above Mount Buffalo. Photo: Bill Oates
AUSTRALIA
BRIGHT
MAY
THE LUREPull your A’s, grab that stabilo line, put both
your brakes under you butt and hold, hold,
hold... Garda has been terrifying – and inspiring
– pilots for years.
THE SET UPSitting at 1,700m above one of Italy’s great
lakes is a giant, grass-top mountain seemingly
built by Mother Nature for paraglider pilots –
and cleverly named Monte Baldo by the Italians.
In calm air, 1,200m above the security of a lake,
pilots practise all the manoeuvres that have
always caused palms to sweat at this site. It is
one of the best SIV and acrobatic training sites
in the world, but also great for a relaxing boat
around with easy top landing options and truly
stunning views. The landing zone and cable car depart is
halfway up Lago di Garda at Malcesine, a
small town sitting on the thin line between
water and vertical mountains. This is one of the
major gateways into the Alps and is famous
for its wind. The super consistent Belair and
Ora winds have been blowing windsurfers and
sailing boats back and forth across the lake for
ages. Unfortunately, many pilots attempting to
land on the man-made postage-stamp landing
zone have also been pushed into the lake by
these winds. The ‘south’ take off works with west winds
and is less than 10 minutes by foot from the
top of the cable car. There is a big windsock
indicating the zone, but feel free to use
the whole grassy ridge for launching. The
‘north’ take off is for east winds and is at the
extreme northern end of the ridge. It is a little
bit steeper but still has golf course quality
grass. To get back to the lake make a quick
left after take off.
38 Cross Country Magazine Travel Guide 2012 / www.xcmag.com
ITALY
LAKE GARDA Garda is perfect for SIV training. Photos: Gudrun Öchsl
MAY
THE LURE This is the Julian Alps: smaller than the
French Alps but still mountainous and still very
beautiful. Flying XC is easy and reliable here,
but don’t be fooled into thinking it is only for
beginners. Slovenia holds a major share of the
world records on offer, particularly in out and
return when pilots cover 200km flying into Italy
and back.
THE SET UP The Tolmin/Kobarid valley is the most famous
flying arena in Slovenia and encompasses a
section of the world record route. The launches
are called Stol, near Kobarid, and Kobala, near
Tolmin, at the other end of the east/west valley.
Shuttle buses run to launch in season.The valley is one of the most scenic and
memorable in Europe with its gently flowing
river down the centre and a good retrieve road
either side. You can see the Dolomites to the
west on a clear day, but the region is dominated
by 3,000m Triglav to the north. Launches and landings are grassy and
well maintained with good windsocks, clear
noticeboards and local club members often on
hand. To help keep everything nice, site fees of
€3 or €4 are applied on some sites, with weekly
and seasonal passes available. In case of
emergency, mountain rescue is free in Slovenia.
FLYING CONDITIONSThe season starts in late March or early April
depending on winter snowfall and when
the tracks open. The season goes through
to September, sometimes later. June can
sometimes be quite stable, but it becomes
unstable again late July and in August – this is
when the majority of world records have been
set.The air in Slovenia is never that rough or
rowdy and pleasant flights are enjoyed by most
levels of pilot.Forty minutes further south pilots can enjoy
thermalling all year round at a site called Lijak.
It is part of a 35km ridge where pilots regularly
clock up 100km OLC flights every month of the
year! Great for February or March getaways.
42 Cross Country Magazine Travel Guide 2012 / www.xcmag.com
Green valleys and forested hills are typical of Slovenia. Photo: Marko Wramen
SLOVENIA
Tolmin
AUGUST
THE LUREThe small town of Sopot nestles at the foot
of the southern slopes of Stara Planina, the
longest mountain range in the Balkans. The
range runs for 560km, crossing Bulgaria from
its western border all the way to the Black Sea.
Sopot is in the middle. Apart from the main
ridge the surroundings are flatlands so there
is varied flying on offer, and little air traffic to
contend with. On good days, 100km out and
returns and triangles are regularly flown.
THE SET UPSopot is 140km east of Bulgaria’s capital
Sofia, and 60km north of Plovdiv, the country’s
second city and its cultural heart. Both cities
have international airports and Sopot can be
reached by bus or train from either. Take off is a
south-facing, grassy slope with a chairlift from
the landing area and car park, which are about
two kilometres outside of Sopot.
FLYING CONDITIONSFlying conditions are very strong in April
and May, with more than 5-6 m/s thermals.
Overdevelopment and thunderstorms are
common in May. Conditions are milder and
smoother but still very good from June to
August, and with south winds the entire ridge
works very well. Late autumn and winter can be
stable with inversions common, but on the right
days the combination of sunshine and cold air
unleashes the area’s potential for some great
winter cross country flying.
62 Cross Country Magazine Travel Guide 2012 / www.xcmag.com
Bulgaria
Sopot
OCTOBER
ITALY
Col Rodella
THE LUREFlying the huge vertical cliffs of the 3,343m
Marmolada, better known as the Queen of the
Dolomites.
THE SET UPThe town of Campitello di Fassa sits at the
northern end of the Val di Fassa in the heart of the
Dolomites. From here four ideal grassy launches
are within easy reach. The most obvious site, Col
Rodella, has launches to the north, southeast and
southwest. Reached by cable car in less than 10
minutes from Campitello di Fassa, Col Rodella is the starting point for some of the
most scenic flying in the Alps. Big XCs are possible from here, but most don’t come for that. Instead pilots flock here for aerial sightseeing, knowing sharp skills are required to navigate safely. Buses in the
valley make retrieve easy.In October the cable car closes
and pilots head to Lokomotive and the Sella Pass.
FLYING CONDITIONSThe site is normally above the inversions that
plague other alpine areas in the autumn. Its
elevation also leads to its strong convection,
producing anything from mellow to thermo-
nuclear thermals. In spring and summer it can
be pretty violent and is only for the brave and
very experienced alpine pilots. September and
October offer more relaxed and less intense
flying with 2-6+m/s climbs. The general Fassa valley flow runs from
south to north and can be intuitively used to
get out from nowhere low down. Pilots who
understand valley winds and the Alps will
revel in the flying here. On the other side of
the coin pilots relying on the passive safety
of their gliders may feel uncomfortable at the
strongest time of day. So choose your launch
time carefully and be honest about your skill
level. On stable days thermals will be close in to
the steep, impressive rock walls. But on classic
unstable days triggers lower down work,
meaning you can fly here without getting too up
close and personal with the cliffs.
Take off at Langkofel, a quiet alternative close to Col Rodella. All photos: Gudrun Öchsl / profly-images.org
82 Cross Country Magazine Travel Guide 2012 / www.xcmag.com
“It’s a must-have for every pilot.”
The full 100 page 2012/13 Travel Guide from Cross Country magazine features in-depth guides to 24 of the best flying sites around the world including the Alps, the USA, South America, Mexico, Australasia and Asia.
To get your FREE copy in print or as a digital download subscribe to Cross Country Magazine – every reader gets one as part of their subscription deal.
Alternatively, click on one of the blue buttons below to buy it now.
Subscribe toCross Country
magazine
Purchase theTravel Guideprint edition
Purchase theTravel Guidedigital edition