Hang Gliding in Yosemite September 2023

Adam Zachary Smith
Adam Zachary Smith
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Published 2023-10-02
All Comments (19)
  • @ronkirk5099
    Man, that brings back memories! Back in the early 80's a friend and I took my VW bus out west for a hang gliding trip in AZ and CA. We flew Horse Canyon, Torrey Pines, Crestline, Elsinore, Fort Funston, among others, and finally, Yosemite on the way home.We just happened by there on the last day of the flying season and unbelievably there were a couple spots available when we reached Glacier Point (maybe because there was already several inches of snow on the ground). Although it was just a short gliding flight, it was the highlight of our flying safari. I have to admit even though I'd done a variety of different cliff launches, I was a little intimidated by the 3000' vertical Glacier Point launch. Breath taking.
  • @RedHouseLesPaul
    Flew there five times, from Sentinel Dome and Glacier Point. Thanks for the memories!
  • @HangGlidingFlightSchool
    I remember you telling me this was one of the first times you really felt nervous on a launch. Now I see why! Steep rock. Flying between pine trees. Wow. You looked really tense until you cleared those trees, then it looked like you had a fantastic time.
  • @thepengwn77
    I'm so happy people are still doing this! That takeoff was so much more epic than paraglide launches.
  • @AndyPat239
    in Australia we always hook our harness in when we setup. then it is checked twice - during the preflight check and then during the hang check.
  • @ecoturismovalle1570
    Nice flight and looping!! How long was the flight? That was Andy at the take off helping wasn't he?
  • @martinginsburg7222
    I was a bit nervous for your launch, until I saw Andy Beem behind you. I'm a bag pilot and when I was starting 30 years ago, I remember watching Andy instruct hangies & thought he was top notch. Though I've always been irritated at Yosemite that they are "racist" as they don't allow PG. Bags could launch off of Sentinel Dome. PLM: Paragliders Lives Matter too!