Some amazing photos shot by Aaron Price of me flying above lake Elsinore in Southern California. We climbed to about 9000ft in the Elsinore convergence, then went cross country to the east on the convergence line. Alex Chiang is in one of the photos on the green glider.
From that height the views are amazing, you can see Los Angeles in the haze to the north, San Diego is to the south but too hazy to see, and the marine layer was rolling in from the ocean in the distance.
Climbing out over launch, which faces east. Launch is into thermals coming up the mountain from Lake Elsinore. The launch window is limited here, as soon as the sea breeze blows in from the West, launch is impossible as it blows over the back.
Looking south towards San Diego. Hazy summer conditions and incoming marine air means the visibility was only about 40km in that direction.
Looking west over the plateau which is at 3000ft, marine layer rolling in from the ocean is visible in the distance. Alex Chiang is to the right.
I got about halfway to the mountains in the distance, Aaron eventually made it to the base of them, landing in a tight spot. Gavin Freidland took his time, making sure to connect with the convergence clouds forming over San Gorgonio, climbed to 13,000ft and flew over the back into the desert, a truely epic flight.
Crossing the green, murky waters of Lake Elsinore. This is very busy uncontrolled airspace for paragliders to fly in. A popular skydiving dropzone is at the south end of the lake. Flying over the lake we are close to the flight path of the ascending and descending jump plane. The jump plane dives from 15,000ft on a 45 degree angle.... Sailplanes also tow up underneath us, and private light aircraft and commercial helicopters flying VFR tend to follow the freeway to the right at between 5000 and 7000ft.
From that height the views are amazing, you can see Los Angeles in the haze to the north, San Diego is to the south but too hazy to see, and the marine layer was rolling in from the ocean in the distance.
Climbing out over launch, which faces east. Launch is into thermals coming up the mountain from Lake Elsinore. The launch window is limited here, as soon as the sea breeze blows in from the West, launch is impossible as it blows over the back.
Looking south towards San Diego. Hazy summer conditions and incoming marine air means the visibility was only about 40km in that direction.
Looking west over the plateau which is at 3000ft, marine layer rolling in from the ocean is visible in the distance. Alex Chiang is to the right.
Crossing the green, murky waters of Lake Elsinore. This is very busy uncontrolled airspace for paragliders to fly in. A popular skydiving dropzone is at the south end of the lake. Flying over the lake we are close to the flight path of the ascending and descending jump plane. The jump plane dives from 15,000ft on a 45 degree angle.... Sailplanes also tow up underneath us, and private light aircraft and commercial helicopters flying VFR tend to follow the freeway to the right at between 5000 and 7000ft.
