Boulder - Wonderland
4/8/24
Updated:
First student flights to epix XC.
Primary site developed & maintained by RMHPA
Min Rating:
Special Skills:
Radio:
P2 / H2 / M1
High Altitude
158.400 DCS 23
Boulder RMHPA
Boulder is a site for everyone: students to XC sky gods, paragliders, hang gliders, and minis. Students are out most days from April to October sledding until 10 or 11am. Thermals usually start up between 10:30-12:30 and can get quite strong - only advanced pilots should launch midday. As the shade comes in at 3-4pm, gentler conditions often return yet remain bouyant.
With only 650' of vertical, you only have 1-2 minutes to find a thermal before you're too low. Time your launch well or fly directly to another pilot or bird going up. Boulder can be very frustrating for new pilots learning to stay up!
The XC potential from Boulder is outstanding, with flights S to CO Springs and N to Wyoming. Flying over the Flatirons is magical, though crossing Boulder Canyon (with no legal landings) is not for beginners.
Boulder is one of the sites where RMHPA works closely with the land owner, which is the only way we can fly here. USHPA membership AND RMHPA membership is required - do your part!
Launch
The hike from the LZ takes you to Upper Launch. It's a large rocky area with room for 3-4 gliders laid for launch. Do your prep work in the rear area and only move to the launch area when you're ready to fly. Launching in the North Gully, left of the trees, is not recommended. Min Glide Ratio: 4.5.
The South Wonderland Lake Launch is a good option if you have heavy gear or want a shorter hike. Use an Uber to get to South Launch and take a short hike from the drop off. It is steeper than Upper launch and new pilots sometimes find it intimidating. Don't fly into the trees directly E of launch! GPS for South Launch is 40.0481, -105.3015. Min Glide Ratio: 6.5.
On the main trail to the Upper Launch, you will pass Halfway Bench Launch (40.0559, -105.2982) and Three-Quarter Launch (40.0553, -105.2998) which are primarily used by students.
Landing
One of the nicest LZ's in America! The giant grassy field occasionally hosts a soccer tournament, but otherwise there are no obstacles. If you come up short of the field, the natural land is pretty clear but look out for rocks and cacti.
Pilots usually congregate near the trees on the SW corner.
If the athletic fields are crowded use these clear areas to land. The area to the north of the park is normally used by hang gliders. Make use of the additional LZ areas to the west and north of mowed grass when visitor usage is high, especially for pilots in training who have not developed spot landing skills
Launch and Landing Map
Winds
The Upper, Halfway Bench, and Three-Quarter launches all work well with NE to SE wind, though a tree on Upper launch can sometimes cause rotor in NNE wind.
PG: ideal 8mph, min 0, max 15mph, gust factor 5mph
MW: ideal 8mph, min 0, max 18mph, gust factor 5mph
HG: ideal 12mph, min 0, max 25mph, gust factor 10mph
South Wonderland Lake launch works best with E to NE winds.
PG: ideal 8mph, min 0, max 18mph, gust factor 5mph
MW: ideal 1mph, min 0, max 18mph, gust factor 5mph
HG: ideal 12mph, min 0, max 25mph, gust factor 5mph
Special Notes:
The entire front range is on the lee side of the Rocky Mountains and we depend on anabatic mountain flow to make a bubble of east wind we can fly in. You must understand how to use our wind tools and don't get caught in west winds coming down the mountains.
The front range has thunderstorms very often during flying season. Not only are they dangerous when you can see them, they can produce gust fronts that can travel 100 miles!
High winds aloft can also cause problems as they get turbulent over the Rockies and then rotor into our flying altitudes. Look for winds <20mph at 14,000' and not too crazy at 18,000'. A strong inversion can keep it safer - learn to read a Skew-T!
South Wonderland Lake Launch Access
This is a drop-off-only launch area. Do not park on Pine Needle Road or North Cedar Brook Road.
The drop-off point is a wide spot in the road just past 145 Pine Needle Rd. See map.
Do not drive beyond the pull-out area, as there are no other places to turn around. Do not turn around in private driveways.
XC Flying
A good first goal is Mt. Sanitas, which is close but involves a canyon crossing and varied terrain below. Depart the home ridge at 7,500' or higher and return if you get even with the summit of Mt. Sanitas.
Another good first XC flight is going north as far as you can, with Lyons a nice goal. There are many landing options along the way and getting retrieved on highway 36 is easy. Note there is no LZ in Lyons proper - land S of town or Rabbit Valley to the N.
The Flatirons should be on every XC pilot's bucket list. Be aware that the only legal landing options in the area are North Boulder Park and then NCAR way in South Boulder. Chatauqua is NOT a legal LZ - it's for emergencies only. As a result, get really high over Mt. Sanitas for your first attempts - 10,000' makes it comfortable. Try to find some lift as you pass over Flagstaff. Once you get near the flatties you will likely find good lift. Then onwards to Golden if you want!
Getting Up
Once above the main ridge, staying up isn't too bad, but launching Boulder is like starting off with a low save and can be frustrating.
Common thermal triggers: right in front of both Main and South launches, the tree-covered "bump" in between those launches, the houses just to the south of the LZ, and any of the many ramp/rock features that are facing the wind and sun.
Be careful scraping terrain looking for lift. Many accidents have happened when sharp little bullets surprised pilots. Better to find a bird or another pilot out front.
If you have a suggestion, correction, or addition to a flying site, please contact webmaster@rmhpa.org.