Glenwood - Lookout Mountain
1/9/25
Updated:
Advanced thermal XC launchpad.
Primary site developed & maintained by RMHPA
Min Rating:
Special Skills:
Radio:
P3
High Altitude, Turbulence
158.800
Glenwood Springs
Flying XC at mid-day requires a P4 high level pilot with a strong background in mountain flying. At about 11:00 on days with suitable XC weather (rare), western to southern prevailing winds begin to hit Lookout Mountain. A house thermal exists above a knob located a few hundred feet down the ridge between the north and middle launch.
Lookout Mountain offers late afternoon and evening flights. These flights are more suited to P3 pilots. Typical meeting times at the LZ for Lookout Mountain during the middle of the summer are 4:00-5:00 pm. Afternoon and evening flights offer a significant chance of long local flights. Glass-off and restitution flights are the norm. Short XC flights to other towns are also possible during these hours.
Pilots should make sure to stay up wind of the bowls associated with launches. Sink and rotor exists behind the antennas.
As a general rule, head out to the LZ once you reach 400' below the top of the mountain. Again, when in doubt, head out. While on glide, stay away from the valleys associated with the bottom of the bowls. Instead, follow the high ground out to the LZ. This high ground takes the form of ridges next to the valleys mentioned above. Make sure to head out directly to the LZ and pick the ridge that points upwind (typically the more northerly ridge). The LZ is located on the other side of town. There are no LZs on the Lookout mountain side of town.
Glenwood - Lookout Mountain 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
Parking at the top of Lookout Mountain is only a few hundred foot walk to the launches.
North Launch: visible just north from the parking.
Middle Launch: easy to find at the base of the smallest of the two radio towers.
South Launch: more difficult to find. Locate a string of power lines that travel south and downhill. Follow these power lines down to a series of cairns and follow them to the south launch.
A truck is required to drive to launch. Club members frequently meet in the LZ and carpool up.
Landing
The LZ is located between the high school stadium and the river, and has other hazards including pedestrians, a large pine tree just west of center, and trees on the border.
Be mindful of wind direction. The morning drain typically flows from the south meaning the typical landing pattern is oriented to land flying from the north (landing towards the town of Aspen). However, as the drain ends, so can the winds in the LZ. Expect at any moment that winds can switch directions.
Launch and Landing Map
Winds
Speeds (all launches):
PG: 0-15mph, 8mph is ideal. Gust factor < 5mph is ideal.
HG: 0-20mph, 12mph is ideal. Gust factor < 5mph is ideal.
Direction (degrees):
North Launch:
Ideal: 250-285
OK: 240-285
Middle Launch:
Ideal: 220-270
OK: 180-270
South Launch:
Ideal: 180-230
OK: 120-270
Hazards
Two radio tower complexes are present nearby. Risks associated with these towers can be mitigated if pilots stay at least 100' away from the southerly tower and at least 500' AGL over the larger, northern tower.
Power lines cross a variety of locations on the summit of Lookout Mountain. Maintaining an altitude of 500' above the northern tower while flying over the summit will ensure that these power lines will pose no threat to pilots.
Development of thunderstorms is always a concern while flying in the mountains. This area of Colorado sees overdevelopment of clouds almost daily. Always re-evaluate plans to fly after 12:00 pm.
XC Flying
Advanced XC pilots may choose to follow the line of mountains behind Lookout Mountain in search of lift. These are reliable triggers but take the pilot through committed and remote terrain. Those newer to XC are suggested to follow closer to the Roaring Fork Valley. Many safe and wide landings exist either on the plateau south of Lookout Mountain and in the Roaring Fork Valley.
New and intermediate pilots are strongly recommended to stay out of the high peaks behind Mount Sopris and beyond the town of Basalt. Only advanced P4 pilots should push into these dangerous mountains. Flying Lookout Mountain XC at mid-day requires a high level pilot with a strong background in mountain flying. Flying mid-day should be considered a P4 level task. Pilots flying out of their ability level in these conditions, or flying without a complete grasp of weather in the Roaring Fork Valley could encounter dangerous or even fatal turbulence.
If you have a suggestion, correction, or addition to a flying site, please contact webmaster@rmhpa.org.