A few of us budding hang glider pilots took a weekend to participate in a course introducing us to mountain flying. With Steve to boot us off the mountain and John to welcome us back to the ground in the landing field (hopefully), we flew from launch, 6400 feet above sea level to the landing field, 3400 feet lower and four kilometres away. An average flight was about fifteen minutes. Thanks to John and Steve our instructors, Taylor and Pam for taking pictures when I was in the air, and Taylor, Pam and Katie for driving.




The landing field, Friday night. A paraglider circles overhead. The peak just to the left of centre is launch.




Saturday morning. It's time to fly. This is a shot of the valley and landing field from launch.




My camera went down to wait at the landing field. Here's me, playing in the air over launch. Okay, since it was my first high flight maybe not playing so much as trying to loosen my death grip on the control bar.




A closer view. I'm getting low... time to think about setting up a landing approach.




Two paragliders and a hang glider soaring over launch during the day.




A shot of the valley and landing field with a hang glider looking for lift.




Just to the right of the shot before, the town of Golden.




Mark flying off into the sunset Saturday evening on a soaring flight, following a paraglider.




Pam and John wait for a couple of paragliders to clear the area so they can launch on a tandem flight.




And they're off...




flying into the sunset.




Leaving the rest of us lined up waiting for our turn to take to the air.




Finally, my turn. On launch...




and away...









off into the sunset.