Best Conditions
Description
Cornwall Hills, British Columbia, Canada
Elevation: 1971 meters (Launch), 1500 meters (Landing Zone)
Height Difference: Approximately 1300 meters
This site is occasionally used for paragliding and offers potential for cross-country (XC) flights. The road access is rugged, requiring a high-clearance vehicle, preferably a 4x4, as the road is not always clear.
Region: British Columbia, Canada
Site Record: 48.2 km
For more information, visit:
- [FlyOK Paragliding Club](http://www.flyok.ca)
- [British Columbia Paragliding & Hang Gliding Association](http://www.bchpa.ca/contact-us.html)
- [Cornwall Hills Provincial Park](https://bcparks.ca/explore/parkpgs/cornwall_hills/)
Launch Details:
- Direction: East
- Suitable for: Hang Gliding (HG) & Paragliding (PG)
- Type: Mountain, Thermal Flying
- Elevation: 6500 feet above sea level
- GPS Coordinates: N 50° 41' 36.4" W 121° 26' 55.5"
Landing Zone (LZ) Details:
- Elevation: 1500 feet above sea level
- GPS Coordinates: N 50° 43' 04" W 121° 19' 39.4"
- Description: Large flat fields east or west of Ashcroft Manor & TeaHouse Flight Park. Beware of thermal turbulence in the LZ.
Site Regulation: Informal
XC Potential: Excellent, over 150 km
Location: 10 km south of Cache Creek on the west side of Hwy 1
Flying Season:
- Spring: Not recommended
- Summer: Highly recommended
- Fall: Highly recommended
- Winter: Not recommended
Vehicle Requirements:
- Good road except for a short section 3/4 of the way up where a 4WD or high-clearance 2WD is necessary.
Launch Description:
- Natural alpine meadow grass slope with ample setup area. Vehicles can drive right to the launch but must stay on the road.
- Kiting possible from most sides of the summit alpine bowl.
Directions to Launch:
- From 17 km south of Cache Creek (7.5 km south of Ashcroft Manor), turn west onto Hat Creek Road and reset your trip meter.
- At 13.4 km, turn right onto Cornwall Hills Forest Service Road.
- The road up to the Three Sisters Forestry Recreation site can be deeply rutted.
- Cornwall Hills Lookout is at 22.4 km. Drive 200m past the lookout and take the left fork for 100m to the 'Lower' Launch. The parking area is a grassy area on the east side of the road.
Soaring Information and Weather Notes:
- Good run at takeoff required due to the high altitude (6500' ASL).
- Known for holding many local XC records, particularly good in late summer and early fall.
- Can be blown out from time to time; long valleys can be windy.
- For S-SW winds, fly from the alpine tower summit or at Basil's Bump just east of Cache Creek.
Landing Field Directions:
- Ashcroft Manor & TeaHouse Flight Park is beside the Trans Canada Highway #1, 7.5 km north of the Cornwall turnoff, or 9 km south of Cache Creek.
Other Information:
- Launch is in Class G uncontrolled airspace up to 9000' ASL, Class E from 9000' ASL, and Class B above 12,500' ASL.
- Airway V325 runs north to south down the valley and is controlled airspace from 2200' AGL.
- Re-set your altimeter to the accurate launch altitude before flying.
- Call Transport Canada Flight Services Station at 250-376-7941 prior to any XC flight near the Kamloops control zone.
- Fly around the 5-mile control zone, not through it.
Radio Frequency: 123.4 MHz (Aircraft) & 173.640 MHz, Local Club: 146.46
Environmental Considerations:
- Alpine meadows are extremely sensitive and take decades to recover from traffic.
- Respect the Native Reservation Council's requests: do not leave litter or human waste, keep dogs on a leash, and respect delicate alpine flora and fauna. No camping at the launch site.
Primary Local Contacts:
- HG: Kim Jenner, Tel: 250-453-9983, jennerk@telus.net
- HG: Dave Wagner, Tel: 250-579-9182, dave_wagner@telus.net
- HG: Lawrence Barichello, Tel: 250-376-9972, flylawrence@shaw.ca
- PG: Ed Rilkoff, Tel: 250-374-9926, cloudsuck@yahoo.com
- PG: Derrick Butcher, Tel: 250-554-0820, Cell: 250-320-0690, dbutcher@telus.net
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