Section 16

• Wind directionNE (45°) → SE (135°)
• Ideal speed4–12 mph
• Upper limits≤ 15 mph base · gusts ≤ 18

East-facing ridge launch in the Pikes Peak foothills (Red Rock Canyon Open Space, Colorado Springs); home site of Pikes Peak Paragliding / Section 16 UFO Test Pilots. Launch sits on the mountain's Eastern ridge with primary LZs directly East in Bear Creek Park meadows (~1500 ft above LZ). Ideal arc centers on East (~090 met); NE-E-SE all work, matching the orientation hint. Best in light easterly/upslope flow; primarily a thermic site (300-3000 ft over launch reported) flown morning to midday before convection overdevelops. HAZARD: any westerly component (winds from W/SW/NW) puts launch in the LEE of Pikes Peak, producing strong rotor and turbulence - do not fly in west flow. Watch for rapid afternoon thunderstorm buildup typical of the Front Range and the usual high-altitude (7572 ft) thin-air, fast-launch considerations. USHPA license required; effectively an intermediate (P3-ish) mountain site with a ~1 hr hike to launch. No explicit published club wind-speed numbers were found (club site SSL cert expired, blocking direct fetch); speed/gust figures inferred from the east-facing orientation and general Front Range thermic-site norms - treat as conservative.