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Black Mountain

WA
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Showing Paragliding — switch wings up top ↑
Not flyable
Medium confidence · 6 of 6 models agree · Run: HRRR
Wind SSW (211°) is outside the window — expect cross/tail or rotor
NESW 211° SSW
Wind now: SSW (211°) Green = in the window · amber = cross/edge · red = wrong way
Wind
9
mph base
Gusts
14
mph
Direction
SSW
211°
Aloft
13
SW @ridge
Thermals
Calm
base ~4750ft
Temp
61°
F
Cloudbase
9,333
ft MSL
Elevation
4,583
ft MSL
Flyable Caution / slim window Not flyable
What we look for here
  • Wind directionW (270°) → NW (320°)
  • Ideal speed3–10 mph
  • Upper limits≤ 12 mph base · gusts ≤ 15

Black Mountain Upper (Main) Launch, ~4500 ft MSL, W/NW-facing on a south-north trending ridgeline (western aspect), in the North Cascades east of Bellingham, WA. North Cascades Soaring Club site guide gives explicit numbers for this launch: ideal wind direction 270-320 deg, marginal/cross 240-300 deg, ideal PG speed ~6 mph (range light to ~10 mph), with conservative gust tolerance. Rating: Intermediate / P-3 / H-3; launch is considered technical with elevated P-3 skills required. Launch is short with only a few steps before a steep runout, and winds can vary from strong to light, demanding good wing-handling. Best time noon to sunset; evenings offer smoother thermals. LZ is at ~900 ft MSL in the grassy group-camp field at Silver Lake County Park, surrounded by tall trees with a barn and potential rotor; glide ratio of ~3:1 needed to reach the main LZ. Access is currently hike-in only (vehicle road closed behind Sierra Pacific/logging gates). Lower launches (Middle, and Lippy's Leap at ~2900 ft) work in a slightly wider 250-350 deg arc. Consistent soaring/thermal site; home of the late-summer Can-Am fly-in.

Next 7 days How calls are made

Today Not flyable no window
6a
6g6
S
7a
8g8
S
8a
8g8
SSE
9a
5g9
WSW
10a
8g11
SSW
11a
9g13
SW
12p
9g15
SSW
1p
8g14
SSW
2p
8g14
SSW
3p
7g13
SW
4p
8g13
SSW
5p
8g14
SW
6p
9g14
SSW
7p
8g13
SSW
8p
8g13
SW
Wind's out of the SSW most of the day — outside the working window, so cross/tail or rotor.
Tomorrow Caution no window
6a
10g17
SW
7a
12g21
SW
8a
12g21
SW
9a
12g19
WSW
10a
13g19
WSW
11a
13g19
WSW
12p
13g20
WSW
1p
14g20
WSW
2p
14g20
WSW
3p
14g20
W
4p
15g22
W
5p
14g22
WSW
6p
14g24
WSW
7p
13g26
WSW
8p
12g28
WSW
Too gusty — gusts past the 15 mph limit through the day.
Wednesday Not flyable workable 7pm
6a
12g15
SSW
7a
11g14
SSW
8a
10g12
SSW
9a
8g10
SSW
10a
8g9
SSW
11a
8g9
SW
12p
6g21
WSW
1p
6g21
WSW
2p
6g21
WSW
3p
6g20
WSW
4p
5g19
W
5p
5g17
W
6p
4g15
W
7p
2g13
W
8p
1g11
W
Borderline only 7pm — best around 7pm: 2 mph W, gusts 13. All borderline — fly it with a close eye. Light at 2 mph — may be a sledder, not soarable.
Thursday Caution workable 10am–4pm
6a
2g9
ESE
7a
1g9
NE
8a
2g9
N
9a
3g11
NNW
10a
3g13
NW
11a
4g15
WNW
12p
4g16
WNW
1p
5g18
WNW
2p
5g19
WNW
3p
5g18
WNW
4p
5g17
W
5p
4g15
W
6p
3g13
W
7p
2g11
W
8p
2g9
W
Borderline only 10am–4pm — best around 12pm: 4 mph WNW, gusts 16. All borderline — fly it with a close eye. Gusty — +12 mph over base.
Friday Caution workable 11am
6a
0g12
S
7a
1g18
WNW
8a
2g23
WNW
9a
3g21
W
10a
5g16
W
11a
6g14
W
12p
7g17
W
1p
8g22
WSW
2p
8g25
WSW
3p
8g24
WSW
4p
7g21
WSW
5p
7g19
WSW
6p
6g18
WSW
7p
6g19
SW
8p
5g19
SW
Borderline only 11am — best around 11am: 6 mph W, gusts 14. All borderline — fly it with a close eye. Cross-ish wind W (264°) — edge of the window.
Saturday Not flyable workable 9am
6a
4g10
SSW
7a
5g11
SW
8a
5g12
SW
9a
4g14
WSW
10a
4g16
WSW
11a
4g18
W
12p
3g19
W
1p
3g19
W
2p
3g19
WNW
3p
3g20
WNW
4p
4g21
WNW
5p
4g22
NW
6p
3g22
NW
7p
2g22
NW
8p
1g21
WNW
Borderline only 9am — best around 9am: 4 mph WSW, gusts 14. All borderline — fly it with a close eye. Cross-ish wind WSW (246°) — edge of the window.
Sunday Not flyable workable 1pm–4pm
6a
0g7
E
7a
1g9
NNW
8a
1g10
NW
9a
2g12
NW
10a
3g13
NW
11a
4g14
NW
12p
4g16
WNW
1p
4g17
WNW
2p
4g18
WNW
3p
4g18
WNW
4p
4g18
W
5p
4g17
W
6p
3g17
W
7p
3g17
W
8p
2g16
W
Borderline only 1pm–4pm — best around 9am: 2 mph NW, gusts 12. All borderline — fly it with a close eye. Light at 2 mph — may be a sledder, not soarable.
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Conditions are an automated estimate from public forecast models, not a go/no-go call. Always check the sky, talk to locals, and fly within your rating. You are responsible for your own safety.