Alabama Hills

CA
Showing Paragliding — switch wings up top ↑
Not flyable
Medium confidence · 6 of 6 models agree · Run: HRRR
Wind S (189°) is outside the window — expect cross/tail or rotor
NESW 189° S
Wind now: S (189°) Green = in the window · amber = cross/edge · red = wrong way
Wind
9
mph base
Gusts
13
mph
Direction
S
189°
Aloft
9
S @ridge
Thermals
Calm
base ~15795ft
Temp
91°
F
Cloudbase
20,989
ft MSL
Elevation
5,194
ft MSL
Flyable Caution / slim window Not flyable
What we look for here
  • Wind directionNNW (340°) → NNE (20°)
  • Ideal speed6–14 mph
  • Upper limits≤ 18 mph base · gusts ≤ 22

North-facing "North Launch" above the Alabama Hills (BHGC Owens Valley site guide), ~5,200 ft MSL. Works in N flow: ridge-soar the north face until a thermal cycles through, then climb out and fly south for XC. Ideal arc centered on N (~340-020 deg); marginal/cross to NW and NE (315-045). This is an UNREGULATED but very serious site in the Owens Valley, home of world-record XC and some of the strongest lift anywhere (climbs to 18,000 ft with cold/hypoxia risk) - advanced pilots only, NOT for beginners. Owens Valley wind regime is powerful: keep base wind moderate (suggested <~18 mph) and watch for rapidly building thermal/valley wind and lee-side rotor from surrounding terrain. North winds typically switch (off the foothills) around 9:30-10:00 am in summer; spring/fall best for recreational thermal flying, winter calmer for lower-airtime pilots, normal season Memorial Day-Labor Day for big XC. Speed/gust limits are inferred from regional knowledge - no published per-launch numbers found; confirm with local BHGC pilots before flying.

Next 7 days How calls are made

Today Flyable flyable 9am–11am
6a
11g20
NW
7a
12g22
NNW
8a
14g22
NNW
9a
13g19
NNW
10a
12g14
NNW
11a
8g10
NNW
12p
4g10
NW
1p
6g11
NW
2p
3g5
E
3p
4g8
SSE
4p
7g8
S
5p
11g14
S
6p
9g13
S
7p
8g11
S
Prime conditions 9am–11am — best around 10am: 12 mph NNW, gusts 14. Smooth air — little thermal activity.
Tomorrow Flyable flyable 8am–11am
6a
5g5
WNW
7a
6g6
WNW
8a
5g5
NNW
9a
4g8
NNE
10a
5g6
NNE
11a
4g8
NNE
12p
8g10
ESE
1p
10g11
SSE
2p
12g13
S
3p
9g10
S
4p
8g9
S
5p
10g11
SSE
6p
10g11
SSE
7p
11g13
SSE
Prime conditions 8am–11am — best around 8am: 5 mph NNW, gusts 5. Base 5 mph — a bit light.
Wednesday Flyable flyable 8am–11am
6a
6g7
NW
7a
7g10
NW
8a
7g11
NNW
9a
10g15
N
10a
9g11
N
11a
7g10
NNW
12p
1g13
N
1p
1g13
NNE
2p
2g13
NE
3p
2g13
NE
4p
2g13
NE
5p
1g13
NNE
6p
1g13
NE
7p
1g13
ESE
Prime conditions 8am–12pm — best around 8am: 7 mph NNW, gusts 11. 4 clean hrs, the rest borderline. Smooth air — little thermal activity.
Thursday Not flyable workable 12pm
6a
1g10
W
7a
2g10
W
8a
2g11
W
9a
2g12
WNW
10a
2g13
WNW
11a
1g13
NW
12p
1g15
N
1p
1g18
ENE
2p
2g19
E
3p
2g18
ESE
4p
2g16
SE
5p
2g15
SE
6p
2g14
SE
7p
1g13
ESE
Borderline only 12pm — best around 12pm: 1 mph N, gusts 15. All borderline — fly it with a close eye. Light at 1 mph — may be a sledder, not soarable.
Friday Not flyable no window
6a
1g11
SW
7a
1g11
SW
8a
1g13
SSE
9a
2g15
ESE
10a
3g19
E
11a
5g21
E
12p
6g22
E
1p
7g23
E
2p
8g24
E
3p
8g26
E
4p
7g28
E
5p
6g30
E
6p
4g31
E
7p
2g30
ENE
Wind's out of the E most of the day — outside the working window, so cross/tail or rotor.
Saturday Not flyable workable 9am
6a
1g12
WNW
7a
2g12
WNW
8a
2g13
NW
9a
2g13
NNE
10a
3g13
ENE
11a
4g15
ENE
12p
5g17
ENE
1p
5g20
E
2p
5g23
E
3p
5g24
E
4p
4g25
E
5p
3g25
E
6p
3g24
E
7p
2g23
ESE
Borderline only 9am — best around 9am: 2 mph NNE, gusts 13. All borderline — fly it with a close eye. Light at 2 mph — may be a sledder, not soarable.
Sunday Not flyable no window
6a
2g12
W
7a
2g12
WNW
8a
2g13
WNW
9a
2g12
WNW
10a
1g12
W
11a
1g13
WSW
12p
0g14
S
1p
0g16
E
2p
1g17
E
3p
1g18
ESE
4p
1g17
ESE
5p
1g17
ESE
6p
1g17
SE
7p
1g17
SE
Wind's out of the WNW most of the day — outside the working window, so cross/tail or rotor.
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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.