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Pickle Butte

ID
43.4920°, -116.7220° Directions ↗
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Showing Paragliding. Switch wings up top ↑
Not flyable
Medium confidence · · Run: HRRR
The sun is not up yet — no daylight to fly
NESW 334° NNW
Flyability score
30
/100 · paragliding
Wind
6
mph base
Gusts
16
mph
Temp
49°
F
Dew point
34°
F
Elevation
2,995
ft MSL
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Location

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What we look for at Pickle Butte

Wind direction

NW (315°) → NE (45°)

The wind must blow from within this arc. Direction is the same for both wings.

Ideal speed

6–15 mph

Ceiling · Paragliding

≤ 19 mph base · gusts ≤ 23

Top of the range for paragliding (any rating). Switch wings up top to compare. Hang gliders hold roughly 10 mph more than paragliders.

Prominent ~550 ft butte near Nampa with three launches, flyable year-round including winter. Works on any wind from NW through N to NE; the main launch (Red Rock Rd) has hang and paraglider launches and a windsock, and the west launch covers more westerly days. Ridge-soarable in steady breeze and thermic for XC, but midday can get strong and gusty and the LZ is rocky. Easy 2WD road; private/county land, so respect the rules. Mostly P2-friendly, treat strong days as P3.

Next 7 days How calls are made

Monday Flyable flyable 10am–7pm 🌅 sunset 7:58 PM
7a
4g7
NW
8a
5g12
NW
9a
6g14
WNW
10a
10g12
NW
11a
9g9
NW
12p
6g9
NW
1p
6g8
NW
2p
7g9
NNW
3p
7g9
NNW
4p
8g9
NNW
5p
8g9
N
6p
9g11
NNE
7p
9g10
NNE
Flyable 7am–7pm — best around 10am: 10 mph NW, gusts 12. 11 clean hrs, the rest borderline.
🌅 Wonder windGlass-off likely 5pm–7pm — smooth, light NNE ~9 mph, clear evening sky, the day heated up well.
✓ Light, smooth wind✓ Straight in the window– Wind dying off into evening✓ Clear skies (radiative cooling)✓ Day built a thermal layer
Tuesday Flyable flyable 3pm–7pm 🌅 sunset 7:56 PM
7a
6g7
SSE
8a
9g15
SSE
9a
10g15
SSE
10a
11g13
SSE
11a
10g12
SSE
12p
7g8
SSE
1p
4g5
SE
2p
2g4
SE
3p
1g4
NE
4p
7g10
NNE
5p
6g7
NNE
6p
7g8
N
7p
7g9
N
Flyable 3pm–7pm — best around 4pm: 7 mph NNE, gusts 10.
🌅 Wonder windGlass-off possible 5pm–7pm — smooth, light N ~7 mph, some cloud, weak daytime heating.
✓ Light, smooth wind✓ Straight in the window– Wind dying off into evening– Clear skies (radiative cooling)– Day built a thermal layer
Wednesday Caution workable 8am–9am 🌅 sunset 7:54 PM
7a
8g15
W
8a
8g15
WNW
9a
8g15
WNW
10a
8g16
WNW
11a
7g16
NW
12p
6g17
NW
1p
6g17
NNW
2p
5g16
NNW
3p
5g16
NNW
4p
5g15
NNW
5p
6g15
NNW
6p
6g14
NNW
7p
5g13
NW
Borderline only 8am–9am — best around 6pm: 6 mph NNW, gusts 14. All borderline — fly it with a close eye.
Thursday Caution workable 7am–8am 🌅 sunset 7:52 PM
7a
6g12
WNW
8a
5g10
W
9a
5g9
W
10a
5g11
WNW
11a
6g14
WNW
12p
7g16
WNW
1p
8g16
W
2p
10g15
W
3p
11g14
W
4p
10g15
W
5p
8g17
W
6p
7g19
WNW
7p
6g20
WNW
Borderline only 7am–8am — best around 7am: 6 mph WNW, gusts 12. All borderline — fly it with a close eye.
Friday Flyable flyable 11am–5pm 🌅 sunset 7:51 PM
7a
2g3
WSW
8a
1g4
SSW
9a
1g6
SSW
10a
2g7
WNW
11a
5g9
WNW
12p
7g10
WNW
1p
8g11
NW
2p
8g11
NW
3p
8g11
NW
4p
8g11
NNW
5p
7g11
NNW
6p
6g11
N
7p
4g10
N
Flyable 7am–7pm — best around 2pm: 8 mph NW, gusts 11. 10 clean hrs, the rest borderline.
🌅 Wonder windGlass-off likely 5pm–7pm — smooth, light NNW ~7 mph, clear evening sky, the day heated up well.
✓ Light, smooth wind✓ Straight in the window– Wind dying off into evening✓ Clear skies (radiative cooling)✓ Day built a thermal layer
Saturday Caution workable 7am–9am 🌅 sunset 7:49 PM
7a
2g8
WNW
8a
3g9
WNW
9a
3g10
NW
10a
4g12
NW
11a
5g14
NNW
12p
5g15
NNW
1p
5g16
NNW
2p
6g16
NNW
3p
6g17
NNW
4p
6g18
NNW
5p
7g18
NNW
6p
7g19
NNW
7p
6g19
NNW
Borderline only 7am–9am — best around 7am: 2 mph WNW, gusts 8. All borderline — fly it with a close eye.
Sunday Flyable flyable 7am–9am 🌅 sunset 7:47 PM
7a
1g3
NNW
8a
0g4
N
9a
1g5
NNE
10a
1g7
NNE
11a
1g8
NE
12p
2g10
NE
1p
2g11
NE
2p
2g11
NE
3p
3g12
NE
4p
3g13
NE
5p
3g13
NE
6p
3g13
NE
7p
2g13
NE
Flyable 7am–12pm — best around 7am: 1 mph NNW, gusts 3. 3 clean hrs, the rest borderline.
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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.