Mattole

• Wind directionWNW (290°) → NNW (340°)
• Ideal speed8–18 mph
• Upper limits≤ 22 mph base · gusts ≤ 25

Mattole is a coastal soaring (ridge/dune) site on California's Lost Coast near Petrolia, Humboldt County (~827 ft MSL / ~216 m, takeoff known as "Penguin"). It works on the onshore marine flow off the Pacific. Per the paraglidingEarth orientation hint the launch faces/works in the N and NW octants, consistent with the prevailing NW coastal sea breeze. IDEAL: wind FROM the NW (~290-340 deg) blowing straight onshore for clean ridge lift. MARGINAL/cross: edges toward W (270) and N (360) where the wind becomes more cross to the ridge. Best time of day is typically midday into afternoon once the onshore/sea-breeze fills in. Hazards typical of coastal sites: overdevelopment of onshore strength (blowback/blow-over if the gradient stacks on the sea breeze), rotor/turbulence behind terrain or in lee with any easterly component, and afternoon strengthening - keep base wind moderate and watch gusts. Speed and gust figures are estimates for a coastal soaring site, NOT from a published club guide. No authoritative club/USHPA numeric site guide was found online; the SFBAPA site-guide page for Mattole (sfbapa.org) is now defunct (404). For verified specifics contact the local "Humboldt Wings" group (Facebook). Numbers should be treated as a rough coastal-soaring inference, not site-verified.