The wind must blow from within this arc. Direction is the same for both wings.
Ideal speed
0–8 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.
Hike-up paraglider launch in a meadow on Toro Ridge above Carpinteria, just over 3/4 mile up an unmarked trail off Toro Canyon Park Road. Santa Barbara pilots cleared it in 2024. The site keeper's page says it works in early-day SE wind through the afternoon switch to SW. A strong SW or a building west wind makes it more advanced, and late in the day it tends to cross a little from the west. It is a light-wind thermal site, and too much wind overpowers the thermals. No speed limit is published for this launch, so the 10 mph ceiling follows the Santa Barbara club's advice that winds above 10 mph are a serious concern; the gust ceiling is our default. There is no permitted landing zone. Pilots top-land or glide out to Padaro Beach, and the Polo Fields are off-limits when horses are there or in polo season. The lower trail crosses private land, so please be discreet. Ask a local pilot for a briefing before your first flight.
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.
