Description
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Pilot Recommendations P2/M1 In person site intro recommended
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Weather Conditions Wind Direction: 120°-240° Min: 0mph / Ideal: 8-10mph / Max: 12mph / Gust: 3mph Glide Ratio to L//Z: 4.5 |
Hazards Beware of days with strong SE in surrounding areas! This can quickly push through and cause severe turbulence and sink There are converging, diverging, and mixing valley flows. Stay alert. This is an unmaintained mountain site. All launch locations require special attention to detail, there are limited setup sites with rock hazards to both your lines and footing. |
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Restrictions Do not land within 50' of other recreators Do not land while farm equipment is operating |
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This site is not managed or maintained by the Arctic Air Walkers, and this Site Guide is provided to assist pilots in making good decisions about flying at this site. Always seek out pilots with site experience to get a site orientation.
Year round, the Butte is a often flown site in the Anchorage area due to easy access and a quick hike. It offers launch options towards the south and can be flown on days when SE winds make flying at other Anchorage sites impossible.
The Butte is an 850 foot hill surrounded by flat land, in the middle of the Matanuska Valley, about 10 miles south of Palmer. It is accessed from the Sandvik Family Trailhead off the Old Glenn Highway via Bodenburg Loop Rd. There is good parking with a 35 minute hike up a well worn trail to the launch site.
Do not land while farm equipment is working near the landing strip. During the summer when crops are on the field ensure all landing, walking, and packing activities take place on the unmaintained airstrip on the north end of the field. No landing in the crops. Winter landing can take place anywhere in the landing field.
The Butte makes a good mini/speed wing site as it has significant vertical relief with little to no glide requirements as long as the LZs at the base of the mountain are used.
No permanent wind indicators are maintained in the LZ. It is the responsibility of the pilot to place temporary wind indicators if needed.
Launch
The Butte is an ideal location to launch a paraglider from. With a flat and open area that faces south there are many possible setup locations. The setup area is generally grassy, with the occasional rock. The biggest hazard on launch is the steep slope that develops as you move south. Gliders should be kitted up reversed, or further back set up areas should be utilized to ensure the glider is fully inflated for forward launches before running down the steep slope.
The trail up to launch is quite steep and sandy, but easy to navigate. To get to launch, you take a hard left off the main trail just below the final band of trees below the summit. Follow this around to the west until you reach a nice grassy south facing area.
The main detractor of the area is the finicky and variable weather conditions. This site work well for ridge soaring and, with thermal influence, soaring several hundred feet over launch is common.
If launching a mini/speed wing, be very confidenet of your launch. With the steep rolloff, care must be taken to ensure a fully inflated wing before launching.
The launch is natural, and unmaintained. Maintenance or "grooming" of any kind if forbidden by the Mat Su Borough, and could jeopardize our future access.
Landing Zones
The Butte LZ
61.540198, -149.050936
The primary LZ is a large field just south of the butte with an unmaintained airstrip on the north edge. During the winter, early spring, and late fall all areas of the field can be utilized as a landing.
After crops are planted and before harvest the owner has requested that all landings, packing of wings, and walking to the road take place on the airstrip.
The airstrip faces E/W and is generally easy to land on. Paragliders have special permission to access the LZ by walking through the yard across the street from the trailhead.
No one should drive onto the LZ, as we don't want to damage the crops or cause ruts, or cause other potential problems. Pilots and others are expected to show all courtesy to the site and the land owners, with no loud discussions, and to use the Port-A-Potty at the adjacent Trailhead.
When exiting the field, walk to the west end of the runway, then walk north to the fence and follow that to the trailhead.
Houses, barns, and equipment are nearby and should be watched out for during landing. If farm equipment is present in the field participants should land far away or wait for them to finish.
No permanent wind indicators are maintained in the LZ. It is the responsibility of the pilot to place temporary wind indicators if needed.