Mission Peak is where I do most of my Hike and Fly training. It’s a P4 rated site, but mainly for the crowd control and to be balanced with the hang glider landing requirements. The hike to the summit is a right of passage for locals (and instagramers). For pilots its around an hour hike to get to the launch. It is possible to drive, but you need a key holder, and its more complicated logistics at the end of the day. The hike is wonderful, sometimes midday, very hot. There is always interesting people and groups to watch.
Golden Eagles come Fly with us, wild friends and magical moments
The park is home to wild turkeys, golden eagles, redtail hawks, sparrows, rattlesnakes, and tarantulas. The hike for pilots is broken up into 5 benches, 4 of them are on the trail and the final bench is at the launch.
X-Ray View of Mission Peak Slide
The Mission “Slide” provides a hot spot for pilots and birds alike. Stories from older generations of pilots involve witnessing the mountain actually falling during the last el Nino.
More is about to fall this season.
I set out to capture this terrain, as it is soon to be changing with the spring rains we have received during this seasons el Nino event. 3D Model of Mission Slide