Paragliding The Point Of The Mountain

A few weeks back I had chance to go paragliding on a whim when my buddy found a killer deal on LivingSocial.com(check it out) and I was able to jet up Salt Lake City, hung out with my buddies from high school and catch up. Others couldn’t join us, for some reason not that many wives were comfortable letting their husbands go. I guess someday I may grow up and have a wife that worries to much.

Not The Extreme Sport I Expected

Paragliding is quite a different sport, I didn’t know for sure if it’s something that I would want to do a lot. If I end up getting rich when I’m old and frail then I think it be fun sport to invest in. I was told that you can get certified in as little as 12 hours of classes. That doesn’t sound to bad and then you’re free to paraglide by yourself. Tandem paragliding takes years of experience and extensive training to handle more weight and other problems that come along with another person ridding along.

We ended up getting to the point of the mountain air sport park (its a real thing) early morning when the wind currents were shifting creating a good air lift when it hit the south side of the hill. The point of the mountain is a incredible topographical spot for paragliding because its really unique landscape and air currents. The winds are quite consistent in the morning and in the evening hitting the point of the mountain creating a great ridgeline that you can ride along. paragliding is a lot like surfing, where you catch the wave of air and have to work along the ridge wind currents so that you keep in the rising air currents.

I’m Scared When I Don’t Have the Wheel

I kind a got a little nervous because paragliding was something so new to me where I couldn’t really control it.  Because I was so light and the instructor was experienced we really just shot straight up in the air.  It was a lot easier to get up then I expected although cause of wind I ended up only paragliding for about 20 minutes before my buddy got his turn because of the changes in wind current would make it harder to get my heavier buddy up in the air.

I would recommend everyone give it a try one time even though it wasn’t a sport that I would see me getting really into. I think the paragliding would be a sport that you can only increase the challenge of it up until you just are tempting death. In the long run and makes you more likely to get hurt by pushing the limit.