The RGSA insures and maintains a number of sites in its region. Here is information on several sites. The following pilots can help you with flying our sites.  Please contact one of them if you would like more information.  We want you to have a fun and safe experience.

Remember that a hang check is required before launch at all RGSA sites, and a buddy check of your glider and harness is also strongly recommended.  For Dry Canyon and La Luz, follow these two safety rules:

1. If White Sands starts dusting up, it’s too turbulent to be safe. Don’t launch, or if you’re in the air, land as soon as you can get to the LZ. It is no fun being a leaf in the wind…
2. If you find yourself near the launch, looking up at it, start for the landing zone! You are getting low a long way back from a landable area.

This is a thermal and ridge-soaring site above the city of Alamogordo, New Mexico. It’s rated Hang 3 and Para 3, with prior mountain experience. It is in a bowl, and may be flown in wind directions ranging from S-SE to due West, but the launch ramp faces due Southwest, which is where the prevailing winds are from. It is not suitable for top landings; the primary LZ is an 8-acre field about an 8:1 glide off to the west. The setup area can accommodate about 30 gliders at once. The launch is a concrete ramp about 15 feet long, sloping down at about 30 degrees. In winds of 20 mph or more, the site becomes turbulent, and a wire crew becomes essential. A sled run is typically 10 to 15 minutes in duration; soaring flights of several hours are common, and the XC record is 132 miles. (For extensive PG/HG info and beautiful  photos  go here.)

Access is by a rough 4WD road, on US Forest Service land. Directions to the LZ: From White Sands Blvd. in Alamogordo, take Fairgrounds Road east about a half mile, to the Ball Parks. Head down the right side of the park to the end.

Windy Point Ruidoso, NM (1,950' AGL  33.396142° -105.764624°  launch 9,987' MSL)

For Google Earth users, a KMZ of the HG launch is available here, the PG launch here, and the LZ here.

This first class thermalling site is the work of Ruidoso hang gliding pilot Riker Davis (H5). We are especially thankful for his work in making sure a safe LZ is available and pioneering this wonderful place for us to fly.

The site is on Hwy. 532, the road to Ski Apache. It faces east and can be flown with winds anywhere from northeast to southeast. It is best in the AM on days that start clear, but cumulus cloud development is inevitable later in the morning. Some of the best days are those with no wind forecast, when you expect light and variable conditions. As the east facing terrain heats up, upslope thermal cycles provide light to soarable lift. Lift can get very strong with cloud development. During the “rainy season” in July and August it can OD early and the window to fly and land can be before 10AM. Other times of year with light and variable conditions it can be flyable all day.

HG launch is right off the edge of the Windy Point scenic overlook. Space is available for only 4 or 5 steps so at least 8 mph wind is needed for a safe launch. PG pilots should use the upper (safest) launch as it gives plenty of space and time to find a thermal and go up. This is a (15) minute hike through pleasant mountain meadows. The ambitious may also launch just above the HG launch area if the winds are 7-8 or more. There are a few trees to steer through here, but enough wind velocity makes it very doable.

The LZ, which is on Mescalero land, is visible from the HG launch but not from the PG upper launch. The LZ is a grassy meadow between the two fishing “lakes” in the canyon, an easy glide below. It is high at 8,200 ft but is plenty big for safe landings by both HG and PG pilots. Pilots must be members of the Rio Grande Soaring Association or accompanied by a member. The Mescalero Apache Indian Tribe graciously allows pilots to land at their campground. However, it is closed October through April, so if one attempts flying in the winter, you will expect to walk out almost a mile to the locked gate and safety is compromised for easy retrieval.

Please contact the RGSA if you are interested in flying the site.  (HG & PG Photos of the site are viewable here.)
 

This is a thermal and ridge-soaring site above the village of La Luz, just north of Alamogordo, New Mexico. It’s rated Hang 2 and Para 2, with prior mountain experience. It has 3 launches, and may be flown in wind directions ranging from SW to due North depending on the ramp used. Top landings are marginally possible. The primary LZ is an enormous field about an 8:1 glide off to the west. The setup area can accommodate about 15 gliders at once. The SW launch is a slope about 30 feet long at about 30 degrees. The NW launch is a slope about 10 feet long, about 15 degrees. The West launch is a slope about 15 feet long and 15 degrees. In winds of 20 mph or more, the site becomes turbulent, and a wire crew becomes essential. A sled run is typically 5 minutes in duration, but soaring flights do occur. The XC record is 55 miles. Directions to the LZ: From Hwy 70/54 go on Hwy 82 east towards Cloudcroft. Take a left at the blinking lights that mark Florida Avenue, and go north about a mile or so to Valley View Drive, about 100 yards before you reach the trees of the village. Go right about

¼ mile to where you can look over the barbed wire into the huge open field. Don’t drive into the field, though – it’s private property. Hazards: There is a power line running from northeast to southwest across the east edge of the field.

This is a thermal and ridge-soaring site above the city of Alamogordo, New Mexico. It’s rated Hang 3 with prior mountain experience. It is a sharp ridge that projects like a fin to the west from the Sacramento Mountains, and may be flown in wind directions ranging from South to North. In a due West or due East wind, it is not launchable. The site is not suitable for top landings. The most commonly used LZ is a flat area near the Alamogordo Golf Course, about a 10:1 glide off to the Northwest. The setup area can accommodate about 15 gliders at once. The North launch is a dirt ramp about 8 feet long, sloping down at about 15 degrees. The South launch is a slope about 20 feet long and about 45 degrees. In winds of 20 mph or more, the site becomes turbulent, and a wire crew becomes essential. A sled run is typically 10 to 15 minutes in duration; soaring flights of several hours have been made, and the XC record is 60 miles.

Access is by a rough 4WD road, on US Forest Service land. Contact the locals for directions to the areas used for landing at this site.

This is a thermal and ridge-soaring site east of the town of Carrizozo, New Mexico. It’s rated Hang 2 and Para 2, with prior mountain experience. It is on a north/south ridge, and may be flown in wind directions ranging from SW to due West. It is not suitable for top landings; the primary LZ is near a windmill and stock tank, about a 5:1 glide off to the southwest. The setup area can only accommodate about 3 gliders at once. The launch is a slope about 50 feet long, going down at about 45 degrees. In winds of 20 mph or more, the site becomes turbulent, and a wire crew becomes essential. A sled run is typically 5 minutes in duration; soaring flights of several hours are common, though, and the XC record is about 50 miles. Access is by a rough 4WD road, on private ranch land, and then a 100-yard hike uphill with the gliders. Flying is by prior arrangement only; please contact the local pilots to schedule a day of flying. The RGSA primary training site is a 200-ft cone shaped hill about 2 miles to the west of Veracruz, on the same ranch.

This is a thermal and ridge-soaring site northwest of Carlsbad, New Mexico. It’s rated HG/PG 2 with prior mountain experience. It is the rim of a vast valley that runs about 20 miles due north & south, and may be flown in wind directions ranging from Southwest to due West. The valley is flat and grass covered, about 6:1 from launch, and can be landed anywhere. The site is marginally suitable for top landings, but a PG pilot was hurt there in the rotor in December 2000.  The setup area can accommodate 50 gliders at once. The most commonly used launch is a dirt slope about 50 feet long, sloping down at 45 degrees. In winds of 20 mph or more, the site becomes turbulent, and a wire crew becomes essential. This site can get very windy indeed, and blowouts are common. Plan to fly early! A sled run is typically 5 to 10 minutes in duration; soaring flights of several hours are common. As of the year 2009, no XC flights have been made from this site. Access is by a graded 2WD road, on US Forest Service land. Access to the LZ in the valley involves an almost-4WD section, however. This site is popular for club campouts, and is very remote. Take lots of extra food, water and gasoline. Sitting Bull Falls, a popular recreation site for swimming in spring-fed pools, is a 2-hour drive from the launch site. Contact RGSA members for directions.

PG from this site is "iffy" during the winter months, such as President's Day, as conditions tend to be too strong to safely launch and soar the ridge.  We are researching better times when PG pilots can safely fly, such as in the fall. 

This is a thermal and ridge-soaring site southeast of the town of Deming, New Mexico. It’s rated Hang 2, with prior mountain experience. It may be flown in wind directions ranging from SW to due West. Top landings are marginally possible. The primary LZ is an enormous field about a 4:1 glide off to the southwest.  The setup area can accommodate about 5 gliders at once. The launch is a wooden platform about 10 feet long at about 30 degrees. In winds of 20 mph or more, the site becomes turbulent, and a wire crew becomes essential. A sled run is typically 5 minutes in duration, but soaring flights do occur. The site XC record as of May 2011 is 48 miles and was made by hang glider pilot  Bill Cummings on a flight to Las Cruces.  The LZ is near Rockhound State Park. Access to the launch is by 4WD only. Please contact local RGSA pilots for directions to this site.

This is a hang gliding towing site west of the city of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Use of it has been granted by prior arrangement with the Airport administration. The tow operator and/or pilot must have a Unicom radio capable of communicating with standard powered aircraft. The runways are over a mile long and are suitable for all wind directions. Cross country flights over 50 miles are common from this site. Please contact the RGSA local pilots for access to it.

This is an 80-ft sandy training hill, about 10 miles south of Las Cruces near Interstate 10. To reach it, take the Mesquite Exit, turn east and go to the frontage road. Take that north about a mile, and turn right to cross a cattle guard. Follow the dirt road to a big dam, then turn north along the base of the dam about a quarter mile. As the road climbs gently uphill, take the left-hand fork (ground there is a bit more solid) and top out. Park in the flat area on top of the dam, and use the crescent-shaped hill about 100 yards to the east. The hill can take wind directions from west-southwest to south-southwest.

Kilbourne Hole Maar Training & Soaring Site  (500' AGL, launch 4,000 MSL)

This is an unusual site in that it is not a hill but an ancient volcanic crater or maar.  It is about 2 miles in diameter in the midst of a flat plain about 30 miles west of El Paso, Texas.  Access to the launch is by 2WD dirt road. Getting to the bottom of the maar requires a 4WD vehicle with good clearance.  The highest launch point is on the east rim of the maar, and may handle wind directions from southwest to northwest.  This launch is a smooth, sandy slope about 30 to 45 degrees and about 200 feet long.  The primary LZ is a flat, grassy area about 800 feet across, a 6:1 glide straight out from the launch.  This site is ideal for first flights for both hang gliders and paragliders.  It was first soared by Robin Hastings (HG) and Had Robinson (PG) and has now been visited by other pilots from around the United States.  You must stay above the rim or the lift disappears very quickly.  Top landings are safe and easy.  Contact:  Had Robinson.  More info and photographs are available here.

Gardner Turfgrass, Inc. Sod Farms (4,081 ft MSL)

This is our primary training site located in Santa Teresa, NM.  The sod farms are each about 1/4 mile in diameter and have the features under tow of a training hill about 1,000' AGL.  El Paso Paragliding offers reflex stationary towing to both paragliders and hang gliders.  Please go here for more info on the sod farms and here for information on training.

Agave Hill (600' AGL, launch 5,250' MSL)

Please go here for extensive information on this challenging site (courtesy of El Paso Paragliding, LLC).