Indian Summer at the Rat's

New Mexico is so sweet in the fall. The days are warm and the winds are light - perfect for all kinds of paragliding adventures. Lately I've been flying three different sites: Blue Springs, the Rat's Nest, and the T-Hill. Today I want to write about the Rat's Nest.

The Rat's Nest is the generic name for a whole bunch of launches in the Sandia foothills. There aren't any roads in the foothills so the only way to access these sites is by hiking. I think that walking to launch can be one of paragliding's greatest pleasures. I say "can" because a simple hike and huck adventure will often turn into a Death March. But for me, even a Death March has it's charms. Will Gadd says that hiking is a form of pennace for the pure hedonistic pleasures of flight.

At the Rat's there are sites ranging from 500 to 1500 feet AGL. Any wind direction from NW to SSE is acceptable as long as the winds aloft are light. One of the drawbacks of the Rat's is that the different launches require different approach hikes, and if the wind changes you might have to make a bushwhacking traverse. Hence, the Death March. The other problem with the Rat's Nest is that the flying there generally sucks. Sad, but true, the Rat's Nest is one of the most consistently poor flying sites I've ever flown. So, why fly there? Well, the hiking is great, and the site is right at the east edge of town and therefore very easy to access for a quick sled and a whack. It's also the best local place for up and coming pilots to get their first altitude flights. Just like any shitty flying site, it does get good on occasion; I usually get one or two good flights a year there (I won't tell you how many sucky flights I get there every year).

The top picture in the 500 foot launch at the Rat's Nest. This launch is the actual Rat's Nest, the other sites in the area are named for their altitude and orientation; I.e. "Level 3 North" and "Level 2 South". In order to discover how the Rat's Nest got it's name you've got to hike up to the next level, or sky out above the hill. The next photo shows the west launch at the T-Hill. Next is a shot from the trail on the way to the 900 foot launch at the Rat's, and the last photo shows Kat yarding in her D risers while a big gust blows through.