The Okanagan in British Columbia’s interior is a region of spectacular beauty, agricultural abundance, historic richness and recreational opportunity. The Okanagan offers hanggliders and paragliders some of the most beautiful landscapes to launch off, with ideal topography and climatic conditions for gliding. The warm climate and abundant sunshine – more sunshine per year than any other region in Canada – ensures that pilots can fly pretty much throughout the year.
Reliable summer temperatures are between 75-80 deg Fahrenheit, and the cloudbase is around 9,000 feet. Combine this with good launch sites and open valley floors, and you have an area that is ideal for flying. Vernon, Kelowna and Lumby are the main centres for flying in and around the Okanagan Valley, catering to both novice flyers and experienced cross-country pilots.
There are many flying sites – too many to list here – and knowing the quirks of a particular site requires local knowledge. All pilots, including the most experienced, should contact a local pilot or paragliding school before flying at a particular site. In addition, some sites may be temporarily closed or landing zones off limits. Novices can book a tandem flight for the sheer exhilaration of flight or as an introductory flight to learn the basics of paragliding or hanggliding. Contact the companies listed under Paragliding below.
Okanagan Flying Sites
Anarchist, Bastion, Blue Grouse, Bolean, Cambie Corner, Cawston, Coopers (Thermal Rise), King Eddy, Kobau, Lavington, Ripleys, Sicamous, Skyline (Mara Lake), Stoney Creek, Vernon Mountain
Thompson Nicola Flying Sites
Basils Bump, Bachelor Hill, Cache Creek Microwave, Cornwall, Deadmans Creek, Lime Peak (Clinton), Mt Lolo, Savona Mountain, Tod Mountain.
Nearby Regions & Towns
Clubs and Associations
- The Okanagan Soaring Association
- Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
