Sky Sisters Paragliding
North Cascades XC
June 5-12, 2025
Central Washington, USA
Ready to build your XC Skills? This is the best place to do it! Join guides Anneka Herndon and Summer Barham in exploring the Pacific Northwest and the best cross-country flying it offers! Mountains, flatlands, and everything in between, make up this unique flying arena. The tour will be based out of Cashmere WA in the center of all the 5 launches we have at our disposal, all within a 1-2 hour drive. We will be working on our forecasting skills as a group to decide which launch to use for the day, then diving deep into how to fly the area and safely maximize the flying day. We are excited to work with you on your XC goals, and with a supportive and motivated group, we can all help each other take steps to achieve them.
We fly together as a family, recognizing that each person’s unique perspective enriches the group as a whole. Paragliding is deeply personal, and we bring that mentality into the adventure, sharing knowledge, airtime, and experience in a supportive and inclusive environment designed to help you on your flying journey. Instrument setup, flight planning, strategy, reading the sky, thermalling, gaggle flying, and cross country are just a few of the areas of focus for growth.
Itinerary
June 5 : Arrival Day
Make your way to Cashmere WA and we'll have a welcome potluck and briefing
June 6 - 11 : Flying Days (7 nights)
We'll fly the best site available for the day, with transport and retrieve!
June 12 : Departure Day
Drop offs will be provided to Wenatchee Valley Shuttle pickup point for flights out of Seattle
Flying Sites
Tumwater Mountain: Located above the town of Leavenworth, with about 3000 ft. of elevation off the valley floor. It is known as the gateway to the Enchantments and catching just one thermal off launch gives you breathtaking views of the rugged and wild range. The choices are endless from this launch, you can go for distance and fly into the flats or deep into the mountains and get an up close tour of the Enchantments.
Raptor Ridge: An excellent XC Launch that allows for early launches to maximize the XC of the day. It has excellent views of the mountains around Leavenworth and is a great kick off points for many classic XC routes or just a scenic local tour.
Chelan Butte: Famous for its big distance flats flying and home to the US Nationals, Chelan Butte does not disappoint! It's one of the most versatile launches in the PNW, working in many wind directions. Though it is known for its flats flying, there is a plethora of terrain available to explore. It is truly an XC playground and many pilots of all experience levels will get their personal best here!
Goat Mountain: Situated a couple of hours to the north above the tiny town of Mazama, this is the entrance to the heart of the North Cascade Mountains. It offers an opportunity to peek into the biggest peaks of the range while also having a more local playground to explore. It is certainly a fantastic day to add to the tour if we get the chance!
Tibbets / Dog walk: Local to Cashmere and a very short drive from our home base, we can even see launch from the kitchen! Dog walk is small but mighty and can be a great option if we have tricky weather. Tibbets is close but higher up and is a great set up to fly Leavenworth and beyond!
Accommodation
Cushy Camping in Cashmere, WA
Camping at a private home with basic outdoor kitchen, outdoor shower, bathroom, tent spots, fire pit, and shade!
