| Northwest Paragliding - The Early Days | Home |
This timeline has been compiled by Lowell Skoog. Selected information in this timeline was used in a story in the Summer 2007 issue of the Northwest Mountaineering Journal. This chronology is focused on the early years of paragliding in Washington state, beginning in the 1980s. The emphasis is on pioneering flights, especially mountain flights. Other events have been included to document how the sport has evolved since the early years.
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| Year | Month-Day | Who | Where | What | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1964 | March | Domina Jalbert | Boca Raton, Florida | Test flights of the double-surface Jalbert Parafoil, the first multi-cell, ram-air parachute. | The parafoil was based on Jalbert's experience with kites, balloons, and parachute rigging. The first foot launched flights of parafoils took place much later. Source: parafoils.com, kite.com. |
| 1965 | September | David Barish | Upstate New York | Foot launched flights of the single-surface Sail Wing, developed for NASA at the same time Francis Rogallo developed the first hang glider. | Source: Articles about David Barish by Steve Roti and Xavier Murillo; Paragliding, July 2000, p. 17. |
| 1978 | June | Jean-Claude Betemps, Andre Bohn, Gerard Bosson (the "Choucas" Club) | Mieussy, France | French parachutists experiment with launching ram-air parachutes on foot, giving birth to the sport of parapente. | The French experiments were inspired by the writings of Dan Poynter, who had participated in the earlier Sail Wing developments (see above). Source: Rock & Ice, Mar/Apr 1987, p. 12, and Steve Roti. |
| Early to mid-1980s | - | French alpinists | Aiguille Verte, Mont Blanc, Matterhorn, Eiger, and other summits | Paragliding descents in the Alps | Source: Rock & Ice, Mar/Apr 1987, p. 13. |
| 1984 | - | Jean-Noel Roche | Black Canyon of Gunnison River, CO | Paragliding descent with 12-year-old son Bertrand, portrayed in the film "Paps et Zebulon" shown at Telluride and Banff Film Festivals. | First paragliding in U.S.? What else did they fly in this country? (Delvin Crabtree said rumors later circulated that they had flown some of the Cascade volcanos.) Source: Rock & Ice, Mar/Apr 1987, p. 13. |
| 1986 | September | John Bouchard | Chamonix, France | John Bouchard becomes acquainted with the use of paragliders by climbers in the French Alps. That autumn he began manufacturing canopies in the U.S. | Source: Climbing, Dec 1986, Mar/Apr 1987; Cross Country, Edition 111, p. 62. |
| 1986 | Autumn | Scott Northey | Nathan Hale High School, Seattle, WA | Paragliding launch on tiny hill (first in Washington?) | Scott shared a house in Seattle with Mark Twight. Twight received some paragliders from John Bouchard and told Scott about the sport. While Twight was on a climbing expedition in Nepal, Scott contacted Bouchard, who sent him a glider and an instructional video. In December, Scott tried flying at Mazama Ridge on Mt Rainier, in snow, without much success. Source: Scott Northey. |
| 1986 | Autumn | Jonathan Carpenter, Mark Twight | Ebey's Landing (or Fort Ebey), Whidbey Island | Paragliding descent | Jonathan was not sure of the dates of his early flights with Mark Twight but he thought they probably flew the bluffs of Whidbey Island in the fall of 1986. They landed in Puget Sound. Source: Jonathan Carpenter. |
| 1987 | |||||
| 1987 | March/April | John Bouchard (Climbing), Romain Vogler (Rock & Ice) | Colorado, USA | Feature articles about paragliding appear in leading U.S. climbing magazines. | Source: Rock & Ice, Mar/Apr 1987; Climbing, April 1987 |
| 1987 | Early spring | Scott Northey | Swakane Canyon, near Wenatchee | Paragliding descent | Scott described this as his first "real flight," about 300-400 feet. Source: Scott Northey. |
| 1987 | Late April | John Bouchard, Scott Northey | Mount Si, near I-90 Highway | Paragliding descent. First mountain PG flight in Washington. | John Bouchard and Scott Northey flew Mount Si, accompanied by Mark Twight, who was not able to fly, and Jon Krakauer, who was writing a story for Outside magazine. Scott recalled that they scouted the launch site on this trip, suggesting that none of them had flown the mountain before. Jonathan Carpenter recalled that he flew Mt Si twice (once with Mark Twight and again during the Twight/Erickson tandem flight) before he went up with Mark Shipman and Jeff Splittgerber on June 2. Scott thinks those flights took place after the Bouchard/Northey flight. Source: Jonathan Carpenter, Scott Northey, Mark Shipman. |
| 1987 | May | Mark Twight, Russell Erickson | Mount Si, near I-90 Highway | Tandem paragliding descent (9-cell glider). First tandem PG flight in Washington. | After receiving a new 9-cell glider from John Bouchard, Twight, Erickson and Jonathan Carpenter hiked up Mount Si. Twight and Erickson clipped into the glider and launched together. They plummeted to the fields below. Erickson, the passenger, was giddy and ecstatic and took spectacular photos. Twight, the pilot, was gripped the whole time. Source: Jonathan Carpenter, Scott Northey. |
| 1987 | June | Jonathan Carpenter, Mark Twight | Liberty Bell Mountain, SR-20 North Cascades Highway | Paragliding descent | Carpenter and Twight launched 7-cell gliders from the true summit of the mountain. They landed in a forest clearing near the approach trail. Carpenter recalls that they landed on snow, suggesting that the flight was in spring. (The North Cascades Highway opened on April 15 in 1987.) Source: Jonathan Carpenter. |
| 1987 | June (day after Liberty Bell descent) | Jonathan Carpenter, Mark Twight | South Early Winters Spire, SR-20 North Cascades Highway | Attempted paragliding descent | Carpenter launched from the summit down the Southwest Couloir and turned to fly over the South Arete to the SR-20 hairpin. His 7-cell glider failed to clear the arete and he bounced and skidded down the vertical Southeast Face. The glider caught on a dead tree on the face. Carpenter was uninjured. An East Buttress climbing party (including Tim Wilson) lent their ropes to Twight, who lowered them to Carpenter, enabling him to escape from the face. Source: Jonathan Carpenter. |
| 1987 | June 26 | Mark Shipman, Jeff Splittgerber | Mt St Helens | Paragliding descent | Shipman and Splittgerber learned to fly from Mark Twight in Wenatchee in May 1987. Source: Climbing, June 1988, p. 35 and Mark Shipman. |
| 1987 | July 4 | Mark Shipman, Jeff Splittgerber | Mt Stuart | Paragliding descent | Source: Climbing, June 1988, p. 34 and Mark Shipman. |
| 1987 | July | Scott Northey | Sahale Arm, North Cascades National Park | Paragliding descent | This was for a Pacific Northwest magazine story. Scott made a reconnaissance flight a week earlier and planned two flights for the magazine writer and photographer. Hiking up for his second flight he was intercepted by a park ranger and given a ticket for which he later paid $50. Source: Scott Northey. |
| 1987 | August 2 | Kurt Carlson, Mark Shipman, Jeff Splittgerber | Mt Adams | Paragliding descent | They descended to the north after climbing the Adams Glacier route. Source: Climbing, June 1988, p. 35 and Mark Shipman. |
| 1987 | August 26 | Mark Shipman | Icicle Ridge ("Big Slide Peak"), near Leavenworth | Paragliding descent | Source: Mark Shipman |
| 1987 | Summer/fall | Ralph Richardson | Middle Sister, South Sister, Mt Bachelor ski area (all in Oregon) | Paragliding descents | Source: Ralph Richardson |
| 1987 | September 22 | Mark Shipman | Mission Ridge ski area | Paragliding descent (on foot) | Michael Koerner flew Mission Ridge on skis on December 20, 1987. Source: Mark Shipman, Michael Koerner. |
| 1987 | September 23 | John Bouchard, Mark Shipman | Mt Cashmere, near Leavenworth | Paragliding descent | Source: Mark Shipman |
| 1987 | September 27 | Mark Shipman | South Ingalls Peak, near Mt Stuart | Paragliding descent | Mark flew in a tuxedo and served champagne brunch to friends camped at Ingalls Lake. Source: Mark Shipman. |
| 1987 | November 4 | Mark Shipman | Big Chief Mountain, Stevens Pass ski area (on foot) | Paragliding descent | Jeff Splittgerber and Michael Koerner flew Stevens Pass on skis on March 27, 1988. Source: Mark Shipman, Michael Koerner. |
| 1988 | |||||
| 1988 | January 2 | Michael Koerner | Ski Acres (Summit Central) ski area | Paragliding descent (on skis) | Launched from the hill above lodge (now called Triple-60). The ski patrol kicked Michael off the hill after he landed. Source: Michael Koerner. |
| 1988 | January 31 | Julie Brugger, Michael Koerner, Scott Northey | Crystal Mountain, East Peak (a.k.a. Norse Peak) | Paragliding descent (on skis) | Source: Michael Koerner |
| 1988 | Winter | Julie Brugger | Granite Mountain, near I-90 Highway | Paragliding descent (on skis) | Julie made a handful of flights in Washington (self-taught), then went to Peru with husband Andy DeKlerk in the summer of 1988. They flew off Pisco, Quitaraju and Huascaran Norte and carried PGs to the summit of Huandoy but didn't fly (too windy). She had a crash landing at the end of the Huascaran flight and eventually gave up the sport. Source: Julie Brugger. |
| 1988 | February 23 | Mark Shipman | Wedge Mountain, near Leavenworth | Paragliding descent | Source: Mark Shipman |
| 1988 or 1989 | March | Rob Newsom | Icicle Ridge (Bridge Creek Wall) near Leavenworth | Paragliding descent | Source: Rock & Ice, Sep/Oct 1989, p. 29. (TBD: actual date?) |
| 1988 | June 5 | Michael Koerner | Mt Hood (Oregon) | Paragliding descent (on skis) | Ralph Richardson flew Mt Hood from the Hogsback (below the summit) in the fall of 1987, landing above Timberline Lodge. Michael Koerner launched from the summit and landed (hard) in cloud tops on the Zig Zag Glacier below Illumination Rock. Source: Paragliding, Jul/Aug 1993, p. 4; Michael Koerner and Ralph Richardson. |
| 1988 | June 9 | Mark Shipman | Tumwather Mountain, near Leavenworth | Paragliding descent | Source: Mark Shipman |
| 1988 | June 19 | Michael Koerner | Bandera Mountain, near I-90 Highway | Paragliding descent | Wild flight due to valley winds. Source: Michael Koerner. |
| 1988 | Summer | Harry van Rijswijk (from Netherlands) | Mt Rainier | Paragliding descent | Source: Paul Klemond (Paul met van Rijswijk in Spain in 1997) |
| 1988 | July 4 | Mark Shipman, Ralph Congdon | Pyramid Mountain, above Lake Chelan | Paragliding descent | Shipman landed in Lake Chelan, on purpose, wearing a dry suit. Congdon decided not to land in the lake and flew to Prince Creek instead. A friend in a motor boat picked them up. Source: Mark Shipman. |
| 1988 | July 9 | Jeff Splittgerber, organizer | Raptor Ridge, Eagle Creek near Leavenworth | First North American Paragliding Championships. Winner: Greg Smith. | About a month later the first U.S. National Paragliding Championships were held at Point of the Mountain, Utah. Source: Ralph Richardson, Mark Shipman, Chuck Smith. Also: Cross Country, Edition 111, p. 62; Paragliding, Jul/Aug 1990, p. 7. |
| 1988 | August | Bruce Tracy | Loup Loup ski area | Paragliding descent | Bruce made several subsequent flights at the ski area. The first one that was definitely on skis was January 13, 1991. Source: Bruce Tracy logbooks. |
| 1988 | August 18 | Bruce Tracy | Chopaka Mountain, Okanogan Mountains | Paragliding descent | On August 8, 1991, Bruce Tracy and Mark Shipman launched from Joe Mills Mountain, near Chopaka, and landed in Canada. On June 6, 1992, seven pilots flew from Chopaka-Hurley during the first "Downwind Dave" Winthrop fly-in. Source: Bruce Tracy, Dave Kruglinski, Lowell Skoog logbooks. |
| 1988 | September 5 | Bruce Tracy | Tiffany Mountain, Okanogan Mountains | Paragliding descent | Source: Bruce Tracy logbooks. |
| 1988 | September 28 | Michael Koerner | Sauk Mtn, SR-20 North Cascades Highway | Paragliding descent | Michael launched to the west from the top of the trail switchbacks. On February 7, 1992, Mark Dale, Lowell Skoog, and Steve Steckmyer launched to the east from the same spot, landing near Rockport. Source: Michael Koerner, Lowell Skoog, Paragliding, Jan/Feb, 1993, p. 19. |
| 1988 | September 29 | Michael Koerner, Mark Shipman | Mt Lichtenberg, US-2 Stevens Pass Highway | Paragliding descent | Source: Michael Koerner, Mark Shipman |
| 1988 | September 30 | Michael Koerner | Mt Persis, US-2 Stevens Pass Highway | Paragliding descent | Source: Michael Koerner |
| 1988 | October 1 | Bruce Tracy | Slate Peak, Harts Pass area | Paragliding descent | Source: Bruce Tracy logbooks. |
| 1988 | October 22 | Michael Koerner | Mt Pugh, Mountain Loop Highway | Paragliding descent | Source: Michael Koerner |
| 1988 | October 27 | Mark Shipman | Edward Mesa, near Leavenworth | Paragliding descent | Landed on Icicle River road. Source: Mark Shipman. |
| 1988 | Autumn | Jean-Marc Boivin | Mt Everest, Himalaya | Paragliding descent | Source: Rock & Ice, Sep/Oct 1989, p. 24. |
| 1988 | December 18 | Jeff Splittgerber | Thimble Mountain, Wenatchee, WA | Paragliding fatality | Crashed shortly after launch, no witnesses. This was the first paragliding fatality in the U.S. Source: Mark Shipman. |
| 1989 | |||||
| 1989 | January 12 | Mark Shipman, Ralph Congdon | Round Mountain (Nason Ridge), US-2 Stevens Pass Highway | Paragliding descent | Snowshoe launch, landed at Nason Creek airstrip. Source: Mark Shipman. |
| 1989 | February 26 | Michael Koerner | Mt Pilchuck, Mountain Loop Highway | Paragliding descent (on skis) | Flew from lookout, cliff launch on skis. Source: Michael Koerner. |
| 1989 | Winter/Spring | Mike Eberle | Baldy Butte and other Yakima Canyon and Manashtash sites, Saddle Mountain, Rampart Ridge | Paragliding descents | Source: Mike Eberle |
| 1989 | March 15 | Michael Koerner, Mark Shipman | Rock Mountain, US-2 Stevens Pass Highway | Paragliding descent | Snowshoe launch and landing. Source: Michael Koerner. |
| 1989 | April 23 | Michael Koerner | Big Four Mountain, Mountain Loop Highway | Paragliding descent | Climbed northwest ridge, launched from westerly point atop summit ridge, cliff launch off cornice, landed at the ice caves parking lot. Source: Michael Koerner |
| 1989 | April 30 | Michael Koerner | Whitehorse Mountain, near Darrington | Paragliding descent | Launched from the glacier, encountered lift over pasture, hard to get down, 45 minute flight. Source: Michael Koerner. |
| 1989 | May 7 | Michael Koerner | Mount Baring, US-2 Stevens Pass Highway | Paragliding descent | Source: Michael Koerner |
| 1989 | June 4 | Michael Koerner | Mount Baker | Paragliding descent (on skis) | Launched on skis to the north from summit plateau, landed on skis near snowline below Coleman Glacier. Source: Michael Koerner. |
| 1989 | July 27 | Bruce Tracy | Abernathy Peak, Twisp River area | Paragliding descent | Source: Bruce Tracy logbooks. |
| 1989 | August 5 | Michael Koerner | Sloan Peak, Mountain Loop Highway | Paragliding descent | Michael stopped paragliding around the end of 1990. Source: Michael Koerner. |
| 1989 | September | Kevin Ault, Clayton Friesen | Chilliwack Mountain, B.C. | Paragliding descent | Flew from hang glider ramp. Source: Kevin Ault. |
| 1989 | September 28 | Bruce Tracy | Gilbert Mountain, Twisp River area | Paragliding descent | Source: Bruce Tracy logbooks. |
| 1990 | |||||
| 1990 | January 18 | Kevin Ault, Claton Friesen | Elk Mountain, Chilliwack Valley, B.C. | Paragliding descent | Flew north and landed in Fraser Valley. Source: Kevin Ault. |
| 1990 | July | Mark Howe, Paul Southerland | Earl Peak, near Mt Stuart | Paragliding descent | Source: Paul Southerland |
| 1990 | August 23 | Mark Shipman | Chelan Butte, WA | State cross-country distance record, about 24 miles (landed 6.5 miles past Mansfield) | First noteworthy cross-country flight in Washington. (Mark's first PG flight at Chelan Butte was on June 19, 1988. In those days they flew the butte rarely because they couldn't reach a good LZ on a paraglider.) Source: Paragliding, Nov/Dec 1990, p. 18 and Mark Shipman. |
| 1990 | September 15 | Bruce Tracy | Hinkhouse Peak, SR-20 North Cascades Highway | Paragliding descent | Peak located above the Washington Pass overlook, on the north. Source: Bruce Tracy logbooks. |
| 1990 | November 1 | Gary Paulin | Corinthian Yacht Club, Seattle, WA | Northwest Paragliding Club (NWPC) formed | First newsletter listed 23 pilots. Tim Hunt volunteered as Tiger Mountain liaison with DNR. Source: NWPC newsletter, November 1990 (Gary Paulin collection). |
| 1991 | |||||
| 1991 or 1992 | Winter | Clayton Friesen | Mt Shuksan | Paragliding descent | Friesen climbed the North Face route and flew back to the Mt Baker ski area. Source: Delvin Crabtree. |
| 1991 | Easter Sunday | Tim Hunt | Mt Erie, Fidalgo Island | Paragliding descent | Source: Gary Paulin and NWPC newsletter, 10 April 1991 |
| 1991 | March 13 | Herbert Sonduno | The Bowl, Yakima River Canyon, WA | Paragliding fatality | Victim was an experienced skydiver, beginning paraglider. Source: NWPC newsletter, 10 April 1991; Paragliding, Sep/Oct 1991, p. 22; and Steve Roti. |
| 1991 | Summer | Marc Chirico | Tiger Mountain, near Issaquah, WA | First of many site improvements, using heavy machinery. | Tiger Mountain's Poo Poo Point has been a hang gliding site since 1976. It was lightly used by paragliders before the launch was reworked. Source: Marc Chirico, Tony Rusi, and NWPC newsletter, 5 August 1991. |
| 1991 | August 4 | Kevin Ault, Claton Friesen | Williams Peak, Chilliwack Valley, B.C. | Paragliding descent | Source: Kevin Ault. |
| 1991 | August 19 | Kevin Ault, Daryl Sawatsky | Mt McFarlane, Chilliwack Valley, B.C. | Paragliding descent | Source: Kevin Ault. |
| 1991 | September 14 | Charles Smith | Church Mountain | Paragliding descent | Flew from east bowl meadows to Nooksack River bar. Source: Charles Smith. |
| 1991 | September 24 | Delvin Crabtree, Charles Smith | Goat Mountain | Paragliding descent | Flew from meadows below summit to Shuksan townsite. Source: Charles Smith. |
| 1991 | October 3 | Daryl Sawatsky, Charles Smith | Mt Baldy, Chilliwack Valley, B.C. | Paragliding descent | Landed on Chilliwack River bar. Source: Charles Smith. |
| 1991 | October 6 | Kevin Ault, Daryl Sawatsky | Mt Lyndeman, Chilliwack Valley, B.C. | Paragliding descent | Summit launch was aborted due to unfavorable winds. Flight made from Upper Hanging Lake, landing at Sapper's Park beach. Source: Kevin Ault. |
| 1991 | December 14 | Kevin Ault | Mt Mcguire, Chilliwack Valley, B.C. | Paragliding descent | Clayton Friesen unable to fly due to unfavorable winds. Source: Kevin Ault. |
| 1992 | |||||
| 1992 | February | Kevin Ault, Delvin Crabtree, Clay Friesen, Daryl Sawatsky | Sumas Mountain, B.C. | Paragliding descent | Clayton Friesen unable to fly due to unfavorable winds. Source: Kevin Ault. |
| 1992 | February 29 | CC Cunningham, Bob Hannah, Ray Kehl, Christian Mulack, Lowell Skoog, Steve Stroming, Martin Withington | Crystal Mountain ski area | Paragliding descent (on skis) | First PG flight expressly permitted by the ski area (during an FIS ski race). Source: Lowell Skoog |
| 1992 | March 8 | Clayton Friesen | Mt Macdonald, Chilliwack Lake, B.C. | Paragliding fatality | Party members included Friesen, Kevin Ault, and Daryl Sawatsky. Friesen touched down in Chilliwack Lake and drowned. Source: Kevin Ault, Delvin Crabtree. |
| 1992 | March 19 | Delvin Crabtree, Daryl Sawatsky, Charles Smith | West Church Mtn | Paragliding descent | Launched from 5610-ft summit on snow, landed at field in Glacier. Source: Charles Smith. |
| 1992 | April 19 | Lowell Skoog | Blue Lake Peak (south launch), SR-20 North Cascades Highway | Paragliding descent (on skis) | Landed in Copper Creek basin (two flights). Source: Lowell Skoog |
| 1992 | May 7 | Charles Smith | South Twin Sister | Paragliding descent | Launched from snow plateau on the summit, landed at Dailey Prairie. Source: Charles Smith. |
| 1992 | May | Cory Stevens | Mt Rainier | Paragliding descent | (TBD: Need to talk to Cory about this. See NWPC newsletter, May/June 1992.) |
| 1992 | June 18 | Bruce Tracy | Big Craggy Peak, Okanogan Mountains | Paragliding descent | On September 20, 1991, Dave Kruglinski flew from the lower launch (5900ft) in Copper Glance Basin. Bruce's 1992 flight was from the upper launch (7900ft). Dave flew Big Craggy on July 24, 1992 from a point somewhat below the upper launch (about 7200ft). Source: Bruce Tracy, Dave Kruglinski logbooks. See also Paragliding, Jan/Feb 1998, p. 28. |
| 1992 | June 20 | Dave Kruglinski | Thorp Mountain, near Kachess Lake | Paragliding descent | One hour thermal flight, water landing. Source: Dave Kruglinski logbooks. |
| 1992 | June 27 | Mark Dale, Ron McKenzie, Steve Stroming | Snoqualmie Mountain, near I-90 Highway | Paragliding descent | Source: Steve Stroming. (Anybody know of earlier flights?) |
| 1992 | June 27 | Dave Kruglinski | Dirtyface Peak, near Lake Wenatchee | Paragliding descent | Source: Dave Kruglinski logbooks. |
| 1992 (circa) | Summer | Elizabeth Boonin | Tiger Mountain | Time-aloft record (about 5-1/2 hours) | Previously CC Cunningham and Mark Heckler vied for this site record. After Elizabeth Boonin shattered their time by a couple of hours, interest in endurance records waned. (TBD: details?) Source: Gary Paulin. |
| 1992 | July 30 | Bruce Tracy | Driveway Butte (south launch), SR-20 North Cascades Highway | Paragliding descent | This flight landed at the Klipchuck campground. On September 27, 1992, Bruce Tracy and Dave Kruglinski flew from a north facing launch and landed at the Lost River airstrip. Source: Bruce Tracy logbooks. |
| 1992 | August 12 | Dave Kruglinski | Green Mountain, Suiattle River area | Paragliding descent | Source: Dave Kruglinski logbooks. |
| 1992 | September 10 | Bruce Tracy | Goat Peak (summit launch), near Mazama, SR-20 North Cascades Highway | Paragliding descent | With Dave Kruglinski, who didn't fly. On June 5, 1997, Bruce Tracy and Dave Verbois cut trees (with USFS permission) to clear the lower Goat launch in memory of Dave Kruglinski. Source: Bruce Tracy logbooks. |
| 1992 | September 17 | Delvin Crabtree, Charles Smith | Skyline Divide | Paragliding descent | Flew from 5900-ft meadows to Nooksack River bar. Source: Charles Smith. |
| 1992 | September 27 | Bruce Tracy, Dave Kruglinski | Cutthroat Peak meadows, SR-20 North Cascades Highway | Paragliding descent | Source: Dave Kruglinski, Bruce Tracy logbooks. |
| 1992 | October 4 | Mark Dale, Lowell Skoog | Carne Mountain, Chiwawa River area | Paragliding descent | Source: Lowell Skoog |
| 1992 | October 5 | Charles Smith | Excelsior Ridge | Paragliding descent | Flew from steep meadows just west of where Excelsior Trail crests ridge to Nooksack River bar. Source: Charles Smith. |
| 1992 | October 11 | Ray Kehl, Lowell Skoog, Steve Stroming | Mt Ellinor, Olympic Mountains | Paragliding descent | Landed on the shore of Lake Cushman. Source: Lowell Skoog. |
| 1992 | December 12-13 | Pam Crabtree, Pam Kleweno, Michelle Leialoha, Tina Pavelic, Catherine Secor, Diane Sheffield, Susan Stroming, CJ Sturtevant, Stephanie Subak | Saddle Mountain, WA | First Northwest women's paragliding fly-in | Source: NWPC newsletter, Jan/Feb 1993; Paragliding, Jan/Feb 1993, p. 34. |
| 1993 | |||||
| 1993 | June 26 | Elizabeth Kaughan | Kent, WA | Paragliding fatality | Beginner, towing accident in urban park. Source: NWPC newsletter, Jul/Aug 1993; Paragliding, Sep/Oct 1993, p. 33; and Steve Roti. |
| 1993 | August 11 | Jon Corriveau, Bill Mickel | Mount Maude, Chiwawa River area | Paragliding descent | Landed below Spider Meadow. Source: Bill Mickel. |
| 1993 | August 19 | Alan Dickey, Charles Smith | Middle Peak, Chilliwack Lake, B.C. | Paragliding descent | Flew from glacier above Hanging Lake to Sapper Park beach. Source: Charles Smith. |
| 1993 | August 19 | Dave Kruglinski | Hidden Lake Peak, Cascade River area | Paragliding descent | Soared 1200ft above the lookout, landed on river bar. Source: Dave Kruglinski logbooks. |
| 1993 | August 26 | Alan Dickey, Charles Smith | Crescent Lake Peak, Upper Skagit, B.C. | Paragliding descent | Source: Charles Smith. |
| 1993 | August 30 | Alan Dickey, Charles Smith | Mt McGuire, Chilliwack Valley, B.C. | Paragliding descent | Flew from steep north-facing scree slope 50ft below summit. Peak had been previously flown from much lower launches. Source: Charles Smith. |
| 1993 | September 4 | Jabe Blumenthal, Rick Gantman | Mt Daniel, Cle Elum River area | Paragliding descent | Jabe found lift and made it to the parking lot. Rick did not and landed in a tree near Deep Lake. Source: Jabe Blumenthal. |
| 1993 | October 2 | Mark Dale, Lowell Skoog | Mt Hardy, SR-20 North Cascades Highway | Paragliding descent | Landed at wide spot along the highway below the peak. Source: Lowell Skoog |
| 1993 | October 9 | Dave Kruglinski | Early Winters basin (Blue Lake Peak, north launch), SR-20 North Cascades Highway | Paragliding descent | This is the northwest facing basin near Liberty Bell Mountain. On August 11, 2002, Bruce Tracy launched here and flew cross-country (24.3 miles) to Twisp. Source: Dave Kruglinski, Bruce Tracy logbooks. |
| 1994 | |||||
| 1994 | Winter | Joel Armstrong | Spokane, WA | Inland Northwest Paragliding Club formed | Source: NWPC newsletter, February 1994 |
| 1994 | January 27 | Glenn Brubaker, Alan Dickey, Bill Dickey, Larry Lochovsky, Charles Smith | Church Mtn, Chilliwack Valley, B.C. | Paragliding descent | Soared above NE facing couloir in ridge lift. Source: Charles Smith. |
| 1994 | January 31 | Alan Dickey, Bill Dickey, Charles Smith, Glenn Taylor | Little Tamahi, Chilliwack Valley, B.C. | Paragliding descent | Flew from Pt. 4200ft to Chilliwack River bar. Source: Charles Smith. |
| 1994 | February 2 | Alan Dickey, Charles Smith | Welcome Pass | Paragliding descent | Flew from east shoulder meadows to Shuksan townsite. Source: Charles Smith. |
| 1994 | June 25 | Charles Smith | Yellow Aster Butte | Paragliding descent | Flew from south summit to Shuksan townsite. Source: Charles Smith. |
| 1994 | July 10 | Andrea Gagel, Charles Smith | Barometer Mountain | Paragliding descent | Flew from NW shoulder to Wells Creek bar. Source: Charles Smith. |
| 1994 | July 14 | Dave Kruglinski, Bruce Tracy, Dave Verbois | Purple Mountain, above Lake Chelan, near Stehekin | Paragliding descent | Verbois landed in brush. Kruglinski landed in swamp. Tracy landed in lake. Source: Bruce Tracy and Dave Kruglinski logbooks, Dave Verbois. |
| 1994 | August 11 | Alan Dickey, Charles Smith | Silvertip Peak, B.C. | Paragliding descent | Flew from Pt. 7280ft to Silverhope road. Source: Charles Smith. |
| 1994 | August 13 | Mark Dale | Interstate-90 | "Fly-90 Challenge," PG descents of Granite Mtn, Bandera Mtn, Mt Si, and Tiger Mtn in a single day | Source: Mark Dale |
| 1994 | September | Alan Dickey, Harry Siempelkamp, Delvin Crabtree, Kevin Ault | Mount Baker | Paragliding descent (landed at Glacier) | Launched to the north from summit plateau, glided north to land in the town of Glacier. Source: Kevin Ault |
| 1994 | October 8 | Lowell Skoog, Steve Stroming | Crater Mountain, SR-20 North Cascades Highway | Paragliding descent | Summit launch was aborted due to unfavorable winds. Flight was made from 7000ft south shoulder, landed next to highway. Source: Lowell Skoog |
| 1995 | |||||
| 1995 | June 1 | Dave Kruglinski | Mt Defiance, near I-90 Highway | Paragliding descent | Source: Dave Kruglinski logbooks. |
| 1995 | July 1-7 | Cascade Paragliding Club, Northwest Paragliding Club, Inland Northwest Paragliding Club, sponsors | Chelan Butte, WA | U.S. National Paragliding Championships | Bill Gordon and Joe Gluzinski were the visionaries for the 1995 U.S. Nationals. They organized a pre-nationals event in August 1994, laid much of the groundwork, and later enlisted the regional clubs to help. The Nationals were subsequently held at Chelan in 1996, 2001 and 2005. Source: Paragliding, Sep/Oct, 1995, p. 32; and Steve Roti. |
| 1995 | October 7 | Carl Bevis, Teresa Carey, Dave Kruglinski | Paddy Go Easy Pass, Cle Elum River area | Paragliding descent | Source: Dave Kruglinski logbooks. |
| 1996 | |||||
| 1996 | June 8 | Dave Kruglinski | Sweetgrass Butte, near Mazama | Paragliding descent | Source: Dave Kruglinski logbooks. |
| 1996 | July 1 | Charles Smith | Mt Rexford, B.C. | Paragliding descent | Flew from snow bowl between Nesakwatch Spires to Nesakwatch Creek road. Source: Charles Smith. |
| 1996 | July 16 | Hank Baker, Bruce Tracy, Dave Verbois | Tyee Mountain, Entiat River | Paragliding descent | Source: Bruce Tracy logbooks. |
| 1996 | July 24 | Alan Dickey, Charles Smith | Mt Sefrit | Paragliding descent | Flew from meadows 200ft below west summit to Shuksan townsite. Source: Charles Smith. |
| 1996 | August 7 | Charles Chaffee, Jon Corriveau, Paul Klemond, Dave Kruglinski, Bill Mickel, and one other | Sourdough Mountain, SR-20 North Cascades Highway | Paragliding descent | Source: Paul Klemond |
| 1996 | August 8 | Alan Dickey, Charles Smith | Skookum Basin, Twin Sisters Range | Paragliding descent | Launched below Skookum Peak and south face of South Twin, flew to Dailie Prairie. Source: Charles Smith. |
| 1996 | September 26 | Carl Bevis, Paul Klemond, Dave Kruglinski | Mt Dickerman, Mountain Loop Highway | Paragliding descent | Dave Kruglinski attempted Mt Dickerman on August 26, 1992, aborting his flight on a bench 400 feet below the summit. Source: Dave Kruglinski logbooks, Paul Klemond. |
| 1997 | |||||
| 1997 | April 17 | Dave Kruglinski | Balky Hill, Winthrop, WA | Paragliding fatality | Cross-country flight, thermal flying, no witnesses. Source: Paragliding, Jan/Feb 1998, p. 34; Paragliding, Mar/Apr 1998, p. 26; and Paul Klemond. |
| 1997 | August 2 | Mark Telep | Chelan Butte, WA | State cross-country distance record, 120 miles | Between Mark Shipman's 1990 record flight and the 1995 U.S. Nationals, cross-country flights by paragliders at Chelan were uncommon. Bill Gordon extended the record to 49 miles on May 6, 1993. Marc Chirico pushed it to 65 miles on July 15, 1994. After the U.S. Nationals, XC flying at Chelan came of age. Source: Paragliding, Nov/Dec, 1993, p. 16; Paragliding, Mar/Apr, 1998, p. 27; Hang Gliding & Paragliding, June 2006, p. 36; and Marc Chirico. |
| 1997 | August 11 | Jay Carroll, Mark Telep | Mazama (lower Goat Peak) to Ruby Arm of Ross Lake (Panther Creek), SR-20 North Cascades Highway | Cross-country flight (28 miles) | First cross-country flight over the Cascade Crest. Source: Paragliding, Jan/Feb 1998, p. 31, Paragliding, Mar/Apr, 1998, p. 27. |
| 1997 | September 21 | Mark Dale, Leslie Frietag, Lowell Skoog, Paul Southerland, Steve Steckmyer, Dave Verbois | Maple Pass (Rainy Lake-Lake Ann divide), SR-20 North Cascades Highway | Paragliding descent | Landed at Bridge Creek trailhead next to highway. Source: Lowell Skoog. |
| 1998 | |||||
| 1998 | July 8 | Willi Muller | Chelan Butte, WA | Paragliding fatality | Thermal flying near launch. The accident occurred during the Chelan Classic competition, but Muller was not participating in the event. Source: Paragliding, Sep/Oct, 1998, p. 21; Paragliding, Nov/Dec, 1998, p. 58. |
| 1998 | September 7 | Bruce Tracy | Three AM Mountain, Twisp River area | Paragliding descent | Source: Bruce Tracy logbooks. |
| 1998 | September 13 | Steve Roti | Winthrop (Bowen Mountain) over Loup Loup Summit to Okanogan | Cross-country flight (23.6 miles) | Bruce Tracy repeated and extended this flight several times, the first on April 22, 2001. Source: Steve Roti, Bruce Tracy logbooks. |
| 2000 | |||||
| 2000 | May 12 | Ryan Swan | Cashmere (Hay Canyon) to Stevens Pass, US-2 Stevens Pass Highway | Cross-country flight (53 miles) | Source: Paul Klemond |
| 2001 | |||||
| 2001 | April 18 | Tom McCune | Tiger Mountain (Issaquah) north to US-2 near Index | Cross-country flight (30.1 miles) | In the late 1990s, Mike Daniel led the way flying paragliders cross-country from Tiger Mountain. His record of 22 miles was exceeded slightly by Tom McCune in May 2000. Then on April 18, 2001, McCune reached US-2, landing on the river bottom near Index. On April 14, 2005, McCune flew to Jordan, between Arlington and Granite Falls (45.2 miles). Source: Tom McCune. |
| 2001 | May 26 | Bruce Tracy | Mazama (lower Goat Peak) over Tiffany Mtn to Loomis | Cross-country flight (38.4 miles) | Bruce repeated this flight on July 15, 2002. On August 1, 2002, he attempted the flight again and landed out on Tiffany Mtn. (Bruce made many XC flights up and down the Methow Valley from Goat Peak and Bowen Mountain. This flight is noteworthy for leaving the valley to fly over unpopulated, mountainous terrain.) Source: Bruce Tracy logbooks. |
| 2001 | June 17 | Tom McCune | Tiger Mountain (Issaquah) south to Crystal Mountain ski area | Cross-country flight (44.8 miles) | Landed near the Northway ski run. Source: Tom McCune. |
| 2001 | July | Jabe Blumenthal | Tiger Mountain | Hike-and-fly record (10 flights in a day) | Source: Jabe Blumenthal. |
| 2001 | August 26 | Brian Bergstedt, Mark Dale, Jim Lorenz, Steve Stroming | Mailbox Peak, near I-90 Highway | Paragliding descent | Source: Steve Stroming |
| 2002 | |||||
| 2002 | July 22 | Scott Dennistoun | Baldy Butte, Yakima River Canyon, WA | Paragliding fatality | Thermal flying near launch. Source: Paragliding, Jan. 2003, p. 27. |
| 2002 | August 17 | Fred Krusemark | Tiger Mountain east over Snoqualmie Pass to Hyak, along I-90 Highway | Cross-country flight (30.3 miles) | First paraglider flight across Snoqualmie Pass, landed at the boat launch at the head of Lake Keechelus, near Hyak. On April 28, 2005, Tom McCune and David Byrne flew from Tiger to near Cle Elum (48.1 miles for McCune). Source: Fred Krusemark, Tom McCune. |
| 2002 | October 26 | Bryan Bergstedt, Mark Dale, Jim Lorenz | Crystal Peak, near SR-410 | Paragliding descent | Source: Mark Dale |
| 2003 | |||||
| 2003 | September 18 | Bruce Tracy | Telluride, CO | Paragliding fatality | Thermal flying near launch. Death of long-time Washington pilot during U.S. National Paragliding Championships in Colorado. Source: Hang Gliding & Paragliding, Nov. 2003, p. 47; Hang Gliding & Paragliding, Apr. 2004, p. 23. |
| 2004 | |||||
| 2004 | July 9 | Reese Martin | Dyer Hill, Bridgeport, WA | Paragliding fatality | Cross-country flight, thermal flying, no witnesses. Reese launched from Chelan Butte during the annual Chelan Classic competition. Source: Hang Gliding & Paragliding, Oct. 2004, p. 7, 59, 67. |
| 2004 | July or August | Charles Smith | Mount Blum | Paragliding descent | Flew from south ridge snowfields to Baker River bar. Source: Charles Smith. |
| 2006 | |||||
| 2006 | July | Carl DiRenzo, Charles Smith | Mt Robie Reid, B.C. | Paragliding descent | Flew from snowfields below radio beacon to beach at upper end of Alouette Lake. Source: Charles Smith. |
| 2007 | |||||
| 2007 | June 23 | Alex Peterson | Leavenworth over Stuart Range to near Cle Elum | Cross-country flight (30+ miles) | Source: Alex Peterson, Martha Gluck |
| 2008 | |||||
| 2008 | June 22 | Ruaraidh Stenson | Tiger Mountain | Hike-and-fly record (15 flights in a day) | Source: Ruaraidh Stenson. |
| 2008 | July 12 | Eric Jansen | Tiger Mountain, WA | Paragliding fatality | Midair heart failure. Source: Seattle Times, July 14, 2008, p. B3. |
| 2009 | |||||
| 2009 | July 10 | Stefan Mitrovich | Chelan Butte to Mazama | Cross-country flight (52+ miles) | From Chelan Butte to Mazama via the Sawtooth Mountains to Winthrop and then on to just south of Mazama. Source: Stefan Mitrovich |
| 2010 | |||||
| - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 2011 | |||||
| 2011 | May 12 | Matt Senior | Tiger Mountain (Issaquah) north to Blanchard | Cross-country flight (79+ miles) | Source: nwparagliding@yahoogroups.com, digest number 2371. |
| 2011 | August 7 | Ken Blanchard | Tiger Mountain (launch site) | Paragliding fatality | Loss of control (wing stalled) during landing approach near Renton. Source: Seattle Times, Aug. 9, 2011 |
| 2013 | |||||
| 2013 | August 5 | Alex Raymont | Chelan Butte, WA | State cross-country distance record, 155.99 miles | Source: nwparagliding@yahoogroups.com, digest number 3135. (The previous record was also broken that day by Meredyth Malocasay with a flight of 149.6 miles.) At the time of this new record, Mark Telep's 1997 record was the longest-standing state paragliding distance record in the western United States. |
| 2014 | |||||
| 2014 | May 31 | Matt Senior | Chelan Butte, WA | State cross-country distance record, 179 miles | From Chelan Butte to Deary, Idaho. Source: nwparagliding@yahoogroups.com, digest numbers 3389, 3390. Spokesman-Review. |
| 2014 | July 11 | David Milroy | Rampart Ridge to Leavenworth | Cross-country flight (36 miles, flying over Alpine Lakes Wilderness) | Source: http://youtu.be/QcfDA_wsR7I |
| 2014 | July 16 | Dave Norwood | Chelan Butte | Paragliding fatality | Thermal flying near launch. Source: nwparagliding@yahoogroups.com, digest number 3443. |
| 2015 | |||||
| 2015 | June 15 | Armond Dubuque, Bill Morris, Roy Morris, David Milroy | Leavenworth to Mazama | Cross-country flight (70 miles straight-line distance, actual distance was longer) | Flight path was generally a few miles east of the Cascade Crest, although Milroy and Roy Morris diverted west to Glacier Peak along the way. Brandon Elley flew as far as Glacier Peak, then returned to Leavenworth. Source: Armond Dubuque, David Milroy, Joe Stermitz via Facebook. |
| 2015 | Early July | Brian Franklin | Rampart Ridge to Chelan | Cross-country flight (about 70 miles) | Source: Steve Stroming |
| 2015 | July 8 | David Milroy, Bill Morris, Matt Senior | Mazama to Chelan | Cross-country flight (about 58 miles) along the Sawtooth crest east of Lake Chelan | Source: Matt Senior (Facebook), David Milroy doarama |
| 2016 | |||||
| 2016 | May 12 | Jesse Williams | Nooksack Circuit | Cross-country flight (about 60 miles). | Circuit of the Nooksack River valley starting and ending at the "Big Johnson" site between Deming and Kendall. Flight passed over Mt Baker on the south, flew over Mt Shuksan and across the Nooksack Cirque to Mt Sefrit, then followed the Yellow Aster Butte to Church Mountain divide back to the start. Source: Jesse Williams website |
| 2016 | June 4 | Evan Bouchier, Noah Briller, Joshua Hockett, David Milroy, Roy Morris, Matt Senior | Rockport to Mazama | Cross-country flight (about 55 miles). | First complete west-to-east crossing of the North Cascades by paragliders. Route: Sauk Mountain to Backbone Ridge, Cascade Pass, Goode Mtn, Rainy Pass, Washington Pass, Mazama. Morris and Hockett flew by themselves while the other four pilots flew as a group. Sources: Matt Senior (Facebook), Doarama: Senior, Hockett, Morris |
| 2016 | August 25 | Matt Senior | Lake Wenatchee (Round Mtn) to Crystal Mtn ski area | Cross-country flight (about 117 miles). | Source: Facebook, Ayvri |
| 2017 | |||||
| 2017 | April 9 | Matt Senior | Sauk Mtn to Glacier | Cross-country flight (about 50 miles). | Route traveled east of Baker Lake to Mt Blum, Cloudcap Peak, and Nooksack Ridge, ending just west of the town of Glacier. Source: Leonardo. (On May 13, 2018, Jesse Williams, Noah Briller and Brian Fletcher extended the route to Deming. Source: Facebook.) |
| 2018 | |||||
| 2018 | July 21 | Don Croft | Steptoe Butte | Paragliding fatality | Hard landing near launch. Source: Spokesman Review |
| 2018 | July 22 | Ryan McRoberts | Deer Mountain (near Chelan, WA) | Paragliding fatality | Pilot was flying a speed wing. Source: nwparagliding@yahoogroups.com, digest number 3960. Also: KOMO news |
| 2018 | August 8 | Nick Neynens | Picket Range traverse (Mt Baker ski area to Ruby Mtn) | Cross-country flight (about 40 miles). | First paragliding traverse of the Picket Range. Route: Austin Pass (Mt Baker ski area) to Mt Shuksan, Jagged Ridge, Pioneer Ridge, west flank of Southern Pickets, Davis Peak, Snowfield Peak, to bivouac atop Ruby Mountain. Flew down to Thunder Arm the following day. Source: Facebook, Ayvri |
Copyright © 2007-2019 Lowell Skoog. All Rights Reserved.
Last Updated:
Fri, Jan 18, 2019 6:10:13 PM