Overview

The topological map shows how the mountain stands alone.

All access to the park during the off-season must be made through an Ascutney Apostle.

Any pilot launching here for the first time must be accompanied by another experienced pilot that has flown here before.

Pilot is a Vermont Hang Gliding Association Member and has signed the site waiver.  Pilot must follow state rules.

Launching

The launch is a scenic natural rock formation, backed by a small wooden staging area.  Most new pilots find the rock intimidating.  However, after a few launches, pilots usually fall in love with it.  A multi-level setup area accommodates up to 20 hang gliders.  Please keep a path open from the upper setup area to the launch.

The pilot must file a signed site waiver with the state.  This is usually done by the Vermont Hang Gliding Association when the pilot becomes a member.

The pilot must sign in with the park rangers at the park entrance before flying on any given day.  The formal purpose of the sign-in procedure is to insure only authorized pilots launch from the mountain and the daily roster could be used to account for all pilots launching on any given day.  Informally, the sign in is a fun part of any flying day.  Pilots usually meet at the entrance to carpool up the mountain and spend too much time socializing with the friendly park rangers!

A wire crew is required on all but the calm days.

The toll road up the mountain closes at dusk and the rangers don't want any vehicles left on the mountain overnight.  If you plan to fly to far away places, you should also plan to have someone drive your vehicle down the mountain and park it across the road from the entrance.  Remember, it takes time to travel up and down the road, so allow plenty of time to retrieve your vehicle.

Drive to the park entrance.  Pay a small toll at the park entrance, sign in, and then drive up the mountain until the road terminates in the upper parking lot.  Take the trail at the far (NW) side of the parking lot.  Take the first fork to the left.  (The right fork goes to the lookout tower at the top of the mountain).  Continue along the trail until you come to a clearing and the launch rock.

The launch faces NW, which implies that most soarable days at this site are post-frontal days.  This means you should expect thermal turbulence.  The uneven surface, the drop-off below launch, and typical thermal turbulence means that a wire crew is required on all but the most calm days.

Many hikers also visit the scenic spot we call a launch.  Be courteous and watch out for spectators that might not know to duck at the appropriate time.  Ask spectators to clear the rock and the area immediately below launch before approaching with your glider.  Be prepared to answer many questions!

The hike in is not for the weak or faint-hearted.  The trail is mostly level, but does has several descents and climbs, stream crossings, rocks scrambles, and clustered trees.  It is an easy hike ... without gear.  Most pilots hike in once with all their gear, other pilots make two trips, once with the glider and then again with their harness, and yet other pilots pair up and make two trips with a person on both ends of the glider.  The hike is not bad after a little "conditioning", but the first few hikes of the season can be long!  Some of the more experienced pilots view the hike as a way of putting the world behind them, a pathway  to "flying mode".

Porcupines like to chew on tires.  If you leave your vehicle on the mountain overnight, you might have chunks of rubber (and air) missing from your tires when you return the next morning.

Flying

The northwest side of Ascutney Mountain forms a large bowl that collects the wind and thermals.  The sides of the bowl, the arms, provide good collection points on days when the wind is either north or west.  On calm days the mountain forms a natural convergence zone at its peak.  Therefore, the mountain is truly soarable in a wide range of conditions.

The sides of the bowl, the arms, can disturb the airflow on N or W days.

The previous record was set in 1989 by Randy Adams.  Randy flew 121.87 miles in 6.5 hours to Attleboro Massachusetts on a Wills Wing HP-AT.  Randy supplied these remarks about that flight,

The remarkable thing about the day is that it wasn't that remarkable, the climb rates were good, not great, the drift was relatively slow, maybe 12 to 15 mph. Cloud base was good 7 1/2 (once) but lots of us have gotten higher on long flights. The day was very consistent (the thermals for the most part held together well) and there were nice BIG clouds. The big difference about the day was the direction: north-northwest. There just aren't that many good northerly days. I and many others have reached the ocean on westerly or north-westerly days with lots of time left and with much faster travel rates. We've been stopped by the ocean. If Ascutney was more west or the ocean was further east we'd have a much longer record in New England.

Landing

The first, is called the "main LZ".  It is a large hayfield surrounded by trees on the north and east side, houses on the south side, and a dirt road and power lines on the west side.  The field gently slopes down from the southeast to the northwest.  Pilots typically pack up in the NW corner of the field, next to the road.

The second, is called "Africa" or the "secondary LZ".  (It has been called "Africa" since a fundraiser for victims of an African drought was held there years ago).  It is a large hayfield surrounded by trees that has a smooth washout in it, starting from the south and widening and deepening to the north.  We are allowed to sparingly use this field when it is unsafe to use the main LZ.  We must exit the field to the SW, not through the mowed yard by the pond on the NW end of the field.  Use this field only when required.

We are not allowed to walk or drive around the circular driveway that is north of the main LZ and west of the Africa LZ.  We used to have the privilege of using the circular driveway but we wore out our welcome.  If you must land in the Africa LZ, pack up your glider, carry it out the SW end of the field and down to the end of the road.   Please respect the landowner's wishes or we might lose our privilege to land in the Africa LZ altogether.

No landing at the farm with the horse track over the back side by the river.

As with most mountain sites, catabatic flows at the end of the day can cause the wind direction in the LZs to change from the prominent soaring direction.