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Overview |
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| Name | Mount Equinox |
| Location | Eastern slope of Mount Equinox, southwest of Manchester Vermont. Access is via the toll road, Equinox Skyline Drive, in Sunderland Vermont. |
| General Description | Mount Equinox is the highest peak (3850 feet) in the Taconic Range and the second highest peak in southern Vermont. The mountain has a large bowl facing east-southeast and is part of a long ridgeline. Many pioneers in the sport have fond memories of great soaring and impressive altitude gains there before the launch was closed in the early 1990s. |
| Requirements | Pilots must have,
Pilots are added to the approved list after recieving a site introduction by the flight director, site director, or a previously approved pilot selected by the flight or site director. Check in at the shop at the base, sign a new waiver each time you fly, and pay fees. The fees are $10 / vehicle / day, $2 / person / trip, and $15 / glider / trip. If you drive back up, you must pay the person and glider fees again. If you pay the glider fee but don't fly, you can get a "rain check" for the glider fee that is redeemable on another day during the current year. There is also a $60 season pass available that covers the vechicle and driver. Arriving with a dedicated driver is a good idea. There is a safe spot to store unused gliders at the base near the shop to avoid unecessary fees. |
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Launching |
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| Launch | Launch is an elavated ramp nestled in a treed slot. Contact the manager's office at 802-362-1114 if there are any problems or emergencies. |
| Wind | The ramp faces SSE (165 degrees). Launchable in no wind or light east through south. |
| Restrictions | Limited setup area. |
| Driving Directions |
The toll road, Equinox Skyline Drive, is located on the west side of Route 7A between Manchester and Arlington Vermont. Please park to the left of the front door when you arrive to sign flight waivers and pay fees. Launch is accessible via a short trail through the trees on the east side of the toll road a short walk below the summit. Look for stone steps and a path leading into the woods. Drop gear off near launch. Park vehicle at the top of the mountain unless someone will drive the vehicle down after pilots launch. There is limited parking for those vehicles in the pull-off along the road below launch. Coordinates are (43° 09.792’ N073° 07.344’ W). |
| Hazards | Cross winds of any significance will cause problems. |
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Flying |
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| Type of Flying | Thermal flying on light easterly or no-wind days. Late morning thermal flying as the eastern flanks of the mountain catch the early sun is probably ideal. However afternoon and evening flights are possible in light conditions. |
| Restrictions | Do not fly over the Chaterhouse of the Transfiguration monastery behind launch to the west southwest. In general, stay east of the toll road. |
| Hazards | There are no good landing options immediately downwind of the mountain. The site is restricted to H4 pilots because of the long glide to the approved LZs. Pilots have reported turbulent conditions in moderate east-northeast winds cascading off the peaks on the other side of the valley. |
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Landing |
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| Landing Zones (LZs) |
There are two approved and insured LZs. Land in one of these LZs or go XC. Wilcox farms, on the corner of Route 7a and Muddy Lane, is 2.6 miles to the south at 800 feet MSL. Coordinates are (43° 07.879’ N 073° 05.624’ W). Beware of the barbed wire fence across the southern third of the field. The field can be wet. Hildene Meadows, on River Road, is 2.9 miles to the southeast at 675 feet MSL. Coordinates are (43° 08.475’ N 073° 04.406 W). Check out the LZ before you fly since they hold a number of events there including weddings and the LZ is only partially visible from launch.
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| Restrictions | Stay away from the golf course in Manchester Vermont. |
| Hazards | |
