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JohnnyG
climber
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Right on, Dave! great write up of a sweet adventure
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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First off, YOU CRAZY, MAN!
Secondly, YOU DA MAN! CONGRATULATIONS!
Thirdly, why did you cooperate with The Tool when you didn't even land in
his jurisdiction? I would have told 'em to arrest me or STFU.
Fourthly, I would have told the effing hypocrites to explain why they don't
do squat about the F-18's that haul azz by Moro Rock, seemingly daily, making
a lot more noise than a thousand of you guys could with bull horns.
Fifthly, did you get their names? If you don't I would like to lodge a formal complaint on yer behalf.
I'm going to anyway as they know who they are.
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Klimmer
Mountain climber
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Dave,
Wow! Incredible!! Excellent!!!
You were the pilot to do it. Great job! Awesome!
I sure hope you write it up for the mags. Great short video too.
Way to school the LEOs. They should have approached you to shake your hand and to be the first to congratulate you on an incredible first and an incredible adventure, but that's not how they reacted.
They have egg on their face big time. Maybe they can do some self- reflection and write you an apology. It could go a long way to helping calm the fears of the NPS and other Federal agencies regarding free-flight. They need to realize what their jobs really are. Their jobs are not to harass good people who are doing incredible adventures that are on the cutting edge of the human experience. I hope you write that angle up too for the mags.
To those that think this is easy, then I say go for it. Consider:
You have to be a really competent paraglider pilot with a great deal of experience with nerves of steel to fly really active air (Owens Valley and the Sierras, they both have a well earned infamous reputation) and unbelievable commitment to cross no man lands.
I would put it on level with soloing near the top of your climbing ability on a long route. You are really putting it out there. Let's see the hands of those who are able to do this? Very few.
Dave you inspire me. Thanks.
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pc
climber
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Well done!
Thanks for sharing with us and sorry about your NPS LEO run in.
Quick question for the law experts....If a NPS LEO asks for our ID well outside of park boundries, are we obligated to give it to them? Or can we tell them to pound sand.
Cheers,
pc
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jstn
Trad climber
monrovia, ca
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Bad ASS !! Bro!!
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ElCapPirate
Big Wall climber
Reno, Nevada
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Awesome job, bro! I figured you'd be doing firsts in the sport when you first got into it.
I love this quote on the NPS website:
There are 84 million acres of iconic, treasured and sacred places protected in America’s over 400 national parks – and it all belongs to you. This is your land.
Bullshit! If it was "our" land then why can't we fly free?
36 CFR 2.17 - Aircraft And Air Delivery
(a) The following are prohibited:
1. Operating or using aircraft on lands or water [...]
2. Where a water surface is designated pursuant to paragraph (a.1) of this section, operating or using aircraft under power on the water within 500 feet [...]
3. Delivering or retrieving a person or object by parachute, helicopter, or other airborne means, except in emergencies involving public safety or serious property loss, or pursuant to the terms and conditions of a permit.
If you weren't planning on landing on NPS property but the winds that were predicted didn't pan out... wouldn't it be considered an emergency landing, IF you had to?
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Klimmer
Mountain climber
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If you weren't planning on landing on NPS property but the winds that were predicted didn't pan out... wouldn't it be considered an emergency landing, IF you had to?
YES.
There are hang glider pilots who have launched outside of Yosemite National Park and have attempted to fly over the Sierras and who had to make a safe emergency landing in Yosemite Valley proper or T. Meadows. The LEOs after investigating couldn't do jack diddly squat.
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Gagner
climber
Boulder
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Proud Dave!! Congrats!
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Guernica
climber
right there, right then
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Totally rad!
I paraglided a bunch before my propensity for motion-sickness just became too bothersome, including in the owens. Definitely have to back up Klimmer here.
For sure, it does look easy, and yes it's pretty easy to learn the basics too. But beware! You can very easily and very quickly end up way over your head. It takes great awareness and subtlety to stay safe in active air. And a crossing like this one is hard to get your head around until you've been personally batted around thousands of feet above the peaks. Way more serious than it looks!
Anyway, great job.
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Nick
climber
portland, Oregon
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Wow! Way to fly.
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bvb
Social climber
flagstaff arizona
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I've become pretty jaded and hard to impress in my bitter old age, but that was most EMPATICALLY the SH#T!!!111!11! WOW!!
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Gene
climber
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What's next for Dave - White Mountain Peak to Santa Cruz?
I find his flight just amazing.
g
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Alebion
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Congratulations Dave. What an outing! I echo all the sentiments above re your accomplishments and the NPS.
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Sierra Ledge Rat
Mountain climber
Old and Broken Down in Appalachia
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What a pussy, afraid of a towering wall of mountains with no play to divert or land......
What could go wrong that you'd need a place to land?
(:
I was in Bishop in '93 for the world hang gliding championships. I was back-packing and climbing for 13 weeks in the High Sierra that summer, and all the while there were a dozen hang gliders high in ths sky above us. I was slugging it out with a 100-pound pack on the Shepherd Pass trail, gazing up in the sky at hang gliders floating effortlessly above....
BTW, all law enforcement officers are corrupt dick heads. ALL OF THEM. Without exception.
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Spider Savage
Mountain climber
The shaggy fringe of Los Angeles
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To cross the Sierra flying a piece of cloth is significant like Lindbergh or John Glenn.
This is huge. It took not only an excellent pilot with great luck but all the technology and years to develop the gear.
Da Vinci would be so proud.
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dave729
Trad climber
Western America
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Sir! Congratulations on your historic achievement!
Wright Brothers
Glenn Curtiss
Bessie Coleman
Billy Mitchell
Charles Lindbergh
Bill Boeing
Jimmie Doolittle
Wiley Post
Lloyd Stearman
Clyde Cessna
Juan Trippe
William T. Piper
Chuck Yeager
Neil A. Armstrong
Dave Turner
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J man
Trad climber
morgan hill
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Well done!
That cover picture before the video starts had me guessing where the heck
is that? What lake is that on the right? Had to brute force it pausing the vimeo and scooting google earth along following you. South Guard Lake!
About to pass over the Great Western Divide near Thunder Mtn!
Awesome.
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the Fet
climber
Tu-Tok-A-Nu-La
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Congrats! Great read.
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nature
climber
Boulder, CO
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Well done! Wow!
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ThomasKeefer
Trad climber
San Diego
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"To cross the Sierra flying a piece of cloth is significant like Lindbergh or John Glenn.
This is huge. It took not only an excellent pilot with great luck but all the technology and years to develop the gear.
Da Vinci would be so proud."
Since many on here are not pilots, I wanted to expand on this quote above... This feat is along the same lines as the first NIAD or perhaps even first nose climb. It really is ground breaking and amazingly bold and committed. In many portions of that video there are not landings. If you are not sure that you can get out, you will be in the trees.
Epic. and inspiring.
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