Visiting Pilot Information for Mt. Howard & Wallowa Lake
Mt. Howard is an inland, high altitude, technical flying site requiring a P3 & TUR or H4 USHPA rating. Your safety & preserving this site is our top priority.
Visiting Pilots Must Read this info before arriving! If you are planning to visit and fly Mt. Howard, please read all the information on this site and contact ECPC at least a week ahead of time, or be prepared to wait a few days before flying.
The main LZ is flooded in June, July, and sometimes into early August.
Depending on when the lake water levels recede, the best time to visit Mt. Howard is mid-August through September. The alternative LZ requires a 1/2 mile hike through tall grass, weeds and steep slopes to a pick-up point. See the Site Guide for more alternate LZ information. We update photos of the main LZ on our FB page.
Click below to access the Site Guide.
ECPC Membership Required
Every pilot who flies Mt. Howard is required to become a current member of the Eagle Cap Paragliding Club. Membership dues must be paid before pilots can access the launch through the Wallowa Lake Tramway.
The East Moraine Alternate LZ...
When the lake water is still too high, the East Moraine LZ is the closest alternative. The narrow, sloped bench LZ is 250 vertical feet above the highway, and about 3 miles from the Wallowa Lake Tramway. The half mile, rugged trail down to the highway is most often traveled by deer and cattle. It is a bit of a hike and can be an ankle turner. (This is Whitney and I land here in June / July and it is often the most challenging part of my flight)! In this image, it is still June and the grass is green. By mid-July it is usually drier with lots of cheatgrass and thistles. Bring gaiters if you come before early August!
“Mt. Howard is one of the most complex flying sites in North America to manage with very limited local pilot resources (inland high altitude, lee side, gondola access, restricted landing options, XC & ACRO pilots). Everything that happens is reflected into our small, local community. The future of our paragliding privileges depend on how responsible we are as pilots. Please help us keep this site open for everyone by supporting us and our management guidelines.” -Todd Weigand
The Mt. Howard launch faces North.
Wind direction needs to be N, NW, NE to fly off Mt. Howard. Our prevailing wind at altitude is SW & W, but valley flows and lee side conditions often help influence the wind to blow in from the north if the prevailing SW winds are not forecasted to be strong, and we have some thermic activity in the valley. Here are some links to check local weather and forecasts.
