Chelan gained an international reputation in 1994 when 46 women from around the world competed in the most successful Women's World Hang Gliding Championships ever held. Now known as the "Recreational Hang Gliding Capital of the World" - Chelan draws pilots every summer from around the world to fly the rising thermals of North Central Washington.

This is an extreme sport which requires extensive training, but for the interested visitor, a trip to the Chelan Sky Park on top of the Butte is well worth the drive.

Visitors to the top of the Butte are often amazed to learn these pilots have flown all the way into Canada from Chelan and that 100-mile flights are not uncommon over the flat wheat fields of eastern Washington. This past July, one pilot flew 155 miles before landing.

How to get there
Drive out of downtown Chelan towards Wenatchee to Lakeside. Turn left onto Chelan Butte Road across from the Best Western Lakeside Lodge. Follow the road to the top of Chelan Butte. Drive very carefully... the road is primitive and rough and there can be lots of traffic. NO SMOKING PLEASE.

Suggestions for the trip
Take water or other liquid refreshment. Take sun screen or sun block... the sun is relentless up there. Definitely take your camera. The views are absolutely spectacular and the pilots taking off and circling the Butte as they gain altitude are great subjects for your vacation photos.

Best times to visit
Since hang glider pilots rely on hot, rising thermals to gain altitude, they generally don't launch until 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Over the years, the best temperature trigger time for launches seems to be around 1 p.m. in the afternoon.

• Enthusiasts prefer to be called "Pilots" as opposed to "Hang Gliders"
• A "Sled Ride" is a flight from launch to landing without any lift.
• A "LZ" is a landing zone.
• A "Dust Devil" is a small tornado of swirling air that lifts dirt, and sometimes hang gliders, off the ground.

Competitions

• Beach'n Hang Gliding Competition - First weekend in May.
• Speed Gliding - Second weekend in May
• The Chelan Classic - The first week in July (usually around the Fourth of July).
• Fly 'n Bike - Late September.

Click Here for Information about how to go Hang Gliding!

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