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FAQ
There seems to be some controversy and/or conflict recently at the site,
are visitors still welcome?
Absolutely!! Visiting pilots make up the majority of pilots who fly here;
this is a public site and no "club" has preferential existence here. No
matter what you've heard, Hat Creek Rim is open and visiting pilots are welcome.
Where is Hat Creek Rim located?
Hat Creek Rim is located in
Northern California,
about 50 miles east of Redding. A GPS profile can be seen
and downloaded here.
What is the best time of the year to fly Hat Creek?
April, May, June, July, August, and September are statistically the best
months to visit the site. The site can produce soaring flights anytime
(and sled rides most any day),
but at the peak of the summer season the site is the most consistent (continuous days of good soaring conditions are routine)! Hat Creek Rim can provide the most energetic
cross-country pilot a place to speck-out and go far or for the rest of us a
place to ride pleasurable late-afternoon winds over very dramatic scenery.
What is the elevation at Hat Creek Rim?
The elevations at the site vary from 5,100 to 3,484 feet above sea level,
a complete list of the elevations can be found here
(third column from the left).
All elevations are in feet above sea level
Can I camp and have a campfire while visiting the area?
Undeveloped camping is permitted
in most of the Lassen National Forest (there are also
developed campgrounds and RV
parks in the area). Campfires are seasonal and can be very dangerous when the
forest dries out. Current fire conditions and particulars can be found
here.
What services are closest to the flying site?
Fireside Village (store and restaurant) and Hereford Ranch (camping and
R/V park) are located within 7-miles of the Main Launch. They are both
along the access road and can be seen here on the site map.
For a broader range of services in the area,
click here.
Who can I contact if I have more questions?
Follow this link to our club contacts
and volunteers. Please don't hesitate to use this resource, we will be
more than happy to help.
Is there a fee required to fly the site?
No. However, a small $5.00 donation
goes a long way to help keep the site operating. Do your share, be a
Friend of the Rim.
Can I safely fly the site the first time without an experienced Rim pilot to assist
me?
That depends on your experience! Hat Creek Rim is a very straightforward
site; it has a bail-out LZ (#1LZ) directly below the
Main Launch and below the south ridge
(Buttonhook LZ). The
most used LZ (#2) is a
7.1 to 1 glide from the main launch, easily reachable by altitudes normally
reached above launch. The
site also has fairly consistent characteristics in the summer;- mellow mornings,
intense afternoon lift and surface turbulence and a late afternoon and evening
glass-off. Never fly the site alone and
always use an experienced launch assistant. More site particulars can be found
here. If you would prefer to have an
experienced pilot along, feel free to contact
these club members about their
availability.
Who is responsible to maintain Hat Creek Rim?
The 'Hat Creek Committee'. The committee is made up of
members of the Shasta Sky Sailors Hang Gliding Club and the Redding Paragliding Club.
The
site started operating under that Use Permit in 1996. Since then we've been financially responsible to keep windsocks in all LZs (we were doing
this long before it was required), keep a toilet at the Main Launch, keep the
site maintained and clean and repair damage caused by careless pilots. To date,
your permit holders have spent thousands of dollars improving and
maintaining the site. You can request a current copy of the Special Use
Permit by contacting;
Hat Creek Ranger District, Lassen National Forest
PO Box 220, 43225 Hwy. 299 East
Fall River Mills, California 96028
Phone (530) 336-5521
FAX (530) 336-5758
Or, you can view an recent copy by clicking
here. Requires .
How can I help?
First and foremost, continue to use the site safely and respect other users
and the site.
It's our obligation to know and abide by the laws and
respect the wishes of private landowners by avoiding ALL private property while
visiting the Rim. Beyond that, the Shasta Sky Sailors
and Redding paragliding club rely on donations to meet the flying community's financial
obligation there. Pilots who fly the Rim are encouraged to donate
$5.00 to the current 'Friend of the Rim' fundraiser and/or support the
Monster Mash fly-in held
in October of each year. 100% of the donations collected for the 'Friend
of the Rim' decal are used exclusively at the site, I believe the same is true
about funds from the Monster Mash. Check out the 'recent
improvements' page to see how donations help.
Why are there two different fundraising stickers offered at the Rim?
What's that old saying; "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery"? I
guess we should be flattered that our idea to raise money has been copied. Unfortunately, the individual
peddling these 'copycat' stickers fails to mention the Hat Creek Rim Volunteer Fire
Department (HCVFD) sticker does absolutely nothing to meet the flying
communities substantial obligation at the site.
While raising money for the local fire department, which is what the 'other'
sticker does, is in itself a worthy cause, the fact that pilots believe they're
somehow "donating to the site" is unfortunate. The
Friend of the Rim sticker is the
fundraising backbone of Hat Creek Rim and the funds generated are critical to
the longevity of the site. We account for the donations we receive by posting a
fundraising report on this web site.
Why is the club sometimes referred to as "dead"?
This is a bit of an inside joke amongst some of the old-time members and active
volunteers of the club. Historically, our club has been small and very
informal. We do what needs to be done and then go flying, it's never been
a 'competition' for us! Even with our
substantial accomplishments, twice in our 30+ year history we've been
characterized as "dead" (and/or inactive, insignificant, etc.) by individuals
who, for whatever reason, felt it necessary to criticize us. What
can we do? We either stay true to the procedures that have sustained us for decades (and have a little fun with the
criticism)
or fail trying to meet the self-serving expectations of a couple of doubters and detractors.
More FAQ's will be added as time allows... If you have a question you'd like to see answered here, feel free to send it to me at editor@hatcreek.info
