Flying in La Paz

Had some spectacular flights near La Paz the last 2 days, with incredible views of Mount Illamani across the valley. Winter conditions so base isn´t very high, with an inversion around 3800m. You really notice the difference flying at altitude - its much faster! Once you´ve got used to it though its a lot of fun, you can really crank the turns (and need to here as the thermals aint big). 

Admiring the view (Mount Huayna Potosi in the distance)

10/05/2015

Got a ride up the hill with the AndesXtremo tandem pilots to the Yanari take off (I think) at 3600m. Did a little 8km out and return on my first flight, heading into wind up the valley for the first leg. Had to work hard for it. Had one good climb at the beginning up to about 3800m but the thermals after that were quite rough and broken. Found myself a few times going up at 4m/s (even 7 once) then back down just as quickly. Hard to maintain any altitude! The return leg with the wind was super easy and landed with the tandems in the valley.

  

11/05/2015

Went down the valley towards La Paz this time. Climbs were better than yesterday to start with but got quite rough later on further down the valley. Got up to 3900m late on. Had to scrap around after making a longish transition but then got a nice thermal and drifted with it along and up the ridge - a classic thermal line! Climbs up to 4m/s. The final ridge had some awesome valle de luna esque rock formations with some amazing knife edge ridges and great colours. Admiring the view proved too much of a distraction and I lost too much height and had to land at the bottom of the ridge leaving a bit of walk out (and a small valley to cross) to get to the road. Flew about 15km, which is pretty much as far as you can go unless base is really high (which it rarely is apparently). If it is, you can hop over the last ridge and land in La Paz. 

Heading north