4-25-04 Local Intermediate Paraglider launches Marshall at the onset of the arriving late day sea breeze and can't penetrate. Pilot is blown over Waterman Canyon and past the Arrowhead Springs hotel landing in a canyon about 1 mile east of the hotel. (off the map so the red dot is not visible) The pilot is uninjured. A search by other pilots is undertaken for an hour and eventually we get word by telephone that the pilot is fine. The wing is not extractable from a tree without as chain saw and the pilot must leave his wing to return the next day to extract it.

This incident happened when the Marshall road was closed from the fires of the previous year. After a long hike to get to launch it's easy to want to fly to not have to hike back out. Winds at launch at the time were 15-18 mph. But they built to the mid 20's shortly after the pilot launched. It was another day that allowed lift to well above 13K. It is important to remember that on days when the lift allows high altitudes, there is often associated with it a late afternoon strong onshore created by the thermal low.

Keep a good margin for error with respect to winds. Be aware of changing conditions on strong lift days. If you are making a long hike to launch, you should mentally prepare yourself for the hike out. Plan on it. It's better to be delightfully surprised that you actually DO get to fly than to be altering good judgement because of the sudden depressing thought of the hike back out without flying.