Gliding Around the Mountain

Coyote scat replete with Prickly Pears and seeds

The powered paraglider we spotted west of the mountain this morning made me curious about the activity.  Apparently it doesn't require a license in the United States.  The paramotor worn on the pilot's back weighs between 45 and 80 pounds (yikes!).  The aircraft can be launched solo by a pilot running just 10 feet or so.  Paragliders can fly close to the ground or up to 18,000 feet, though they're restricted to calm weather conditions because they fly so slowly (between 15 and 45 mph).  The one Becca and I saw today was probably flying between 200 and 300 feet.  Paragliding looked like it would be a lot fun to try. 

Ocotillos on Tortugas's west slope

Light and shadow

Plying our way up the mountain trail

Robust Ocotillos in the high foothills

We heard this powered paraglider long before we saw him

I waved to him, but I couldn't tell if he saw Becca and me

He began to turn slightly away from the mountain (perhaps due to thermals)

He was definitely heading around the mountain, though

The arrow points to the paraglider

You can still see the aircraft at top center

A born aviator:  Pyrrhuloxia

Pyrrhuloxia (aka "Desert Cardinal")