Revised 02/09/25

Marin County Hang Gliding Association (MCHGA)

Mt Tamalpais Site Description / Location

Mt. Tamalpais, located north of San Francisco between Mill Valley & Stinson Beach, is one of the most scenic mountain sites in California. (See map and driving instructions, below.) It has unobstructed panoramic views of the Pacific ocean, San Francisco, and the Bay and Delta waters. There are many popular hiking trails all around the mountain and Stinson Beach is below. The site is rated INTERMEDIATE (H3/P3) for both hang gliding and paragliding.

IN ADDITION TO the information on this page, all pilots are responsible for following and enforcing their respective site rules:
Hang gliding Rules ... last updated April 4, 2025;
Paragliding Rules ... last updated April 4, 2025

The Marin County Hang Gliding Association (MCHGA) maintains Special Use permits with State and County agencies, to allow hang gliding and paragliding activities on the west side of Mt. Tamalpais, along Bolinas Ridge. There are three launch sites facing generally south to west, all at about 2000 ft. MSL. All three launch sites are rated H3/P3. (See the table below for details on acceptable wind velocities and directions for each launch.) The landing zone is on the beach, near the north end of Stinson Beach. Check the Tide Table for high tides, especially during the winter & spring.

Launch site	Wind Velocity (mph)					Launch site	Wind Direction (degrees)
	craft	min	ideal	max	gust			min	max
A	hg	0	20	25	5	A	ideal	170	180
	pg	0	15	15	5		ok	155	190
B	both	0	10	15	5	B	ideal	260	270
							ok	225	300
C	both	0	10	15	5	C	ideal	265	275
							ok	240	310

Wind table summary: Launch A faces south; Launches B & C face west. Launching in no wind is common. Pilots generally don't fly in West winds over 15 mph or South winds over 25 mph, because of turbulence.

Weather conditions: The best season for Mt. Tam is during Winter & Spring, as the storms bring instability for good soaring conditions. In light winds, Mt. Tam is a very forgiving flying site. However, multiple ridges criss-cross the flying area between the launch and landing sites. This usually results in turbulent conditions whenever the wind velocity is over 15 mph. This can be especially challenging for paraglider pilots.

In post-frontal conditions, the wind frequently turns to NW at Tam. Pilots should be aware that there is a persistent rotor that sets up at "B" Launch in NW winds, as described below:

Below is a satellite photo of a section of Bolinas Ridge and Stinson Beach. The white line running diagonally down the upper right corner is W. Ridgecrest Blvd., which follows along the crest of Bolinas Ridge.

When we have NW winds (pictured by the blue arrows) flowing along Bolinas Ridge, the wind gets forced out and around (as well as up and over) Ballou Point. At B Launch, this can sometimes result in a West wind, which is straight in at launch.

But regardless of the apparent direction at launch, NW winds are likely to produce a rotor, just off B Launch, as shown with the arrows. It is not possible to avoid this rotor from launch, except by timing your launch when this wind condition doesn’t exist.

This rotor can be quite severe at times. It can potentially cause a sudden loss of control, or a full sail collapse at low altitude. Please use caution and be sure you know the true wind direction when you are launching.

Strong wind gradients are possible, with winds dropping abruptly to zero at the beach. Reverse wind gradients are also common, and can be identified by whitecaps on the water when the wind at launch is light. Be aware that whitecaps on the ocean may also indicate that stronger winds are coming. This can create adverse conditions for paraglider pilots.

Landing Field Hazards: Normally, there is a 10 ft. high metal sign placed about 30 ft. from the alleyway in the middle of the beach. This is just beyond the (otherwise) most desireable spot to land. Be aware! This sign marks the boundary with the Seadrift private beach. Please land to the south of it.

The beach where we land is populated by people walking, sitting, flying kites, and kiteboarding. These activities create temporary, sometimes moving obstacles to our landing. Please be alert and avoid them.

Ratings and requirements: An H3 or P3 (intermediate) rating is required to obtain a sticker to fly the site. All pilots are required to get a site intro before their first flight at Tam. Site intros can be obtained only from club officers, administrators, sponsors and instructors. A good site intro should cover the following topics:

1. A visit to the Pantoll ranger station, providing details aboutwhere to park and where and when to sign in.
2. A tour of all three launch sites, including a discussion of wind conditions for each site.
3. A good view of the LZ, with north and south end points clearly indicated.
4. A discussion of where public beach access is available.
5. A description of normal flight paths, including where flying is allowed, and where the airspace is restricted.
6. Information about where thermals and/or soaring is likely. Warnings about where turbulence and sink is likely.
7. Advice about potential wind conditions, including gradients and turbulence. A discussion of where and when rotors are likely.
8. A discussion of favorable and unfavorable weather conditions.
9. A discussion of relevant rules, including the number and type of gliders allowed to set up at each launch site, and a recommendation that pilots on the beach assist the landings of others.
10. For newer pilots, a discussion of beach landing approaches and techniques.

Additionally, P3 pilots are required to have an authorized sponsor* for their first flight, prior to getting a sticker. All pilots are required to pay a modest sticker fee, annually. This fee goes to pay for site insurance, State Park permits, the web site and general upkeep of stuff such as the sign-in box, the p.o. box and windsocks. Check the "News and Newsletters" for the time and location of the next meeting. Refer to the "New / Visiting Pilots" page to obtain stickers.

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* Current approved paragliding sponsors: Anthony Abate, Lionel Marks, David Beerman, Eric Beckman, and Andrew Whitehill.

FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS: If you have a USHPA appointment as a Basic, Advanced or Tandem instructor, you must be aware of the following restrictions:

• The MCHGA permit allows non-commercial flying, only. If you are considered a commercial instructor, you are not allowed to bring your students to fly at Tam, regardless of whether or not you will be providing instruction at the time.
• You are considered a commercial instructor if you have accepted any form of compensation for flight instruction within the past 12 months. This includes tips, gifts, donations and profits from gear sales.
• To be considered "non-commercial," the instructor must be a Rogallo member of USHPA and be Certified Non-Commercial (CNC).
• By definition, all tandem flights are for training purposes; no recreational tandems are permitted by the FAA.
• Non-commercial tandem flights are allowed for properly rated instructors and students, as long as all USHPA and FAA rules are strictly followed.
• Non-commercial instruction of H2 pilots is permitted only for club-approved instructors**, with procedures described in the Mt Tam Hang Gliding Rules.

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** Current approved non-commercial certified instructors: Kurtis Carter and Takeo Eda.

Mt.Tamalpais Photos

A Launch looking S to SF	B Launch at Mt. Tam
C Launch at Mt. Tam	LZ at Stinson Beach
Tam looking to SF	Rainbow at Stinson

Driving Instructions

From Hwy 101 in Mill Valley, take the "Stinson Beach / Hwy 1" exit. Follow Shoreline Hwy and Hwy 1 about 1/2 mile to Tam Junction, where they will turn left at the traffic signal. Continue west on Hwy 1 for 2.7 miles. Then, look for the sign which directs you to turn right onto Panoramic Hwy for Mt Tam and Muir Woods. About 0.8 miles up Panoramic, you will come to a wide intersection shaped like a crooked pitchfork. Select the middle fork to continue across on Panoramic. Follow Panoramic for another 4.4 miles to its highest point. On your left, you will see the Pantoll Ranger Station, and on the right will be Pantoll Rd. Ahead of you, the highway will begin dropping down to Stinson Beach and the LZ. Pilots must sign in at the ranger station before flying.

To reach launch, take Pantoll Rd 1.4 miles to its end, at Rock Spring. Turn left onto W. Ridgecrest Blvd. From this point, "A" launch (not visible from the road) will be 0.4 miles up the road. "B" launch, which is plainly visible, right next to the road, is just 0.3 miles further. And "C" launch is 0.9 miles beyond that.

If you have a GPS, you can enter in the following coordinates:

In degrees, minutes, seconds:	N    37° 54' 40.33" W 122° 37' 27.94"
In decimal degrees:	N    37.911203 W 122.624428

Here is a MAP of the area.

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