Fly Hills Lower, Mid and Upper Launches.

Fly Hills, near Salmon Arm in British Columbia, offers three launches at different heights on the same face — Luke's/Lower, Mid, and Upper (South) — giving you options in almost any wind bar strong northerlies. If west winds blow out the Upper (south) launch, the lower (north) launch is usually flyable; a run along the road usually finds thermals at two small aspen groves to the south. In northerlies and easterlies, Luke's launch works for ridge soaring. The landing field is visible from Luke's launch — look north-east for a cabin-sized boulder, then directly east to the hay shed roof, and you'll spot the LZ with a tattered windsock in the north-east corner.

Launch & conditions

Luke's launch — 150 yards due east from the SE corner of the skidoo parking lot. Fly Hills Mid Launch — from that parking lot, continue up the logging road to 7.5 km, park on the left, hike 500 m (launch is carpeted). Fly Hills Upper (South) Launch — higher again at about 14 km; keep left at 12.25 km, park at the radio tower, quad trail off the road 50 m due south.

Getting there & local rules

Turn SW off Highway 1 (Trans-Canada, between Sicamous and Kamloops) onto Salmon River Road; follow snowmobile signs about 3 km, then right on Christionson Rd. Keep left at the fork and follow up to the skidoo parking lot at 1 km. Landing field: 6820 30th Ave S.W. — follow Salmon River Rd to 30th Ave on the right (just before the first river crossing), follow 30th for 1 km to where the road bends. LZ is south of the house.

Local rules & hazards

Chance of rotor over the trees with west winds on the Upper (south) launch. Call the FIC weather briefing and file HAGAR notification before flying. Use aircraft radio frequency 123.4 MHz and local club 145.500 MHz for coordination.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Fly Hills Lower, Mid and Upper Launches., read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Fly Hills Lower, Mid and Upper Launches. with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.