Mountainview

Mountainview, above Whitehorse in Canada's Yukon, is a low-altitude ridge soaring site with a striking backdrop — watching ravens play on the wind along the river is part of the draw. It's a winter-and-spring-only site, flown while the Yukon River below is frozen, and it comes with firm local rules: never fly more than 75 metres above launch, and only fly here alongside a local pilot who knows the site, contacting Whitehorse Airport before launching. Getting to launch means a short hike down a dirt road to a lookout, then up to a tree just before the site — pilots should launch from the hump beside that tree rather than the slope behind it, since launching behind the tree risks the wing being blown back and sitting in rotor. The safest landing is on the frozen river itself; a lower bench nearby offers a shorter hike out but, like top-landing, should be avoided entirely if the wind picks up, since rotor becomes a real risk in both spots at that point.

Launch & conditions

Short hike down to a lookout, then up past a tree just before launch — use the hump beside the tree, not the slope behind it, to avoid the wing blowing back into rotor.

Getting there & local rules

Drive to the main entrance of the Mountainview Golf Course; it's about a five-minute hike from there to the lookout near launch.

Local rules & hazards

Winter/spring flying only, while the Yukon River is frozen. This is a low-altitude ridge site — never fly more than 75 m above launch, and only fly here with a local pilot, contacting Whitehorse Airport before launching. The frozen river is the safest landing; avoid top-landing or the lower bench if wind picks up, due to rotor.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Mountainview, 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 Mountainview with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.