Cleary Summit

Cleary Summit is a friendly Alaskan ridge above the Steese Highway 20 minutes north of Fairbanks — a great NNE/NE site with half a mile of soarable ridge, suited to novice and intermediate pilots (P2/P3). Access is drivable year-round on well-maintained roads (4x4 helpful but not required). The main LZ is the parking area below launch, which extends about twice as long as it looks from above — but it's too narrow for a hang glider.

Launch & conditions

Two main launches facing NNE and NE. Altitude 2,550 ft MSL. Best in NE/NW winds; best time of day is afternoon; best in spring, summer and fall. Hazards: power lines behind launch, and another near the LZ.

Getting there & local rules

20 minutes north of Fairbanks on the Steese Highway. At the top of the Steese, turn left onto Pedro Dome Road; right on the second dirt road; next right, up the hill to the summit. Landing: parking area below launch (long but too narrow for a hang glider). Alternates: the highway (not recommended), ski trails below the highway, or the valley below (long hike out).

Local rules & hazards

Please contact local pilots before flying — no guaranteed permissions. Respect the neighborhood, drive slowly, pick up any trash. Controlled Class E airspace above 1,200 ft AGL. Watch the power lines behind launch and near the LZ.

Check conditions before you fly

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