Howard
Paragliding site · United States
- Launch altitude
- 2,396 m
- Level
- Experienced pilots
- Best season
- July to end of September
- Landing
- River Delta LZ
Works on N · NE · NW
Where it is
Mt. Howard is a spectacular Wallowa County site south of Joseph, Oregon: sheer granite walls, snowcapped 9,000-foot peaks, wilderness on every side, and one of the most photogenic launches in the Pacific Northwest. The 2,396 m north-facing launch is most commonly flown from July through the end of September. The Wallowa Lake Tramway carries pilots to the top of the mountain; a half-mile hike then leads to the launch on National Forest land. This is a sensitive site — the Eagle Cap Paragliding Club (ECPC) coordinates access, site intros and landing arrangements, and all pilots must be current USHPA members. The Wallowa River Delta LZ is on Division of State Lands property, not on the grassy State Park land next door — a distinction the club takes seriously. The delta changes shape season to season with snowmelt and river flow, and typically only becomes P4-usable by mid-August.
Launch & conditions
Launch is on National Forest land, half a mile hike from the top of the Wallowa Lake Tramway. Contact Eagle Cap Paragliding Club before travelling to arrange the required site intro, current site guidance and landing paperwork. The site is high-profile — fly within your limits and respect the club's rules.
Getting there & local rules
Wallowa Lake Tramway (wallowalaketramway.com) transports pilots and public to the top of the mountain. From there, hike the half-mile trail to the launch. The Wallowa River Delta LZ is where the Wallowa River enters Wallowa Lake — mandatory to land in the delta, not on the grassy State Park. The delta only becomes large enough for P4 pilots by mid-August; check ECPC for current conditions. Weather resources: josephoregonweather.com and its dedicated Howard pages.
Check conditions before you fly
A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Howard, 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 Howard with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.
7-day wind outlook
High-resolution models — the same OutDare uses.
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Is it usually flyable?
Set your own flyable wind range and see how often Howard would have worked over the last 12 months, month by month.
Surface wind (10 m) in km/h — the same number you read on any forecast.
32% of days flyable
116 of 365 days had a dry 2-hour+ window in your range, from a direction this site flies
Best month
May · 68%
Flyable days by month
A day counts as flyable when the surface wind held in your range, from a direction the site flies, with no rain, for at least 2 hours in a row (08:00–20:00) — from hourly 10 m wind over the last 12 months. A seasonal wind guide only: it can't judge gusts, thermals or turbulence, and never replaces the live forecast, airspace checks and your own judgement.
Nearby flying sites
Site facts from the OutDare flying-site database. Always verify current access and regulations with the local club before flying.