Pine Mt. (training hill)

Pine Mountain Training Hill in central Oregon is a NW-facing evening site — normally used in the last two hours before sunset, when conditions blow out during the day and calm around sunset. On light-wind spring and fall days, the glass-off can build and the best flying comes at the end of the day as the desert releases its heat. Look for N, W or NW surface winds. IMPORTANT: this site is currently TEMPORARILY CLOSED — no parking, launch or landing access allowed on the private property until further notice.

Launch & conditions

NW-facing training-hill launch — best in the last 2 hours before sunset. Look for N, W or NW winds on the surface. SITE IS TEMPORARILY CLOSED — do not use.

Getting there & local rules

Site is TEMPORARILY CLOSED to parking, launches and landings. From Bend, drive east on Hwy 20; at Millican, right onto the Pine Mountain Observatory road. At the 'Y' a couple of miles in from Hwy 20 (first major right), follow the rocky road less than a mile, then take the first left up towards the mountain to the rock 'L' parking area.

Local rules & hazards

SITE TEMPORARILY CLOSED — no parking, launch or landing on the private property until further notice. When open: USHPA membership is required only on the private-land portion; most of Pine Mt and the training hill is US Forest Service and BLM land, which doesn't require USHPA membership.

Check conditions before you fly

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