Bucaramanga: Ruitoque / Chicamocha Canyon

Mon (16.1.) After breakfast we left for 'Ruitoque'.

Here are 2 sites 'las Aguilas' and 'Parque International Parapente'. Normally pilots topland, but there is also a rather large LZ at the bottom of the hill.

As it was still too early for Edgar to fly, we had a look at another flying site: 'Chicamocha - los Santos'. The GPS directed us to the proper location, but this site has been closed already some years ago. There are some inofficial launches nearby, but the other Chicamocha sites (which we'll be visiting the next day) are much better suited for the normal wind conditions.

Canyon de Chicamocha

Returning to Ruitoque 'Parque International Parapente', we made contact with some 'local' pilots: Willy (who offered to lend me flying equipment); Stefano (originally from IT); Nicola (a Swiss on vacation) and Natalia (one of the best Colombian pilots).

I talked her into a tandem flight so she could  explain all one needs to know when flying here ;-) Due to the vicinity of BGA-airport, the area is rather restricted in size as well in altitude (max Alt is 5500ftAMSL).

Tandem toplanding

Tue (17.1.) We left early for Chicamocha, as normally the flying starts there after 1000.

First stop: Chicamocha - dos Ventanas

Pano looking NW

Second stop: Chicamocha - Roso

Pano looking NW: possible LZ's at the bottom of Chicamocha Canyon

Both TO's are nicely prepared and partially covered by 'mats'. Normally flying starts here btw 1000-1100 and ends around 1300. By that time the winds tend to become too strong. Certainly no landings after 1300 at the bottom of the canyon!! With normal traffic the sites could be reached within 90min from Bucamaranga. But traffic is rarely 'normal' here: we needed more than 2hrs! We alsopassed one bad car accident - luckily in a place where the road had been wide enough so that we could pass...

Chicamocha Canyon is an extremely nice and impressive place to visit (not only for PG). There is a gondola connecting the 2 sides of the valley by descending all the way to the bottom.

In the internet I found another TO, but the gondola station has been built in that place, so there are only 2 official TOs: 'Dos Ventanas' and 'Roso'.

Unfortunately our return flight to MDE has been delayed by around 1.5hrs, so we had to wait rather long at BGA.