Cerro Gordo

A discussion restricted to the topic of hang gliding.
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Les Sainsbury
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Joined: Sun, Jan 26 2014, 05:19:12 pm
Location: Victoria B.C. Canada

Cerro Gordo

Post by Les Sainsbury »

I see on Youtube the town of Cerro Gordo has been purchased . The intent is to make it an adventure destination . The peak was quite a popular launch site in the 70's . If I am correct ,Jerry Katz made the first 100 mile flight from here is his hang glider in around 1977 . . . . .ish .
Has anybody flown there in recent years
Les Sainsbury
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun, Jan 26 2014, 05:19:12 pm
Location: Victoria B.C. Canada

Re: Cerro Gordo

Post by Les Sainsbury »

Apparently there has been a thread to this in the past. As I haven't viewed this forum much in recent years, I missed it. Probably the only ones who remember Cerro Gordo are the increasingly smaller number of oldtimers.
From what I can ascertain , the site closed down in the mid 80's over liability and land use issues ? ( correct me if I'm wrong please ) With the launch across the valley ( Walts Point ) becoming popular, I assume
pursuing the reopening of Cerro Gordo became a lost cause .
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BilleFly
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Joined: Mon, Feb 22 2010, 07:05:19 pm
Location: Vegas

Re: Cerro Gordo

Post by BilleFly »

I drove to that launch, for George Worthington , back in 1978 - 79 , when he was attempting
to break distance records with his Mitchel wing. Dang that was a long time ago !!!

Bille
GOOD RUSH !!!
Les Sainsbury
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun, Jan 26 2014, 05:19:12 pm
Location: Victoria B.C. Canada

Re: Cerro Gordo

Post by Les Sainsbury »

I had one flight there back in 1978 .I remember meeting Jeff Scott, Don Chambers ,and Gary Patmore that day. We had to help them push a ( Ford Courier pickup ? ) that was bagging out at that altitude.
Such spectacular scenery . I had no Idea of the significant history of the abandoned town we drove through near the top .
Eric J
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Joined: Thu, May 02 2013, 04:57:56 pm

Re: Cerro Gordo

Post by Eric J »

BilleFly wrote: Sun, Apr 24 2022, 08:47:41 am I drove to that launch, for George Worthington , back in 1978 - 79 , when he was attempting
to break distance records with his Mitchel wing. Dang that was a long time ago !!!

Bille
You’re a legend! :D George’s book was one of the first hang gliding books I ever read!

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/153 ... ld-records
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BilleFly
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Location: Vegas

Re: Cerro Gordo

Post by BilleFly »

George use to practice his landings at Torrey Pines ; he would do that
before going to Cerro Gordo. So one day I asked him if he could turn
the Mitchel wing, without the use of the rudders ? He said : "No".
I asked him if he had ever tried to turn with ailerons only ; by adding
a bunch of speed : he said : "No".

The very next fricken day ; George was flying the Mitchel, and the
block that held the control for Rudder ; it broke off !! :shock:

He remembered the conversation from the day before , and he sped up
a bunch and practiced flying for an hour with ailerons for turning ; then
he went Way back on the sailplane runway, and landed without incident.

Yep -- George Thanked me a Lot ; i gave him an exit plan. :D

Bille
GOOD RUSH !!!
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