The premise of bivy-paragliding is simple, even if the execution is not. With a para-glider, camping gear and some suitable thermals you can embark on a truly unique adventure.
Bivy-paragliding offers incredible freedom to explore, but requires flying into areas that may not offer much flat ground for camping. Photo: Jody Macdonald
In 2013, four elite pilots, Nick Greece, Gavin Mcclurg, Nate Scales and Matt Beechinor, set out to fly 800km along an aesthetically beautiful line from Hurricane Ridge, south of Cedar City, Utah to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. They planned to follow the Wasatch range north, catching thermal currents to push forward, and attempting to find safe landing spots to camp each night.
Using a tandem paraglider to film, the group captured some incredible aerial shots. Photo: Jody Macdonald
The group initially named their expedition “500 miles to Jackson”, but this quickly changed to “500 miles to Nowhere” as monsoon conditions blew up from the Gulf of Mexico, scuppering their carefully laid plans.
A film documenting their journey, produced by Michael Jones, was released in 2014. You can see some of the phenomenal shots of their unpowered flight in the trailer below.
