Hang Gliding Experience In New Hampshire
With my study abroad trip to Spain coming to an abrupt end this past COVID semester, I wanted to make sure that if my Spring semester couldn’t live up to my expectations, then the Fall semester better be! From 2,000 feet up in the air, who could beat that?
“From 2,000 feet up in the air, who could beat that?“
The whole idea of studying abroad is that you work your ass off to live your best life. In that sense, living like money is no object. I worked so hard the last two summers and saved every penny to make it count; so here I am, making every moment count, by keeping that “study abroad” mentality all throughout the Northeastern states. I took an oath that I am going to be more outdoorsy. I still could not believe that after living in Upstate, NY for 3 years, there is still so much that I have yet to do. As one does, I am making up for lost time and doing exactly that. Hiking, climbing, and yes, hand gliding too all over/
Tracking the Fall Foliage
About a week prior, I was hooked on seeing the foliage. In fact, I tracked it like it was nobody’s business. I saw some amazing views last year and could not give up the opportunity to see more. After some research, I knew that New Hampshire was the IT place to see go to see stunning views. I decided to do hand gliding in New Hampshire and hike some nearby mountains in Vermont. The feeling of crossing two states off my bucket list was like no other- I could not wait!
Mount Ascutney, VT
You would think after I have hiked so many times, that I would tell the tale of surviving a 7-mile hike, but contrary to popular belief, we decided to drive up the mountain instead. We wanted to get to the top and enjoy the moment without having to struggle all the way up; consider it a cheat day. The views were amazing and spectacular. The fall foliage here is no joke. You see miles and miles of foliage and tall evergreens in the distance. Who wouldn’t want to spend their weekend this way?
-Skytower View of Mount Ascutney Summit
Where To Go Hang Gliding In New Hampshire
After heavy research on what to do to see the foliage in New Hampshire, Morningside Flight Park, was the go-to place, but this time in the sky, 2,000 feet up! Hands down, it was a must, we could not resist. They have everything from Hand gliding to paragliding, you name it, they have it! We chose the Tandem Hand gliding session and asked the workers on the phone so many questions, I am telling you, the patience they have is incredible. The best part was that it was only a whopping 15 minutes away from Mount Ascutney. This was such a bonus because we didn’t have to drive forever to get here, a pleasant way to end the day.
The Hang Gliding Adventures Begin
“We signed our lives away and embarked on the journey of a lifetime, and one that I will never, ever forget.”
I went with the 6 pm hand gliding session and could not have asked for better timing. (We were told that hand gliding at 6 pm was the best, so when in Rome!) Luckily we had it booked later in the day throughout the day, the winds were not in our favor. The crew was very diligent and tested frequently to ensure everyone’s safety but thank luckily, by 6 pm we were off. We signed our lives away and embarked on the journey of a lifetime, and one that I will never, ever forget.
There was a small airplane that flew with his paraglide right behind, guiding him along the way that was getting ready while he put on his helmet and got into the harness. Right when it was time to go off, I had no idea what he was about to see, but nonetheless, watching him go off into the sky was so so cool!
So when I was finished I was like, “It was Amazing!!!!”. My first reaction was, “Holy shit we’re doing this!”. Right as the sun was setting, we saw miles and miles of both Vermont and New Hampshire. It was a crazy experience of being that high up, above the mountains, above it all. Truly breathtaking. It was a sight to see and one that I will never forget. The instructor even let us try to hand glide ourselves and it was AMAZING. I highly recommend doing this, and if you have never thought of this, add it to your bucket list, RIGHT NOW!
Are You the Outdoorsy Type?
Looking for incredible hikes in New York? I have just the post for you! Check it out here and trust me you will not regret a thing. After going to school in upstate New York for four years, I have had quite the hiking experiences under my belt that I am so excited to share with you. What are you waiting for? Start packing your hiking back, grab your hiking buddies, and get out there!!
There You Have It
If you’re asking, “Where to go hang gliding?” you’ve come to the right place. New England is the IT destination for outdoor adventuring! Hang gliding is such an underrated activity and experiencing it during the fall foliage is so iconic!
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