A common sight in the skies above Ketchum this time of year is gliders flying off Bald Mountain. Come Sunday, pilots will be flying for more than just fun, as the area plays host to the U.S. Paragliding National Championships.
"You'll see a lot more gliders in the air now," said Chuck Smith, owner and operator of Fly Sun Valley, official host of the event.
One hundred of the top paragliding pilots in the world are expected to participate in championship events that start Sunday and last until Saturday, Sept. 2.
Sanctioned by the U.S. Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, the basic competition format is to complete a cross country course flying as quickly as possible to the finish line. Courses range from 10 to 100 miles. Pilots are expected to reach heights of up to 18,000 feet.
"This is the first time the national championships have been here, and the first time a competition of significance has been held here since the early 90s," Smith said.
"Sun Valley has a good reputation of being a really good flying site, so it will put us on the map as one of the top sights in the country, or in the world," he said.
Smith said there is plenty of room on top of Baldy for spectators who want to watch pilots launch.
Launches typically will start about 11 a.m., the time of day when winds and thermal updrafts reach ideal conditions for flying, said Hailey pilot Nate Scales, who set a new state distance record on Sunday, Aug. 20.
"The sky will be full of gliders turning circle," Scales said. "You turn circles with the thermals to get higher."
Smith said he's looking forward to a safe and successful competition.
"But all that depends on the weather and the smart choices pilots make," he said. "You have to be smart about what you're doing up there because gravity will hold you responsible."