Words by Jon Yaseen. Edit by Jared Vincent.
Along with most of Telluride, craving new adventures and constant activity has kept me living and playing in the San Juan’s most of my life. Single track, powder days, river trips, and an abundance of 14ers to hike and climb is a local’s staple diet. No novice to any of these pursuits, Kevin McGinley brings another way to enjoy our little playground- soaring tandem from peak to Town as a local pro paraglide pilot!
The Telluride Paragliding School offers certified paragliding instruction and tours for all ability levels. Like me, you need zero flight experience, but a good bit of enthusiasm for adventure sports. After catching a ride with our friends at Telluride Off-Road Adventures, we hiked high above an old mining road. Overlooking town, and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with familiar ski terrain, we stood wondering if the winds will pick up enough. With a slight breeze, and a calm but abrupt “WALK!” we began negotiating our way down the steep hillside. “RUN!”… and a few steps later we were airborne! Having a few miles on the bike and skin track makes me a confident athlete, still, flying is WAY out of my experience and skills. Inexperience is no obstacle on a tandem flight. Seeing Telluride from this perspective is a must try for visitors and locals alike. Experience our mountains in a whole new way with the Telluride Paragliding School!
To go paragliding with Kevin, you can contact him @ Kevin@paraglide.com.