Henninger Flats - No Safe Local LZ
📍 California , Los Angeles County · Nearest city: Altadena (4 km)
54 XC score / 100 · takeoff at 752 m · 📍 View on map
Coordinates and external links
34.19000, -118.08800Forecast next days
Updated: 2026-05-02 16:17 UTC · Source: Open-Meteo · Thermal window 10:00–18:00 local time
Marginal conditions, cloud base ~1558 m, wind 22 km/h.
base ~1558m · wind 22 km/hFlyable day, decent conditions, cloud base ~1813 m, wind 17 km/h.
base ~1813m · wind 17 km/hComposite flyability score (CAPE + LI + wind + precip + low clouds). Cross-check with local pilots before flying.
🌬 Daily wind (next days)
Daily summary (10m wind). Full hour × altitude chart is being added progressively.
Takeoff orientations
Green = good orientation · Yellow = possible · Gray = not suitable
🗓️ Best season to fly (2024 climatology)
Monthly climate score: historical avg of temp, wind, rain and cloud cover. Green = optimal month.
⭐ Best month: May (100/100, 21°C, 11mm lluvia) · Worst month: Mar (53/100, 222mm lluvia)
Why this site has thermal potential
| Factor | Value | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Hotspot density (5 km) | 1 | Low |
| Avg thermal probability | 0.98 | Based on thousands of aggregated IGC flights |
| Solar orientation | 0.71 | Slope faces south in northern hemisphere |
| Own flight history | 0.00 | Thermals detected in platform IGC tracks |
Takeoff description
Open for now but there is no safe LZ available at the moment. Anywhere that looks good is off-limits due to private property and would jeopardize the site. XC flying is the best bet to find a safe LZ. Please message a local before flying this site to get the low down (https://www.socalxcleague.com/ Aaron Price) Take-off can be found on the trail up to Henninger flats out of the Eaton Canyon Wash. As you are nearing the campground, you will be on a last leg of the trail heading West-ish. As you enter this leg there will be a small power line going up the ridge that you will cross underneath, about 40 yards past this you will see a steep dirt path that leads up about 10' to a grassier slope, this is your launch. There is one tree which divides the launch between a South launch and a West launch so choose carefully which was you want to launch, depending on the cycle it can blow both ways.
Nearby sites
Mt. Wilson (34) · Mount Lukens (29) · Kagel (Sylmar) (58) · The 1500 (36) · Del Cerro (14) · 750' (San Bernardino) (48)