Lions Head (Cape Town)

Map and thermal hotspots

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Takeoff description

'Lower launch' is reached after a 10 minute walk, where the path narrows from a jeep-track width into a hiking track. It is a challenging launch through a silver-leaf tree grove from a short net-covered runoff. Be meticulous in your layout and pre-flight checks. This is where to launch if it is soarable and SW. The 'Top site' is reached after another 10 minutes of brisk walking. It is NOT on the top of Lion's Head! It's below the cliffs on the NW side. The path is slightly hard to spot on the first pass if you're not following a local, as it's a couple of steps up rocks. Lion's Head is a rocky launch site that is both steep and loose underfoot, though the loose rocks are contained under a tight green net that has been stretched over the launch area (weak ankles, beware). The launch is steep enough that your wing is, between cycles, likely to slide down the netted hill towards you. The wind is usually cross from the left here and there's a significant drop-off a couple of feet from the bottom of the netted area, making good ground-handling and committed launch techniques essential for a safe get-away.