Fraser Valley · British Columbia
Learn to fly where the Coast Mountains meet the Cascades.
Introductory tandems above Woodside, Bridal, and Cheam, plus thermal and XC coaching for rated pilots — across the Fraser Valley and its tributaries.
Introductory tandems above Woodside, Bridal, and Cheam, plus thermal and XC coaching for rated pilots — across the Fraser Valley and its tributaries.
Whether you've never left the ground or you're a signed-off pilot working on your thermalling, there's a flight for where you are.
Your first time in the air, connected in front of a certified tandem pilot. No experience needed — just a willingness to run a few steps and trust the sky.
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For signed-off P2+ pilots. Fly tandem with me to work on thermalling, climb technique, or line choice on an XC — real-time coaching mid-air.
Who it's for →Topping Out is a one-pilot operation based in Chilliwack, BC — where the Coast Mountains end and the North Cascades begin. I've learned to read this valley's winds, know its launches, and spent as many hours above it as I can.
Every flight is a learning experience, offering a different experience each time you go — with variations between launch sites and weather conditions that dramatically impact the type of flight you can expect. It's this variety that makes it exciting.
More about Leonard
Paragliders are one of the very few aircraft that let you shoot without a window in the way — no reflections, no distortions, nothing between the camera and the view. These aren't photos for sale; they're a personal archive of what the Fraser Valley looks like from a wing, shared because someone should see it.
Woodside, Bridal, and Elk — all within half an hour of Chilliwack. Between them they catch most of the valley's good flying days, and when the weather plays along the conditions can be exceptional.
The valley's bread-and-butter launch — south-facing, 650 m, drive-up access, and reliable from spring through fall. Where most Fraser Valley pilots first learn to soar.
Sitting under Mt. Cheam. Westerly site, big-mountain feel, strong thermals on summer afternoons. XC pilots launch here and chase the ridge east.
The hike-and-fly option. An hour up the trail, 600 m of gain, a glass-smooth morning flight down from 1,400 m. The reward is the walk and the view — and saving your knees on the descent.
Introductory tandems run $300 CAD per flight — 7 to 30 minutes of airtime depending on conditions, plus the ride up to launch. Weather-dependent; we'll reschedule at no cost if conditions aren't right on your date.
