Table of Contents
Event Information
Reliable weather. Big Air. Bigger vistas. 4 launches that take different wind directions. HUGE XC potential through some of Utah’s most incredible natural wonders. Welcome to the Monroe PWC, the first world cup hosted in the USA since 2012 in Sun Valley, Idaho! This is a World Cup Cat 2 event that promises strong conditions and long tasks that take advantage of deep, tall mountain ranges and high-desert flatlands. Participants should be very comfortable with flying in strong thermals at high altitudes. Please consider conditions in the Rocky Mountains and where we host this competition. The altitudes are very high and conditions can be very strong. You can expect long tasks. In the 2023 US Nationals we had two triangle tasks over 100 miles (160 km)!
Get a feel for the remarkable area with this short film shot by Ben Horton during the 2022 Global Rescue XRedRocks hike and fly race.
Full Details on Local Rules and Regulations here.
Selection and Registration
Registration is via the PWCA website.
Cost
€400 (through PWCA website)
Schedule
Event days: September 7, 2024 – September 14, 2024 (September 7 is a practice day)
Saturday September 7, 2024
- Official training day. Transport to launch provided. Retrieve from main landing zone provided. No official task set.
- 1600–1830 — Official Registration and equipment inspection
- 1900 — Mandatory Safety and Race Briefing
Sunday September 8 – Saturday September 14
- Contest flying days
Saturday September 14th
- 1900—Prize Giving
- Closing Ceremonies
- BBQ for pilots, family, and friends
- An EPIC Party!
Getting There
To get to Monroe from out-of-state or overseas, fly to Salt Lake City international Airport (SLC) and arrange a car rental to drive to Monroe. Or, schedule a shuttle through us for $50-$75 per-person (SLC to Monroe). It’s about a 2 hour drive. We recommend getting a car or camper van either before or after the comp to explore this incredible area, but you do not need a car during the event. Although having a car provides more flexibility.
Visa Information for International Pilots
Visitors from many countries, including most European countries, do not need a visa to enter the US. However, you must have a valid travel authorization (ESTA) before arrival. Citizens of all other countries must apply for a visa. If you are from a non ESTA country and need a visa we can help. Address / Contact to use for your ESTA:
Lindsey Ripa Burns, 340 N 100 E, Elsinore, UT 84724
Mandatory Equipment
- Garmin InReach or other suitable satellite tracker (we strongly suggest Garmin InReach over SPOT). We do not have units to lend, but we can arrange a 20% discount on purchase through Garmin. You will be provided a one month upgrade to their “Expedition Plan” which provides for unlimited texting and 2 minute tracking at no charge. You must already have the “Safety” or “Recreation” plan on your device. To correctly set up your device go here. PLEASE DO THIS BEFORE YOU ARRIVE!
- Headlamp
- External battery for your phone
Oxygen
Flying with oxygen is HIGHLY recommended. You can expect long tasks and very high altitudes, and oxygen helps you keep from getting hypoxic (which can be dangerous), helps you think more clearly and helps you stay warm.
An outside vendor (Doug Patrick) will have oxygen kits for rent or purchase (he we will buy back after the comp for a small fee). Doug has complete units (tanks, regulator, cannulas) available for rent for $150 + $100 deposit. Unlimited refills for $50 for the week, or $15 per fill. Canulas and basic carrying case will be provided for the comp systems. These units and regulators operate similar to more expensive “pulse” conserving technology systems at a very good price. Feel free to reach out with questions. If you want to reserve a system follow this link.
For those who desire the “best in class”, research “Mountain High Sport oxygen systems” (https://www.mhoxygen.com/). They run about $1200. We cannot offer these systems, but have arranged a 10% discount with Mountain High. Use the discount “RRWO-10” at checkout (or order by phone) to get the discount.
Local Transportation
Shuttles to launch are provided each day from the following locations:
- Quality Inn Richfield
- Monroe Canyon RV Park
- Sevier River RV Park
- Monroe LZ (Headquarters)
All paragliders are kept in our trailers overnight, so you just go home each night with your instruments and things you need at night.
Required Insurance
Per PWC rules, all participants must have third party liability insurance with a minimum coverage of €800,000 or foreign currency equivalent. We will provide temporary USHPA membership for all foreign pilots, which provides 3rd party insurance.
We highly recommend having Global Rescue insurance in addition to your own medical insurance. Global Rescue is repatriation insurance and will get you home to a hospital of your choice. Is it very reasonable. In addition, you will be required to sign a participant waiver at registration.
Insurance options for flying in the United States are summarized here.
Retrieve
Live trackers, Telegram, and InReach tracking are used for coordinating pilot retrievals.
Communications
Please join our Telegram Group
This will have official announcements, chat, and retrieve.
PLEASE set up your satellite tracker per these instructions: 2024 InReach set up instructions
Medical Emergency
Our safety director, Justin Grisham, and his crew are all ER Physicians or wilderness medical experts.
Emergency Telephone
911
Nearest Hospital
Sevier County Hospital
1000 N Main St
Richfield, UT 84701
Phone: +1 (435) 893-4100
Flying in the Monroe Area
Launches
Monroe has 4 world-class launches, and we now have three others we can use in the vicinity if weather dictates- Horse Heaven, Wales and Hurricane Ridge.
Monroe Peak
Monroe Peak is the main launch, at an altitude of 11,171 feet and faces SW. It is an astonishing 5,000′ above the valley floor! HUGE distances have been flown from Monroe (over 300 km). A list of the top flights.
Cove
Cove is a local favorite for getting incredible restitution glass-offs of well over 15,000 feet even in October! Cove has launches from N, W and S.
Mt. Edna
Mt. Edna is one of the most stunning take offs in the Rockies is the highest drive-up launch in Utah, with various launches that take nearly all winds between 11,500 and 11,700 feet.
Junction
Junction is a southeast facing launch where HUGE XC flights (several over 300km) go down nearly every year.
We can also use Wales and Horse Heaven, about an hour+ north of Monroe which provide for even more flexibility and weather options. And we are working on adding Hurricane Ridge on the rim of Hurricane, Utah (on the border of Arizona) to our arena! We hope to have this launch available for the 2025 event.
Central Utah has the most reliable flying weather in the Intermountain West. CUASA, the local club hosts an annual fly-in at the end of September every year and it is nearly always flyable every day. We are hosting this event right after the monsoon, when overdevelopment becomes much less of an issue and yet the days are still long and cross-country potential is still fantastic. The fall colors will be setting in and the terrain is nothing short of mind-boggling. Expect long and varied tasks (FAI triangles, downwinders, and out and backs) that utilize the most of every day. To view the tasks from the 2023 event go here.
Airspace
The applicable airspace is described on the US Salt Lake City (SSLC) VFR sectional aeronautical chart, available from the FAA or SkyVector.
Weather
CUASA Cove Station
NOAA Central Utah
Weather.com – Hourly
USAirNet.com Winds Aloft – US
WindCast – Utah / Soaring Forcast
Live Feed on Cove Two hour time span on Cove
Historical Track Logs
Historical flights on XContest from Monroe Peak and surrounding launches
How should I dress for flying? How cold is it?
Daily temperatures on the ground in Utah in September are typically around 70–75 F (21-24C), but we can get VERY tall in this area — frequently 15,000’–18000’ (4572–5486 M). 18,000’ is Class 1 airspace which we CANNOT violate and will result in a zero. At these heights temperatures can be at 0° C (32 F) or colder. Think Alps in the spring on a cold day. DRESS WARM for flying — big gloves, hand warmers, or electric gloves and a big puffy. We will have Nedsu Electric Gloves for sale during the comp if needed.
Lodging
If you have the flexibility to bring camping stuff we highly recommend camping. We have a couple different spots that have full facilities (showers, kitchen, lots of grass, etc.) that are very convenient and cheap ($15-25 per night). All our staff will be staying at the Sevier River RV Park near Joseph (about 20 minutes from Monroe) and we can accommodate a few dozen competitors there. Fill in this form if you are interested in camping with us. In addition there are quite a few hotels in Richfield (about 10 minutes from Monroe and more of a “town” but not as quaint as Monroe). In Monroe itself (the main LZ and what you can think of as the “HQ”) there is only the Monroe Inn and a lot of cute AirBnB’s.
- Quality Inn (Richfield)- 10% discount- when you book by phone direct tell them you are a pilot.
- Super 8 Motel (Richfield)- 10% discount- when you book by phone direct tell them you are a pilot.
- Monroe Inn (Monroe)
- Monroe Canyon RV Park (Monroe) — Ask for Jordan for a pilot discount (adjacent to the main LZ)
- Sevier River RV Park (Joseph) — about 17 mins from LZ. All staff stay here. Awards and afterparty will be here. Lots of grass and trees. Ask for Danny or just let us know and we’ll reserve a spot.
- Hotels in Richfield
- AirBNB’s in the area
Tell me about this party I keep hearing about!
We are not shy about claiming the US has the best comp scene in the world right now. Why? Partly because our flying is wild — remote, stunning, surreal and just totally out of this world. But it’s our community vibe AND a lot of this is because of our parties. After the awards we get cranking. LIVE DJ with Reavis, who is VERY, VERY special, lasers, lights, sound and all if it in a very cool natural amphitheater of amazing red rocks and wicked stars. Bring your costumes, prepare to stay up all night dancing and getting weird with us! DO NOT BOOK YOUR FLIGHT HOME FOR EARLY SUNDAY! You will regret it!
Local Activities and Sites to See
Our flying zone is VAST — high mountains, surreal deserts — and southern Utah is one of the world’s great wonders. MANY national parks and monuments surround the area — Bryce Canyon National Park, Escalante National Park, Dinosaur National Park, Zion National Park, Capitol Reef National Park…and of course the Grand Canyon. If you have time before or after the event, we HIGHLY recommend taking some time to see some of these places (it is impossible to see them all!). Activities on weather days include EPIC mountain biking, ancient petroglyph sites, visits to Bryce or Zion national parks, hot springs, river floats (SUP, raft, etc.) and star gazing like you’ve never seen before.