Shelter Cove is a south and south-west pre-frontal site. Basic access is thru Garberville to Redway to the Briceland-Thorn-Shelter Cove road, fairly well marked by state/county road signs. Fourteen curvy, narrow county road miles from Redway later you are there. There are two launchs - a high (1600) launch off the side of a road and the low (450) launch off a cul-de-sac. This is an unregulated site. Just don't land on the airstrip proper in a paraglider or hanglider (OK to fly in with a GA aircraft, however.)
Shelter Cove - High Launch The high launch: West to Shelter Cove. Pass Chemise Mountain Road to Left (South). 4/10th of a mile uphill to sign = Right to Kings Range Road . Go left directly across from sign (Toth Road) - Almost at hilltop. Proceed 1.1 mile on Toth (Yellow line). Go Left at Wood Court Downhill one Short Block. Take a Right at Blueridge. Pass Murphy coming in on left. Another 100 yards, Road curves to Right. That's it. If you peer over the hill, you will see a few faded flags fluttering. Shelter Cove - Low Launch West to Shelter Cove, down the steep hill toward the ocean. 4/10 of a mile past the large green water tank at the bottom of the hill take a left on Landis Road, proceed 3/10 mile to Bay Court cul-de-sac on left. This is about a 450 vertical to beach. Also good for a bomb-out LZ off the high launch. Rotor by pavement - land on grass strip near edge. Shelter Cove - General The "Regular" LZ is the large grassy area adjacent to the south end of the paved runway, just west of a small campground. This can be a stretch for a paraglider. The beach itself provides a bail-out LZ, and several small undeveloped parcels (such as the Low Launch) provide PG bail-outs. There is a restarunt, and general-store/cafe, and campground at Shelter Cove. Get gas in Redway. There is a 'last chance ridge' just east of the top of the boat launch ramp that can provide a ridge soaring opportunity if the wind stays south. Watch out for deer while driving, the place is lousy with them and they are fairly tame and can be surprisingly un-hip about automobiles. Emergencies: Shelter Cove VFD has an excellent first respone and rescue team for medical emergencies. 911 can work, but cell coverage is spotty. If you have a bumped two-meter, the local California Division of Forestry dispatches (tone alert) all Southern Humboldt units on 151.250, and someone would probably be monitoring this frequency on a scanner. The local ham repeater is 146.940, -600 offset, no tone; or Pratt Mountain 146.790 -600, no tone, phone autopatch for local and 911 calls (but a stretch from Shelter Cove). Local contact: Gerald 'Penguin' Myers. (707) 923-3353 |
