Santa Barbara XC Guide
by Eagle Paragliding
Presented by:
www.eagleparagliding.com
Created by Aaron LaPlante

High Routes

Heading West
from Eliminator/Skyport

Heading East
from Eliminator/Skyport

Hammer's Deathbox Route
This is one for you if all the other routes seem mundane.
This is one for you if all the other routes seem mundane. Deeep and committing especially on a paraglider. If you don't clear the Romero ridge you are in the death-box scurrying for options. Good clean fun! Be over 5000 on a PG and a few hundred above ridge-line on a high performance hang glider makes for a sweet ride.

Medium Routes
4000' thermal top days

Low Routes
3500' thermal top days

VOR to Holy Hills Low
Works best with West wind.

VOR to Holy Hills Lower
Needs West wind.

Thermal Triggers

Painted Cave

I always try this side of Painted Cave first, where the near vertical cliff meets the top. Painted Cave is rarely going off(mostly only on cloud days), so I usually tag it and try to slide back into the VOR spine at a reasonable altitude, or just take the scenic glide to the T.

VOR

I usually don't find much lift below this point on the VOR spine, but it is an easy buoyant glide down the glide to the T. This point is easily recognizable by the large rock pile below.

No Name

This spine and the main one just to the west are a toss up to try. look for bushes shaking or birds climbing and be patient

Easy glide to the T if you can find lift here

Easy glide to the T if you can't find lift here. If I get a couple hundred over this spot and cant find anymore I will take the West wind and push into the West facing spines of Westbowl which you can usually figure eight on up to right on top of the lower spine.

Alternator

West Bowl

This is the slide that you usually head for if you don't get up at Alternator

I use this spot on low days to try to get 3000 feet with some west drift to make a play over to cathedral

easy glide to the T if just on top of this point if no West wind. If there is West wind it is sometimes challenging to get to the T, but landable almost the whole way there. Or clear the powerlines and go straight to Cocapaw. Cocopah is a 1/2 mile long LZ with several options

I aim for this spot or as high as I can on this ridge when coming in low from Cathedral.
Long glide to the T from here if you are even or below this bump, better to take your altitude and head to Robins

La Cumbre Peak

This spine with the large rock pile is a good generator. If I am much lower then this and the chute is not booming then I head over to the G Spot

Cathedral

Aim for this spot if you get flushed from the G-spot. lift is often on the backside of this spine

If I can not find lift here quickly and I am heading East, I either head to the Holy Hills Road-cut or jump to the spine behind(rocky one running east off cathedral) and ride that over to the Knob in front of Tunnel Tit. A bit more committing then heading straight for the Road-cut, but often works

Be patient here right over the power lines. Often you can climb back to 2800 or more and get back in the game by either jumping back to cathedral, or riding inspiration over to the road-cut. If you get flushed here, Robins is an easy glide.

EJ Bowl

If you are still in search mode here it is probably time to take your altitude and follow this spine out a little ways and either break off left to the Tit or right to the Cathedral spine

RR

Tit/Holy Hills

If not getting it here, take your altitude to the Holy Hills Road-cut. Getting down to the Knob below often works but commitment factor is high if you get below that knob.

If not getting anything here, I like to hug the ridge over to the Tit. If you do not come out on top of the Tit, it can be quite committing on a PG but usually rewarded with good lift. The less committing line is following this spine South to the Holy Hills where the fire road and power lines intersect.

Don't get low behind the power lines here

Thermal Factory

Use this bump to as a leaving point when heading East if you are high.

Antenna Farm

The Roundhouse
Make sure to stay 500 feet clear on all sides of the Roundhouse so you don't get punched in the face by locals :) Very sensitive area.

Parkers

This one seems to work good on low cloud base days, but definitely use it for its buoyancy to squeeze back into Parkers if heading West low

Shadow Peak

This rock face is dependable but in a paraglider I like to head out if I get just below the main ridge-line of Shadow. A High performance hang glider can be patient and work this all the way down to the flat spot just below, before flushing to the Tea-bowl spine which you ride West and will spit you out just in front of Parkers. Easy glide to Parma from Parkers if you don't get up

Montecito Peak

Only use this one on Hammer's Deathbox Route. Very committing and deep if you get low back here.

The thermals along this spine are usually slow drifters that take you back toward the top to connect with the volcano's uptime.

This spine always seems harder to find lift the lower you are on it. If you flush here, you can make Westmont. If there is much West wind it is better to keep flying east from spine to spine and land at the Park Lane LZ

If you are getting lift here, try to drift it up toward Secret Bowl to connect with that trigger. If you flush here follow the spine Southeast and land at the Park Lane LZ.

Layer Cake/Romero

This West facing bowl can work well if you squeeze in at fire road level or just above. If it is turby just head to the main road cut on the front.

Work this spine for all its worth, because the foothills below rarely produce. if you flush here there are several landable fields/yards just below the foothills. With some West drift you may make the polo fields. You also have the huge 'Expect an Argument LZ', and a couple of golf courses due south, etc.

Castle Ridge

Climb as high as you can here because there is usually not a whole lot of lift after this point until you reach the switchback road-cut area on the East end of Castle Ridge.

Castle Ridge Switchback Road Cut
This switchback in the fire road usually seems to be the boomer of Castle Ridge. Either take your altitude to Carpinteria, flip a U-turn, or continue the adventure East. Enjoy!

Castle Point
Search this ridge before throwing in the towel. If you are five hundred over this ridge on a DHV1-2, you should be able to glide out and clear Polo Ridge, hence making it to Padaro Beach

Mobile Point

Standard LZs

The T

Cocopah

Robins

St. Mary's's

Parma Park

Padaro Beach

"Emergency" LZs

San Marcos Pass LZs
There are more then several fields in this area that are landable

E. LZ bottom of West Bowl

SnakePit LZ

Tea Bowls
It is also an ok LZ above the top bowl, if you don't think you can make the glide to Westmont. Not for HG. If you are a few hundred feet over this spot then I would try to glide to Westmont

Parkers Firebreak LZ

What the #@$% LZ

Westmont LZ

Park Lane LZ

Birnam Wood Golf Course

Expect an argument

Flush off foothills of Romero LZ

Toro Canyon LZs
I have always noticed different crops different years make different zones around here landable or not landable. Keep an eye out and pick a nice one!

Polo Fields

Trails and Fire roads

VOR Firebreak

Arroyo Burro Trail

Jesusita Trail

Tunnel Trail
From Camino Cielo down it traverses the West Side of the RR, West side of the Tunnel Tit, and goes right on top of the Knob in front of the Tit

Tunnel Power-lines Fire road
Connects the East end of the Holy Hills to Tunnel Trail

Rattlesnake Trail
Connects St. Mary's/Skofield Park with Gibraltar Road via the Snake Pit LZ.

Cold Springs Trail
Traverses up the West side of Montecito Peak

Coldsprings West Fork
Breaks off Cold Springs trail and heads up West to end at Gibraltar Road

Hot Springs Fire road/Power lines Road
Fire road/Power line road that traverses Montecito foothills West/East

San Ysidro Trail
From Camino Cielo, it drops East of Montecito Peak and comes out the canyon between Secret Bowl and Layer Cake

Romero Fire road
This one snakes its way up the Romero area hills and ends at Camino Cielo.

Romero to Divide Peak OHV Trail
OHV trail that rides the ridge from Romero to Divide Peak

Peaks/Spines/Knobs
These are also all common thermal triggers

Painted Cave
If I don't get it here and I am below 3000 feet, I usually follow this spine out hoping for something, but if not, the usual West wind should get you back to the T. If you flush comepletely, there are lots of open fields at the bottom of the pass. Keep flying field to field with the West drift and you should make the T.

VOR Spine
If you get over 4200 here it is pretty easy in a high performance hang glider to go tag the windmill at Painted Cave and return to the VOR spine at a reasonable altitude. In a paraglider unless you get lift at Painted Cave(which is usually rare due to being down in the Pass) then you can just glide out to the T after flying over the bluff there.

No Name
This notch at No Name is usually a reliable boomer, if nothing here, move to the main bump just out front. I have reached my highest altitudes in our local hills here at the notch twice. Over 7000 feet both times.

West La Cumbre Launch
Rarely booming here but good place to hug if you are below the ridge line as it is often very buoyant. Same with the next lump/antennas to the West.

G-Spot
One of my favorite thermal triggers on the range. Awesome terrain and consistent. Figure 8 where the spine meets the mountain and if not getting it keep working your way down this spine. On the not so high days I always try to keep the high ground by diving into here from Alternator, EJ Bowl, and Cathedral

Cathedral peak

Inspiration Point
Work this whole ridge for all it is worth, you can easily make Robins from just below ridge line. If you get more then 2500 here, use the West wind and drift it over to the Holy Hills Road cut.

EJ Bowl
This whole spine is rarely booming, but very buoyant, and with patience, climbs from low on the main spine up to launch are almost always possible. Good stepping stone to get you over to the peak from the RR or vice versa. If I am struggling here and get at least as high as the road, I hug the terrain and head for the G-Spot.
Make sure to give a shout out to our boy EJ as you pass by! He will send you some positive lifting vibrations! RIP my good friend, you are dearly missed!!!!

RR
Many Spots go off here at the RR(Robert's Roost). If I am stuck at just 100 or 200 over I like to chase the higher ground and dive NW to the EJ Bowl spine.

Tunnel Tit
This is a great trigger and very consistent. Good stepping stone to transition back to the RR once over 3000ft or glide to Cathedral via the west spine of the Tit

Knob below the Tit
Often reliable but getting lower then this knob is committing. Try to glide into the Holy Hills Road Cut as high as you can and work that spine where ever you intersect it at.

Holy Hills Road Cut
If you do not get up here and are even with the road cut then head East and hug the terrain to get to St. Mary's. If you are below this spine keep working the spine all the way down to the West. If no lift, there are landable areas for a PG at the bottom of that spine.

Power Prayer
Your last chance before landing at St. Mary's. High performance hang gliders can easily make Parma from just on top of this point. This is also a good stepping stone if you climb out at the monastery and want to make a play to get back in the mountains.

Eliminator/Skyport
If I get 200 above launch I always prefer to glide to RR as the East face has been heating all morning and your glide along it will usually be better then expected. Once you pop on top of the bump in front of RR, it will be crackin! Always be prepared to walk out of the Snake Pit if you choose this option.

Antenna Farm
Very consistent thermal source. Make sure to stay 500 feet clear on all sides of the Roundhouse just on the West corner of this ridge.

The Rock
This is often a good trigger and is a good alternative to getting to Parma especially when there is West wind. Leave even with the road here and head due south to intersect the Parkers Fire Road. You can land on the fire road if needed, but it is an easy glide to follow this fire road and end up in lower Parma

Monastery Ridge
If you find lift here and climb back up to 2200 or so, you can make a play to the Power Prayer to try a transition back to the mountains.

The Brotherhood

Back of the Rack

Secret Bowl
This is most often a fat boomer coming off the East face of this bowl

Layer Cake
You can often come in pretty low on this west facing bowl in the afternoon and figure 8 your way to the top. I usually can't get much over the top of layer cake and surf the ridge East to the Road Cut or below if I am low, working anything else I may get along the way. If you are high over this point then continue on to Romero Road Cut or Secrect Bowl.

Romero Road Cut

Castle Ridge
This rocky spine rarely works for me. Push on to the switchback road cut area or turn around and tank up on the west end of Castle Ridge if you are not climbing here

Polo Ridge

Snowball