El Peñón, Temascaltepec is very well known for hosting two PWC Super Finals in 2011 and 2015 also F.A.I. CAT-1 and CAT-2 Hang Gliding and Paragliding competitions, it is a good place to fly XC triangles and is famous for its consistency of many good and reliable flyable days through the year. The best flying season is during winter months starting in November and it goes until May when the raining season starts.
Raining season is also flyable for a few hours, during this season you don´t expect high cloud base and long XC conditions. However, landscape is truly beautiful with waterfalls, cloud flying and exuberant green fields. Raining season ends in September and from then to November, days are usually very mellow and nice to fly, perfect conditions for students, beginners or just relax flying.
XC Season starts in December and runs through May. During the months of December to May the conditions allow flights of 100's km triangles, cloud base runs average 4,000 meters SL.
Take Off GPS coordinates, Take off: 19°3'41" (19.0616)N; 100°5'27" (100.091)W - Elevation : 2336 m. The launch was expanded on 2008 by the government of the Estado de Mexico as part of the improvements for the Mexico 2009 FAI Paragliding Worlds Championship, the ramp has space for at least four paragliders at the same time and allows 150 pilots to take off in less than 40 minutes. There's a lot of room for parking and public bathrooms.
XC Area Flying area is located in the center of the Neo-Volcanic Axis that crosses the country from the Pacific Ocean to the Gulf of Mexico. El Peñón is located at 2336 ams level on the Pacific Ocean slope, about 300 km straight distance from the sea and only 20 km from the central plateau “Altiplano” of Mexico, where Toluca is located, the highest city in the country at almost 2,500 meters.
This location makes El Peñón takeoff influenced by the Pacific ocean Anabatic wind all year even when there is a North wind “Norte” at the Altiplano, such conditions consistency form outstanding convergences along the mountains perfect for race with reliable flyable conditions every day.
One of the favorite goals is to land on the lakeside landing of Santa Maria, 14km to the NNW. Flying to any other direction is perfectly possible, including flying over Xinantecatl Volcano (Nevado de Toluca) over 4,500msm
Auto retrieve by rural colectivo communal taxi cabs is easy and very cheap.
Landing:
GPS coordinates, Landing: 19°2'45" (19.0459)N; 100°6'32" (100.109)W - Elevation : 1775 m. The official landing site is a big grass field of 2.5km on the pleteau right in front of the launch. Snacks, tacos and drinks are available at the landing on the weekends and flying season.
Going there:
Take road from Valle de Bravo to Temascaltepec and turn right in the Albarrada on a road sign. Follow the signs on the dirt road to the launch. Any type of car can drive through.
