Cross Country Paragliding Clinic
Valle de Bravo, Mexico
Learn to plan, execute, and enjoy cross-country flights with guided instruction from a 25-year veteran.
Stop circling the same thermal and go somewhere
You can thermal. You can stay up. But when it is time to leave the safety of your home thermal and glide to the next one, everything changes.
This clinic is about making that leap. Over multiple days, you will learn to read the sky for XC routes, make thermal-to-thermal transitions, manage your glide, and land safely in unfamiliar terrain - all with Damien coaching you over the radio and a retrieve crew on the ground ready to pick you up wherever you end up.
A Typical Day at the XC Clinic
What You Will Walk Away With
Route Planning
Read weather forecasts, identify thermal streets, plan turnpoints, and set realistic distance goals based on conditions.
Thermal Transitions
The hardest skill in XC: leaving a good thermal to glide to the next one. Learn to read the sky, commit to the glide, and find lift on the other side.
Glide Management
Speed to fly, when to push and when to conserve, how to read sink and adjust your line.
Landing in Unfamiliar Terrain
Field selection, approach planning, and landing safely when you have never seen the LZ before. Our retrieve service means you can land with confidence.
Using Instruments for XC
Get the most out of your vario and GPS. Flight planning apps, airspace awareness, and live tracking.
Mental Game
XC flying is as much mental as physical. Managing fear, making decisions under pressure, knowing when to push and when to call it.
Why Valle de Bravo
Valle de Bravo sits at 1,800m in the mountains west of Mexico City. The flying site, El Penon, is an ancient volcanic peak surrounded by a lake and forested ridges that generate some of the most consistent thermals on the planet.
Pilots call the daily thermal cycle "The Hair Dryer" - it kicks on around 10am every morning with clockwork reliability. By late morning, thermals routinely reach cloudbase at 3,500-4,000m, giving you the altitude and time to fly serious XC routes.
With 300+ flyable days per year, oversized landing zones, and a charming lakeside town waiting for you at the end of the day, there is nowhere better to learn cross-country flying.
Your Instructor
Damien "Vampiro" Mitchell
25+ years of flying. Over 10,000 flights. USHPA Advanced Instructor. Damien splits his time between the Wasatch Mountains in Utah and El Penon in Valle de Bravo, where the locals call him Vampiro.
He knows the terrain, the thermals, and the XC routes around Valle de Bravo better than anyone. During your flights, he will be in your ear over the radio - coaching your glide decisions, directing you to lift, and helping you push your distance safely.
Ready to Go Cross Country?
Or call Damien directly: 801-244-4791
★★★★★ 5.0 / 33 reviewsWhat is Included
Retrieve Service
Our ground crew tracks you via live GPS and picks you up wherever you land. The backbone of XC flying - land with confidence knowing retrieval is handled.
Radio-Guided XC Coaching
Real-time instruction during your flights. Damien coaches your thermal selection, glide decisions, and route adjustments as you fly.
Housing
Comfortable accommodations near the flying site. Come home, relax, and get ready for the next day.
Home-Cooked Meals
Breakfast and dinner prepared daily. No hunting for restaurants - just show up hungry.
Airport Pickup
We pick you up at Mexico City airport and handle all transport to Valle de Bravo.
Daily Shuttles to Launch
Transport to El Penon every flying day. No rental car needed.
Ground School and Debriefs
Morning briefings, route planning sessions, and post-flight track analysis every day.
Gear Spares
Forgot something? We have spare radios, helmets, and other essentials on hand.
What to Bring
- XC-appropriate paraglider (EN-B or higher recommended)
- Certified harness with back protection
- Reserve parachute
- Helmet
- GPS flight instrument (vario with GPS)
- Dual-band VHF radio
- Sunglasses and sunscreen
- Hydration pack
- Sturdy shoes for launch and landing
Requirements
This clinic is for intermediate and advanced pilots who can consistently thermal to cloudbase. You should be comfortable flying in moderate thermal conditions and be ready to push your boundaries. P3 (Intermediate) rating or equivalent recommended.
What Past Clinic Pilots Say
"For many years Damien has been an invaluable source of knowledge and wisdom regarding everything paragliding and an absolute mainstay to our trips to Valle de Bravo. He really knows the place like no other."
Comp Pilot
"I saw my flying mentality and my piloting skills improve drastically over the course of the week."
Feb 2023
"Great instruction, local knowledge, small groups, no attitude or pressure just great flying and even better times."
Jan 2024
Common Questions
What if I have never flown XC before?
How far will I fly?
What happens if I land in the middle of nowhere?
Can I do both the thermalling and XC clinic?
Explore Other Programs
Thermalling Clinic
Build your thermal foundation first. Master thermal identification, entry, and efficient climbing before tackling XC.
View Thermalling Clinic10 Day Package
Combine both clinics into the ultimate flying trip. Thermalling first, then XC - the complete Valle de Bravo experience.
View 10 Day PackageBook Your XC Clinic
Or call Damien directly: 801-244-4791
★★★★★ 5.0 / 33 reviews