Southeast Wisconsin

Bender Park: Oak Creek

Bender Park is a Milwaukee County Park located on Lake Michigan by the southern Milwaukee County line. It is an east-facing cliff, roughly a mile or so long and varies from 100 to 200 feet high. A fun, easy, safe site to ridge soar for hours when conditions are right (which, unfortunately, is rather rare–Strong due-east winds are not common anywhere in WI).

Numerous spots to launch that are either FSLs or CLs. The site can handle a VERY slight crosswind from the south and north. Typical launch is from the ridge top around 100 yards south of the main parking lot (south of the boat launch). For the sake of keeping a lower profile, don’t launch or land further north than that.

Hang gliders should top-land (because the beach LZ is dangerous) downwind from a length of ridge that is sloped/rounded at the top to avoid the rotor. Visitors should get a site intro by a local or at least be a P2/H2 minimum and give it all a very good look with regards to landing options.

Tip

HGs contact John Fritsche at two six two 383-0682. PGs can contact John or else Mariyan at Compass Airsports. They have a website.

Details:

  • It is unregulated and there are no fees or paperwork. No cops or park employees seem to either know and/or care that Milwaukee Park rules officially prohibit hang gliding. We have not been hassled about our flying there currently or in recent years. In the past, some pilots were mildly hassled by cops willing to stick around until they landed.

  • Wind: East

  • Soarability:

    • HG: 15+

    • PG: 12+

  • Hazards:

    • If for some reason you must land on the nice little beach at the south end of ridge, leave ASAP. The property is owned by the power plant and they do NOT want to see you there. Hurry to get back on park property to the north or armed security guards will confront you.

    • Bottom LZs for hang gliders suck badly enough that it’s not wise to even fly if it’s not soarable (straight in at 18mph-plus is ideal).

Video

Cliffside: Caledonia/Crestview

Cliffside rests on the shore of Lake Michigan at Racine County’s northern border. It is a ridge-soarable cliff around 1+ mile long. Ridge height varies from 40 to 75 feet though trees may add to the effective height. When the wind at Bender is cross from the north, head down here and see if it’s east enough for this place to work.

The most common launch spot is in Caledonia park immediately south of Cliffside County Park. Hang gliders may easily self-launch, but PGs need to be wary of power lines, a road, and various other obstacles immediately downwind of launch in strong winds: don’t get blown back! Pilots have launched from CLs on private property to the south of the trees at the southern border of the park with the owners’ unofficial blessings, but that was long ago.

Successfully shooting the gap just north of the park may require you to gain altitude with multiple passes in front of the park if conditions aren’t excellent. If the wind is crossing from the south at all, head up the road to Bender Park on the north side of the power plant.

Tip

HGs contact John Fritsche at two six two 383-0682. PGs can contact John or else Mariyan at Compass Airsports. They have a website.

Landings:

  • The LZ is the beach that begins just north of the park wherever it is wide enough to be safe.

  • Top landings have been done downwind on private property south of the park; however, it is tricky for an HG because of a rotor.

  • Top and sidehill landings are easy at the park for PGs in the right conditions.

Note

Pilots should be introduced to this site by a knowledgeable local or at least be P3/H3 with conservative attitudes.

Details:

  • It is unregulated and there are no fees or paperwork

  • Wind: ENE

  • Soarability:

    • HG: 15+ (preferably around 20+)

    • PG: 12+

  • Hazards:

    • HG–top landing in rotors which are immediately downwind of the sharp clifftops along the entire ridge.

    • PGs–getting blown back into the trees and other obstacles that line a significant length of the ridge.

    • PG and HG–landing in the rough water anywhere the beach isn’t sufficiently wide enough.