 Flying Elephant Butte
By Edward Poccia
July 31, 2002
New Mexico is such a wonderful place to fly PPGs that we refer to it as a "Paratopia". The high desert landscape, with its volcanoes, vast stretches of untouched beauty, diverse and very visible wildlife, along with a moderate climate that permits flying comfortably all year, are the reasons it is deserving of such a reputation.
One premiere flying site is along the shores of a man-made lake in
south central New Mexico known as Elephant Butte near the town of Truth or Consequences. I had a chance to join with the "Fantastico Flyers", an active PPG club in Albuquerque, for a PPG safari to the lake for a weekend of flying and fun.
The lake is a half-mile wide and about 25 miles long, depending on the water level. Drought conditions recently have lowered the level of the lake considerably exposing an enlarged expanse of beach along the western shore providing additional launching
opportunities for us.
In order to reach Elephant Butte State Park from Albuquerque, take I-25 south for 150 miles to Exit 89. That's a little over two hours by RV. Due to the length of the lake, there are many exits that will provide access. However, we have found that the South Highlands area accessible from Exit 89 provides access to an area friendly to PPGs.
After exiting I-25 travel east about 6 miles until you come to the South Highlands cut-off. There are several paths through the brush any of which will take you to the large beach area along the shore. Watch out for soft sand and do not go down to the beach unless you check out the area for soft spots first. Getting stuck in the sand is common but will provide a strenuous cardio-vascular workout. A shovel would be a prudent addition to your baggage.
Overnight camping fees are $8 a night but there are no hook-ups and only "port-a potty" facilities. Motels can be found further south about 20 minutes away. Fees are paid by dropping money in an envelope in a box along with a registration form at the South Highlands cut-off. Apply the enclosed sticker to the windshield of your vehicle.
A Ranger patrols daily to make sure you have such a sticker and checks it against the form left in the box in which you have deposited the cash. The beach at the South Highlands site allows for easy launches in any direction. The area is large enough for many pilots to set up at the same time. The only restriction is that quiet times must be observed so you cannot start your motors before 7:00 AM. Flying until 10 AM is common even in the summer. During cooler months, flying opportunities prevail nearly all day. Try to avoid holiday weekends as the lake can get crowded, limiting take-off and landing spots.
 During the summer, temperatures can get close to 100 degrees so bring your water toys. Ron Greenwood brought his boat on our last trip and the group enjoyed water skiing during times thermal activity prevented us from flying. Ski boat and Jet-Ski rentals are available at a marina about 5 miles south of the South Highlands area.
Light North and North westerly winds predominate in the mornings making launches rather easy, often down a gentle slope. Elevation is about 4500 feet so you might find your run a bit longer if you are not use to launching at high altitude and carburetor adjustments may be necessary. Being from the Albuquerque area, we commonly are launching from 5600 feet so these conditions were noticeably easier.
Once you have launched, gain some altitude and enjoy a breath-taking vista. Take-in the rolling hills to the west and large mesas on the Eastern Shore. Fly the coastline and glide past the many RVers getting ready for a day with their jet-skis. Gain some altitude and take necessary precautions before setting out to cross the lake. The safest way across is also the most picturesque. From South Highlands, fly south to the Long Point Marina then turn east to fly over the peninsula stretching out into the lake.
From here you can island hop across the lake staying within gliding range of land in case the engine quits. There are two large islands on the lake. Drop down low and skim the surface to check things out or you can land, hike around and take-off again. Be careful, one of the islands is aptly called Rattlesnake Island. The mesas on the Eastern Shore are temping but do not land as they have large cactus that can spoil your trip. Sightseeing is the order of the day. The scenery around the lake is beautiful and will take you many flights to fully appreciate this unique PPG site.
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