Jacksonville Review – June 2025

DID YOU KNOW that the Applegate Valley is home to one of the best paragliding and hang gliding sites in the country? The site, called “Woodrat Mountain” has been attracting top pilots from around the world for decades for their annual free-flight competition called “Rat Race.” The pilots launch and race to waypoints around the valley before landing at “goal,” usually a local winery.

This year, the Rogue Valley Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club (RVHPA) is retooling the event to give it a community-focus. It will be less competitive and more spectator-friendly to benefit the Applegate’s farms and small businesses. The new “Rat Route 238” will take place from June 8-13 and showcase the Valley’s many assets.

Each day of the event will feature a “Landing Zone of the Day” where spectators are likely to see the gliders come in for the landing. Featured landing zones include Kingfisher Lavender, LongSword Vineyard and Red Lily Vineyards.

There will also be “Afternoon Layover” periods between 1-5pm, where the pilots (and general public) can gather at a business/winery and enjoy local fare, wine and sometimes live music. RVHPA is excited to host one of the afternoon layovers at the new Apple Outlaw Taproom (Wednesday, June 11th).

Travel Southern Oregon and A Greater Applegate/Wander Applegate are among the event sponsors and are funding an event brochure that will feature the daily schedule and information about the Applegate. The event description reads: “Savor the regional tastes, smells, and views with your friends and family!” Find the week’s schedule on the event website: www.ratroute.com.

P.S. For the uninitiated, free-flight is a form of non-motorized flight using paragliding and hang gliding wings. Instead of gasoline, the wings are powered by thermals, which are rising pockets of hot air that release from the ground in the warmer months.

Woodrat Mountain is famous for its reliable launching conditions and cross-country possibilities. The site distance record is held by Hayden Glatte who flew 98.4 miles to Bly, Oregon.