About the author
Foreword by Zane Jacobson
Some of us sit at home or in our office daily, resigned to the fact that our dreams will forever be 10 steps ahead, mere flights of the Walter Mitty variety. Those of us who've found some success in actually exploring the backcountry in airplanes feel a deserved fulfillment, but where does one go from there? One step further is to combine disciplines or passions in the manner that Austrian pilot Paul Guschlbauer has: Using his Super Cub to find and access new backcountry paraglider launch sites.
The following is his short tale of realizing his dream of being a bush pilot in Alaska, shortly after finishing the 2015 Red Bull X-Alps. He doesn't go into it in much detail, but Paul is a Red Bull-sponsored competitor in the prestigious mountaineering/paragliding race, which is described as "the world's toughest adventure race."
Every 2 years it pits pilots/endurance racers against each other in a sort of mountain flying enduro-type competition that starts in Salzburg, Austria and ends in Monaco; a distance of over 1,100 km. Athletes are in prime physical condition, and are expert paraglider pilots, flying the serious mountain terrain of the Alps, using thermals and ridge lift to cover large cross-country legs. If they descend too far, or conditions are not flyable, they must hike to the next checkpoint or climb to a high enough elevation in preparation for launching again. Paul has finished 3rd place three times amid a very strong field of entrants.
Expect more from Paul on Backcountry Pilot in 2018, as he has some exciting announcements coming up. Until then you can follow his adventures on his Youtube channel. -Zane Jacobson|Editor
The dream is born
Fall 2015. Red Bull X-Alps is again beaten, and like every time after this race, neither my mind nor my body wants to deal with this topic. Too intense are the experiences during the 10 days, every two years in July, that I could have processed them completely in just 4 months.
That's why the focus is on other projects— there are enough ideas, but nothing really convinces me. I know that I also want to improve in my second passion, the second type of movement in the air, namely flying by aircraft. Two years ago, I decided to take this step: Private Pilot License - the dream of flying around the world with my own small plane, the dream of aerobatics in one of those sleek, fast-paced Airrace planes, was one step closer!
Photo: Daniele Molineris
Paul hiking a leg of the Red Bull X-Alps mountain flying adventure race.
Paul sessions the strong ridge lift in the Kobuk sand dunes, north of the Arctic circle.
After some effort, I finally got the contact information for one of Alaska's best bush pilots and it feels like a huge step forward! Alaska! Bush pilot! Wow!
Everyone has their own ideas of Alaska. Most I've heard have something to do with cold, wilderness, and loneliness, and frankly, I did not know much more. But I really wanted to learn! Into the wild... that's what I imagined. But instead of dying in an abandoned school bus, I wanted to discover Alaska from the air.
Photo: P.Guschlbauer
En route the Wrangells with Bobby Breeden, in search of paragliding launch sites.
My first conversation with Ken MacDonald was just as relaxed and uncomplicated as I imagined. I told him that I would like to come visit him to fly in Alaska, to become a bush pilot— to learn the art of safe landing and launching away from civilization and, at best, the land, its endless expanses and discover its countless mountains. I had the impression that Ken was almost thrilled with my idea. Obviously, there's not that many who are interested in embarking on such an adventure, at least not in a capacity beyong dreaming, but Ken was the real deal. Our first conversation ended with me being invited to live with Ken and his family and learn from him until I was experienced enough to set out and discover Alaska by plane and paraglider on my own. There was only one small problem: No one rents aircraft for what I wanted to do with it. The only possibility was to own one.
Again, my new friend was extremely helpful and agreed to arrange, according to my low budget, an appropriate aircraft.
Photo: P.Guschlbauer
My first airplane; it has unlocked doors that have changed my life.
Landfall, Alaska
April 2016. With two paragliders, a warm sleeping bag, a pair of skis and some clothes, I found myself in a cheap hotel room in Anchorage. I had to spend the night so that the next day I could get my U.S. pilot certificate based on my European one. I was restless...eager to escape the city (no one comes to Alaska for a big city) and start inspecting my very first airplane.
But luckily everything happened fast. Full of enthusiasm, I told the Federal Aviation Administration official of my plans; he looked quite puzzled as he inspected my logbook and discovered the massive sum of just 110 flight hours at the bottom of the list.
Powder patrol...looking for zones to ski, March 2017.
At noon I met Ken in the lobby of my hotel and was surprised that my idea of the bush pilot from Alaska actually fit so well with reality. A slightly worn, smaller man with Carhart work trousers, which were clearly not misused, and a Primaloft jacket, which was already patched in at least 5 places. His hands looked freshly washed but were nevertheless smeared with some oil. Even if I did not know it at that moment, I too would soon look the same.
Ken came by car to transport me and all my luggage safely to his home. He actually hates driving a car and always picks up his visitors from the airport with his plane, but because Ken hates the city as much as his car, he decided on maximum efficiency and combined the trip with his monthy bulk grocery run.
Photo: P.Guschlbauer
My wife enjoys the late day sun in Valley of the Smokes.
After a 2-hour drive we arrived at Ken's ranch. It is, from a European point of view, a huge property. It's reached by leaving the main road and following a gravel road for half an hour to a nice house where Ken lives with his wife and two children. Just a few steps to his hangar, and which sits adjacent a large open field surrounded by tall trees— Ken's airstrip.
"If I can ever safely take off and land here, I'll have already achieved all my goals," I think. But the most exciting thing about this magical place is the many planes that are on every corner. All Piper Super Cubs- the ultimate Alaska bushplane. It is the standard by which all STOL aircraft are judged, a seminal foundation in its own right. He who owns a Super Cub in Alaska, is one of the cool guys... and mine is right over there! I can hardly believe that the first part of my dream has already become reality.
Photo: P.Guschlbauer
Home base, Ken's place in a much frostier time of year.
July 2016. I've already lived in Ken's hangar for 4 months, on a mattress in the farthest corner, lying on an old rug that limits my territory. Right next to it is Ken's helicopter and his Super Cub, and I could not imagine a better place to pitch my base camp in Alaska.
I've spent 350 hours in my Super Cub (that's an average of 3 hours per day) and have landed in places that very few people can ever see because they're unreachable without a plane or helicopter. Many times I even pulled my paraglider from the baggage compartment in one of these beautiful, remote places, and climbed up to the nearest mountain and glided back to the plane. My dream of #flytofly has come true!
Photo: P.Guschlbauer
My main partner in adventure: 95Z
Ken was an ingenious teacher. After patiently showing me for 3 days what I must do to legally operate my Cub— the "annual" was due— and he, being an aircraft mechanic, has signed it off, we flew together for 2 days... until suddenly he no longer wanted to be in the aircraft— he said that I should now practice alone.
Alaska is a strange place. I have the impression that trees grow slower here and wounds don’t heal as fast, but at the same time I have the confidence and the freedom to develop my skills even faster. Just after a week, Ken's Strip felt as if I was putting my car in the garage at home...
Venturing further north
In June 2016 I took a memorable trip with my friend Jake Soplanda, a lifelong Alaskan and an experienced Super Cub pilot who gives tours to other pilots.
We flew all the way from Anchorage area to Kotzebue, in the northwest. On the way we spent a night at the Kobuk sand dunes, which are located north of the Arctic circle. I soared my glider in very strong winds at one of the dunes, it was incredible.
Photo: P.Guschlbauer
Paul casts a shadow on a Noatak river bar as he descends in his glider toward the parked Cubs.
From there we ventured across the Brooks range and up to the Arctic ocean, where we landed on a small strip of sand even north of the coast. After that we touched down on the bottom of Mount Chamberlin, which was long believed to be the highest mountain in the Brooks Range (according to German Wikipedia it still is.) I started to climb it at 10:00pm and arrived at the top by 3:00am in perfect midnight sun! I took off and flew back to the plane.
Photo: P.Guschlbauer
3:00am "sled ride" down Mount Chamberlin after hiking 5 hours.
Next day I felt like being in the best possible place for an office, right there in the middle of nowhere, far north of the Arctic circle.
Photo: P.Guschlbauer
Paul's dream office, located north of the Arctic circle. No shoe policy.
Fly to fly
By August 2016, I had met Bobby Breeden. We flew together almost every day for a month. It was great fortune that I got to know him, because I learned a great deal, we had a great time together, and he showed me some amazing places to land!
Photo: P.Guschlbauer
My favorite photo: Hatcher Pass, just north of the Matanuska valley.
We went on a trip to the Wrangells and when we found this pass to land, my dream of the perfect #flytofly experience came true. We landed high, I got my glider out of the plane, just walked a few feet up the side of the mountain, soared the little cliff with the glider for half an hour in the constant 20 mph wind, and landed back at the plane. The wind was so good, I could even stand on my cowling with the glider kited up!
Photo: Bobby Breeden
Super Cub-served access; if you've ever paraglided, you know that Paul getting up there was demonstrative of pro-level skill.
I'm also quite passionate about photography, and the Wrangells are like no other place on the planet for capturing otherworldly images. The light, the mountains...the Super Cubs. I am proud of these photos.
Photo: P.Guschlbauer
Somewhere in the Wrangells...again.
And of course, I had to try water skiing...
Photo: Ken Macdonald
Video
Paul and Bobby have a nearly obscene amount of fun searching for paragliding launch sites.
Ski flying
In March 2017 I made yet another sojourn from Austria to Alaska to fly my Cub on straight skis...for the first time. Every day I headed out in search for the perfect backcountry skiing. I brought two friends from Austria, who are very motivated and experienced backcountry skiers...of the variety that attach to your feet.
For me it was a great experience in many ways: I learned to fly the plane in snow and very winterly, cold conditions. I got to do perfect backcountry touring with my friends, and filmed and created a short film of the whole trip for ski equipment manufacturer Dynafit.
Photo: P.Guschlbauer
I think we found the perfect powder valley!
My highest landing yet: nearly 10,000 feet MSL.
