MILPITAS, CA - AUGUST 8: Hang gliding pilot Ray Cheng, of San Francisco, takes flight with the hang glider from the 600ft launch site as he practices his skills at Ed R. Levin County Park in ...

As for the safety of hang gliding and paragliding, Snowball said this. "It's a lot safer than driving on Valley freeways." Others, like Leyendecker, said it is about as safe as scuba diving.

The site at North Mingus Campground has been a famous destination for hang gliding and paragliding since the 1980s.