SAFA Skysailor Magazine

8 SKY SAILOR September-October-November | SPRING 2026 Federation Peak Stoke Since Tassie is a relatively small island, we look for the best weather around the state, then head there for the day. Flying here is challenging at the best of times, so having the mindset of ‘I’m going flying as well as overnight hiking’ opens up the state completely. This attitude was essential for my ambition to fly over Federation Peak. Early in January, five days before the flight, the SkySight forecast looked amazing for the south-west. Top of lift looked to reach 2400m and a decent NNW wind was forecast up high, which would push me straight towards Federation Peak. The night before, a handful of pilots hiked two hours up Mt Anne Track and slept on the platforms at High Camp, before making our way up the rock scramble to Mt Eliza the next morning. Our group of six who camped overnight ranged in experience from low hours PG3 pilots to the more seasoned. The day seemed slow to start, as we waited for the wisps above Mt Eliza to get bigger. Then, around midday, we were off. Ben, on his new Alpina, joined me for the mission to ‘Fedders’, while other pilots had their first thermic flights in the area. Ben and I met at the top of a thermal high above Mt Eliza and eyed off the remote south. An excited exchange later, and with a few nerves in our tummies, off we went.