Kelly

Let's start with the logistics of it all. I live in New Jersey. Skydive Elsinore is in California. That¡¦s a pretty nice distance away, an entire country in fact. Despite that difference I flew to Elsinore four times last season and I¡¦m heading back in two weeks.

This place is great. The separate, huge landing areas keep jumpers safe. The staff, always there and willing to talk and give advice, make it a great learning environment. Ground Zero is open all the time, no matter the weather. Organized skydives every weekend bring skill levels up and keep them there. Whether you freefly, belly fly, or do that silly wingsuit stuff ƒº, you¡¦ve got someone to jump with who knows what they¡¦re doing. Forget about the regular old typical skydive. When you come to Elsinore you¡¦ll find yourself experiencing other disciplines, getting on great hybrids, learning from highly talented experienced jumpers, and doing all sorts of other things that keep you learning.

The coaches there are excellent, giving out good advice that improves skill and challenges less experienced jumpers just enough to keep them safe and have them pushing their limits and discovering new abilities.
The owners, just all round great men who will go out of their way to make sure your stay is comfortable and good. The fun jumpers are just as great company at the dinner table as they are in the sky. When you come here you don¡¦t just make friends, you keep friends.

I went to Elsinore twice last March and then I didn¡¦t get back until Chicks Rock boogie in October. After the huge success of Chicks Rock I returned home and immediately started making plans to return. Before I knew it I was booked to spend Christmas out there. Elsinore folks didn¡¦t disappoint and it was a great holiday with even greater friends. I love this place. I love the people.

I got home on New Year¡¦s Day and on January 3rd I booked another flight out for Presidents weekend. When I tell you this place is home I mean it. If I didn¡¦t have a full time job I¡¦d spend the entire winter out there. I¡¦m looking to move out there, which would mean leaving a good job here. It¡¦s in large part to the drop zone and the people who built it. You will make friends for life.

Southern California offers it all. Multiple airports nearby, including San Diego, LAX, and the best one of all for its location and location, Ontario airport in Ontario, CA. There¡¦s skiing, snowboarding, skydiving, surfing, wind tunnel flying, a rock climbing mecca, and so much more. Other dropzones are nearby with good people and their own perks. The beauty of having so many drop zones in one area is that each one can carve out its own self. Elsinore, well it¡¦s done a great job of creating a one of a kind place.

Come see for yourself or check out the website. Stop by the ¡§Around the dz¡¨ section and see for yourself how much fun we have out there.

just got home from 8 days at zhills. weather wasnt the best and i only did 4 jumps. coulda went hard core but i want to enjoy my skydives, not wonder if my fingers have fallen off.
I liked the huge airport. My first jump I couldnt help but see the airport, then it only took recognizing the landing area and determining if i could get back home safely.
A lot of it was new. They Free Fliers go out first, then the belly fliers. That sorta freaked me out. but nothing bad came of it while i was there. Also, people were landing however they felt. I hadn't jumped at a dz w/ a swoop pond yet, so that may have been a factor. but it wasnt just the swoopers, it was a lot of other people too. But the landing area is relatively large, with outs all over the dz, so the option is yours if you want to either A) dump low, spiral down, and land amongst that or B) dump at a reasonable altitude, hold in brakes, land farther out and give yourself the time to analize whats going on. You just have to be heads up and decide whats on your level to handle.
the parties were fun, this coming from somebody who didnt even drink a sip of alchohol the ENTIRE time there. The bonfire was going every night, good for those of us who had to camp out in the cold.
They managed to get in 3 loads for NY EVE night jumps, all 3 of the loads were full.
TK was around a lot and easy to find. It's definitally a plus when you see the DZO on a daily basis and you dont wonder what they look like.
I asked manifest a question about landing patterns. Within minutes i had several instructors finding me to answer my questions. (they have no set landing direction on no wind days. I definitally thought that was good awareness on the busy manifestors part.
The food there is cheap! And Janine absolutely kicks butt.
All together i had a really great time out there. It's only the 3rd dz i've had a chance to jump at. Lots of freefliers, and load organizing for the belly fliers every day. The camping area is close by, the bathrooms are convienently located, the deck is huge, enough chairs to go around, big rig racks right near the landing area, plenty of ashtrays so there isnt much worry about a cigarette burning your gear.
Oh yeah, i only got bit by 2 red ants the entire time there. For florida, thats good.

I just returned home from 5 1/2 weeks at skydive arizona.I went there without knowing anyone ahead of time. When youre there for that long, you're hoping for a good enviroment.
The good things:
an excellent manifest staff. They do things right and they do things quickly. Beware though, the manifest window is for manifesting only, and that allows for accurate calls. THey say your name with each call, so questions about which load youre on are not needed. The office staff is polite and very helpful. The service is quick.
The planes just kept turning, turning, turning. So many teams train there that a shortage of loads isnt an issue. The rides to altitude are fast, and most of the jumpers are safetly conscious and will provide pin checks and secure helmets for take off, help each other close the door, help with spotting, seperation on exits, everything. I felt completely safe with 22 other people on the airplane with me.
They have a restaurant, bar and cafe with internet access and a laundry room. Bathrooms are located all over the dz and the showers are actually hot. Lets not forget the pool.
A canopy control school, skydive U,skysurf training with kibi (i spelled that wrong), freefly coaching balloon jumps available twice a day, 5 seperate packing consessions,load organizing, a full service rigging loft, Rigging Innovations, square 2, its all right there. The do their student training in a seperate area, so if youre like me and opting NOT to work on a dz like you did before, you've got a break from dealing with all that. I noticed a few repeat students. So they must be doing something right if their retaining them.
The staff is great. The people that work their work full time, so you start to recognize faces very quickly.
Seperate landing areas. The grass is soft and I found it easy even with a still healing ankle inujury. The walk back from the secondary landing area isnt a bad one.
There are lots of outs. I landed in the desert on purpose a few times, whether due to traffic or just to test my abilities in different landing conditions.
The other jumpers there for the most part look out for each other. I had a malfunction and while i was landing out under my reserve another jumper was landing with my freebag and reserve pilot chute. They brought the golf cart out and picked me up and he actually got back before me! Also, knowing my anxiety over my landings, people were volunteering to video them for me. In fact, for my first jump after my injury a few of my friends came to the secondary landing area just too see it. The people there are awesome, great friends, totally cool. I cant say enough about them. Only a few minutes after i arrived People were giving me hammers and telling me where manifest was, explain ing stuff to me, helping me out.
The staff at square 2 are awesome.
THe camping area is just a few seconds away from the bar, good for when youre stumbling to bed drunk..
Those that live there are family oriented. Thanksgiving dinner wasnt takeout, but instead a big BBQ with a few friends. You wont get lonely out there.
This isnt all, i just cant think of anything else. Ill post another review if i remember something.
The not so good things:
IT RAINED!! its not supposed to rain in arizona. and yeah, the desert does flood when it rains.
I HAD TO LEAVE THERE!!!