Considering how windy it is here in Wyoming, the Cowboy State seems like an ideal place for the sport of hang gliding. And it is.

Casper native Kevin Christopherson knows first hand. Christopherson is a pilot, a businessman and the chairman of the Natrona County School Board. He's also a world record holder.

As a teenager, Christopherson became fascinated with hang gliding. With no formal training, he went on to set three separate distance records.

In 1989, he set off from Whiskey Peak, Wyoming. 287 miles later, he landed safely in North Dakota, setting a world record for the longest foot launched hang gliding ride.

The record has since been challenged, but not officially confirmed, by hang gliders in Australia and California.

Not only did Christopherson's legendary ride earn him worldwide acclaim, it also helped establish Wyoming, and particularly Whiskey Peak, as a highly sought out location for hang gliding enthusiasts.

Located 40 miles north of Rawlins on U.S. Highway 287, Whiskey Peak climbs to an elevation of 9,225 feet. Due to its unique geography, and those gusty Wyoming winds we all know and love, gliders at Whiskey Peak can catch thermal up-winds, sending them soaring over 2,000 feet high .

Every year, hundreds of hang gliders come to the Cowboy State in search of an epic ride. To date, nobody's flown further than Wyoming's very own Kevin Christopherson.

Click here for more information about Wyoming's world famous haven for hang gliders.

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