NorCal Skydiving is the only skydiving operation in Sonoma County wine country, running tandem and licensed solo jumps from the Cloverdale Municipal Airport at the northern edge of the Alexander Valley. Owner Tyler Wareham learned to skydive at NorCal over fifteen years ago and now runs the operation; President Jimmy Halliday and the instructor staff are USPA-rated, and most of the team made their first tandem jump here. The PAC750 jump aircraft climbs to 12,000 feet for the Classic Tandem, with the freefall plunge at 120 mph toward the Russian River as it bends through Alexander Valley.
The signature offering is the $269 Classic Tandem from 12,000 feet: about 60 seconds of freefall, then a 5-7 minute parachute glide with views from the Pacific to the Sierra Nevada (Point Reyes, San Francisco Bay, Russian River, Napa Valley all visible on clear days). Group discounts kick in at 5 jumpers. The drop zone is one of the few skydive centers in the Bay Area where friends and family can watch jumpers gear up, board the plane, freefall, and land safely all from picnic tables on the grounds. AFF (Accelerated FreeFall) certification courses run for those pursuing the USPA A-license. Open weekends year-round, plus Wednesday-Sunday May through October. Walk-ins welcome on operating days, but reservations strongly recommended.
