Gliding along the side of a cloud is an unforgettable experience. Being able to soar up the face of a cloud is icing on the cake! There are multiple ways to achieve either scenario. However, safety and legality are a function of pilot skill and location.
To fly along the face of a cloud the simplest way is to pick a day when there are fair weather cumulus clouds forming and their bases are not very high. If a mountain exists nearby that is higher than the cloud tops, and the mountain itself is not enveloped in cloud, then it is possible to launch and glide to the cumulus cloud and fly along the face.
This is preferable on a light-wind day, before noon, to minimise turbulence. Nonetheless, despite smooth conditions on take-off, some chop might be encountered on the side of the cloud as it is growing. Below cloudbase thermals are to be expected. In humid regions cumulus clouds tend to dissipate slower and a larger proportion of the cumulus clouds will not be...
