The Ankenhubel (1549 m above sea level) is the first elevation at the end of the Äschligrat, located west of Lake Lungern.
The starting point for this paragliding tour was a trip with friends to Kaiserstuhl OW. Since I didn't know the area very well, I wanted to keep the option of a hike & fly open. I've also been thinking about flying from Engelberg to the Bernese Oberland for a while. So it's a good idea to explore part of this route in advance. I found the take-off point using the XContest flight search. This search function (login required) can be used to find inspiration for cross-country flights or take-off points. The search radius is set too large by default. The large number of results can be overwhelming. However, you can use the radius and the other filters to narrow down the search to what you want.
The starting point has been defined, now we just need to find out some information about the local conditions. Aha, a wildlife rest area!
Are you even allowed to take off there? On closer inspection it becomes clear that the route goes through this zone, but the take-off site is outside it. So it's not a problem. Oh, there's still plenty of airspace. With an active TMA, there are an average of 3-400m left for turning. TMAs and AWYs south of the dividing line between the Alps and the Central Plateau can always be flown below a maximum of 300m above ground, while to the north the specified lower limit always applies. The status of the TMA can be queried via the information band on 041 620 91 06 and a look at the DABS will clarify the planned activations. The information band should be listened to again before the flight, because the TMAs can be activated within 30 minutes.
With a few clicks in SwitzerlandMobility, a nice elevation profile of the hike is generated and the key data is also clear. Preparations are done, let's go! The path is steep, but the view of the two lakes is beautiful. Overall, the tour is short and sweet in my opinion.
