Almost all mountain railways will be starting winter operations this weekend after maintenance! Time to make use of them. Here are our recommendations for the winter!
Prättigau, to Fanas from Davos N/E/S/W
The valley along the Landquart river leads from the Rhine Valley up to Davos and is a paragliding mecca all year round. Various well-known flying areas are close to each other here, many of which are very well developed and attract countless pilots. In winter and spring in particular, this part of Graubünden has some of the best thermal spots, and the small runway in Fanas is booked out long in advance. Our favourite: the Jakobshorn! The tubes rise strongly from the SW slopes and top landings at the Jazzhütte are easy.
Flims SE-NW
The Graubünden mountain village in the Surselva is known for its large ski areas. For us paragliders, Flims offers a good infrastructure, easy take-off and landing sites and wide, open terrain. The take-off site at Crap Sogn Gion at 2220 metres is easy; if you are too high you can top-land. Best conditions in light southerly positions, but don't fly in foehn winds.
Hoch Ybrig NW/NE
The ski area in the canton of Schwyz is easy to reach from Zurich, offers cheap paragliding tickets and exciting flying conditions in northern locations. When the wind blows from the south, the wind blows from behind the take-off site and spoils the take-off plan. Be careful when there is a north wind and high fog in the valley, as the fog quickly blows over the landing site, which is unfavourable for pilots still flying at that time.
Rotenflue SW/W/NW
One of our most frequently flown areas. Taking off and landing is easy, thermals can be found either on the south slopes - watch out for cables - or on the Mythen. The hunting ban area must be observed, otherwise it is an easy and beautiful flying area. When there is a bise, the wind comes from behind, when there is a foehn, the Rotenflue is dangerous.
Andermatt NW/N/NE
Located on the main ridge of the Alps, the Gemsstock towers high above the Urserental. A runway in two sections quickly climbs up to almost three thousand meters. The Gemsstock is a worthwhile flying area with light northwest to northeast winds at an altitude of 3000 meters. Be careful: on the main ridge of the Alps, the wind can quickly get too strong at this altitude! If the wind is too strong, you can also take off from the middle station. Soaring days are legendary, where you can go up high and see almost the entire Alpine panorama as far as the Mittelland and Ticino.
Engelberg SE-NW
The thermal oven par excellence in central Switzerland. Easy to reach, beautifully situated and plenty of space. The Brunnibahn takes you quickly to the Brunnihütte at 1860 metres, directly in front of the starting line above the wooded south-facing slopes. The valley town of Engelberg is at 1000 metres and thus mostly above the high fog. Slight south-facing slopes are good, but if there is a tendency for a foehn, it is better to head deeper into the Engelberg valley.
Grindelwald S/SW
Impressive area in the Bernese Oberland. Flying in front of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, starting point for flights in the high Alps. The super infrastructure attracts us as well as tourists from all over the world. The panorama is unique, flights from Grindelwald First are best when there is little wind and a slight southerly direction. Foehn is not good. For flights from the Jungfraujoch you need a light wind from the north, then an unforgettable flight is possible.
Fiesch SE/S/SW
Known far and wide as a starting point for long-distance hunters, many pilots come to Fiesch at any time of year. The Valais, which runs east-west, is a real race track; if you don't mind cold fingers, you can even do short and long-distance flights in winter. In winter, the valley winds are not strong, so even beginners can find their way. However, even in winter, Fiesch shows its high alpine character when the valley wind suddenly turns into a mountain wind, making landing in Fiesch very sporty. Northerly winds are unsuitable in Valais; flying then becomes very challenging, and foehn is not good either. The best conditions are found in light SW winds.
Personal Responsibility
Bewusst sind nur grobe Informationen zu den jeweiligen Fluggebieten aufgelistet. Wetter, lokale Gegebenheiten, Regeln, Luftraum, Gefahren und Vorschriften müssen im Homebriefing und vor Ort abgecheckt werden. Die Aufzählung gibt Dir ein paar gute Ideen für neue Abenteuer, für die kleinen aber wichtigen Details bist Du an jedem Flugtag selber verantwortlich – guten Winterflug!