Hohe Winde

Hohe Winde is a hike-up thermal and soaring launch in the Swiss Jura at about 1,205 m, flyable in north, northeast or northwest wind — wind from the east, south or southwest side is a no-fly signal here. There are two ways up: hike about 1.5 hours from the landing field below, or drive to the Scheltenpass and hike the last 30 minutes to the summit. When Basel's instrument landing system is active, it caps flying here at a maximum altitude of 1,700 m, so it's worth checking whether it's running before you plan a high flight. Landing is near Kloster Beinwil, alongside the road toward Passwang, about 600 m below the launch. A rewarding hike-and-fly summit, but one where the wind-direction rule and the Basel ILS restriction both need checking before you commit to the climb.

Launch & conditions

Hike-up launch at about 1,205 m in the Jura, flyable in north, northeast or northwest wind — don't fly here with wind from the east, south or southwest.

Getting there & local rules

Hike about 1.5 hours up from the landing field, or drive to the Scheltenpass and hike the final 30 minutes to the summit.

Local rules & hazards

When Basel's instrument landing system is active, flying here is capped at a maximum altitude of 1,700 m — check whether it's running before planning a high flight. Only fly in wind from the north, northeast or northwest side; wind from the east, south or southwest is a no-fly signal.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Hohe Winde, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Hohe Winde with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.