Obere Gurnigal

Obere Gurnigal is a hike-to-launch paragliding site above Wattenwil in the canton of Bern, Switzerland, at around 1,538 m, working wind from the northeast through southeast. The takeoff itself is described as an easy, gentle slope — approachable rather than technical — and it's rated for thermal, soaring, cross-country and hike-and-fly flying, so it draws a wide range of pilots rather than one narrow crowd. Getting there is a roughly 90-minute hike up from Wattenwil, rewarded with a glide down to the landing zone that works on pretty much any wing. Conditions favor the Bise, the cold, steady wind that blows from the north-northeast across the Swiss plateau, as long as it isn't blowing too hard — but that same flow has a habit of coming over the back of the ridge later in the afternoon, which turns the air rough and marks the point where the day's flying window is closing.

Local rules & hazards

The wind tends to come over the back of the ridge later in the afternoon, turning the air rough — treat that as the signal the flyable window is closing.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Obere Gurnigal, 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 Obere Gurnigal with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.