Schilthorn – Mürren / Muerren

Schilthorn, above Mürren in Switzerland's Bernese Oberland, is a high-altitude thermal, soaring and cross-country site launching from roughly 2,853 m at the Piz Gloria viewing platform — genuinely one of the more serious sites in this guide. To reach launch, walk down the stairs from the Piz Gloria platform and follow the ridge about 400 m to the west-north-west; the ground is stony, only partly covered by mats, and there's room for just one glider at a time, so bring a wind streamer to read conditions before committing. Access is by cablecar from Stechelberg via Mürren and Birg — and there's no free ride back down if you end up unable to fly, so weigh conditions carefully before committing to the trip up. Foehn wind is a real hazard here and needs to be taken seriously. A heliport sits about 1 km north of the landing zone, and the landing zone itself is right next to the cable car station, where the transport cable is a hazard pilots must watch for. When flying toward Interlaken, be aware of special rules on overflying or landing at the aerodrome there.

Launch & conditions

Launch is reached by walking down from the Piz Gloria platform and following the ridge about 400 m WNW; the ground is stony, only partly matted, with space for one glider at a time — bring a wind streamer.

Getting there & local rules

Access is by cablecar from Stechelberg via Mürren and Birg to Schilthorn — there is no free ride back down if you're unable to fly.

Local rules & hazards

Foehn wind is a real hazard here. A heliport sits about 1 km north of the landing zone, and the landing zone itself lies right by the cable car station, where the transport cable is a hazard to watch for. Flying toward Interlaken means observing special rules on overflying or landing at the aerodrome there.

Check conditions before you fly

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