Stockhorn

Stockhorn is a mountain launch above Erlenbach in the Bernese Oberland, Switzerland, at about 2,050 m, favoring a southerly wind and offering thermal flying with hike access as an alternative to the lift. A gondola from Erlenbach reaches the upper mountain, making the launch accessible without the full climb. Landing is at Seewlen in the valley below. Swiss airspace around this region carries restrictions and active danger areas that change over time, so checking current airspace status before flying is genuinely important here rather than a formality. There's a specific, sharply worded landing hazard at the site: never land near the lake by the gondola's middle station, because cables run through that area and make it dangerous. Pilots planning a flight should treat that restriction as absolute rather than a rough guideline.

Launch & conditions

Favorable wind from the south.

Getting there & local rules

A gondola from Erlenbach reaches the upper mountain and the launch.

Local rules & hazards

Swiss airspace in this region includes active danger areas and restrictions that change, so check current airspace status before flying. Never land near the lake by the gondola's middle station — cables run through that area and make it dangerous.

Check conditions before you fly

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