Wirzweli

Wirzweli is a north-facing launch at about 1,220 metres above Dallenwil in central Switzerland, reached by cable car — the same lift used for the higher Wirzweli-Horn launch nearby, just to a lower station. Before flying anywhere in this valley, the one fact worth knowing well is that the Engelberger valley below carries many cables, often unmarked and hard to see from the air, so route planning and altitude margin deserve real attention rather than an afterthought. The site only works with a north wind, so it's worth confirming that direction is actually forecast rather than assuming a nearby site's conditions will translate here. As with mountain flying elsewhere in Switzerland, the airspace picture is more layered than it looks, and checking current restrictions before committing to a flight is time well spent. Cable-car access keeps Wirzweli an easy launch to get to, but the cable hazard in the valley below is the detail that actually decides how carefully a flight here should be planned.

Launch & conditions

North-facing launch at ~1,220 m, reached by cable car from Dallenwil.

Getting there & local rules

Cable car from Dallenwil.

Local rules & hazards

The Engelberger valley below has many cables, often unmarked and hard to spot from the air — plan your route and altitude margin with this in mind. Switzerland's airspace is also more layered than it looks, so confirm current restrictions before flying.

Check conditions before you fly

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