Javorovy

Javorovy is a thermal, soaring and cross-country site above a ski slope in the Beskids, reached either by hiking or by taking the local ski-lift (which runs on the hour, cash only) up to the ridge and walking the rest of the way to a launch just below the Javorovy mountain hut. It is a genuinely wide launch — room for three wings to lay out side by side — and the terrain lower down also supports flatland-style flying. Westerly wind needs particular care here: if it is windy on the landing field but calm at launch, that calm is a sign the takeoff itself sits in the lee, and pilots should expect turbulence right after leaving the hill — enough that some days are better spent on the ground. The landing field itself is big and smooth, but high-tension power lines run along the mountain side, almost invisible from above; pilots are told to never let themselves get low there, and to choose an emergency landing on a sloped field over trying to thread the lines with little margin.

Launch & conditions

Launch is a wide ski-slope clearing just below the Javorovy mountain hut, with room for three gliders to lay out together.

Getting there & local rules

Reach launch by hiking or by taking the local ski-lift (hourly, cash only) to the top, then following the footpath in to the launch area.

Local rules & hazards

Westerly wind needs care: if the landing field is windy but launch feels calm, the takeoff itself is in the lee, and turbulence right after leaving the hill is common enough that some days are better not flown. On the mountain side, high-tension power lines run almost invisible from above — never get low there; an emergency landing on a sloped field is safer than trying to clear the lines with little margin.

Check conditions before you fly

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