Fröhnd Schneckenkopf Startplatz

Fröhnd Schneckenkopf sits in the Hochschwarzwald, southwest of the Feldberg in Germany's Black Forest, at around 1,000 m with roughly 500 m of usable height difference. The site flies in a wide range of wind directions, split between a south-facing and a northwest-facing launch — locals fly the south side in early afternoon and switch to the northwest side in high summer after 6pm. There's no major airspace restriction and no unusually strong valley wind, though several sets of clearly visible power lines run through the valley below, including a large overhead line near the Schönau landing field that pilots must clear with height in hand. Guest pilots are welcome, and on weekends between Easter and late October a club shuttle runs pilots up to the launch. A slope landing near the hikers' car park is possible in an emergency if height is lost quickly after launching. Student pilots are required to know slope-landing technique before flying here, since the designated landing fields themselves sit on sloped ground.

Launch & conditions

Two launches serve different wind directions: the south-facing launch suits early afternoon, and the northwest-facing launch (above Schneckenkopf) works best after 6pm in high summer, landing at the Schönau field. Keep off the meadow itself until you're ready to launch, and don't disturb grazing cattle.

Getting there & local rules

Reachable by a weekend shuttle bus (Easter–October) to within 500 m of launch, or on foot: park at the Holzer Kreuz car park and hike the last 200 m of altitude, about 25 minutes, via a gravel path and a steep grass track to the Dornwaasen saddle.

Local rules & hazards

The paraglider landing fields at Fröhnd-Hof sit on a slope, so student pilots need to know proper slope-landing technique before flying here. Several sets of power lines run through the valley, including a large overhead line near the Schönau landing field that must be cleared with plenty of height. The northwest launch is best flown in the evening during high summer, and no significant airspace restrictions apply.

Check conditions before you fly

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