Osterfelder Ost – Startplatz (Hauptstartplatz)

Osterfelder Ost is the main launch of a well-known site above Garmisch-Partenkirchen near the Zugspitze, at about 2,038 m and flyable in wind from roughly 30° to 170° (east through south) — never in west wind, and never when a föhn is blowing over the Zugspitze above 35 km/h. Hazards shift with the wind: north wind can bring small rotors right where pilots lift off, while west wind brings lee rotors and lee thermals, so pilots watch the windsock at the mountain station and a flag on the nearby avalanche-blasting line, staying ready to abort a launch on foot if needed. After launching, the plan is to turn left as soon as possible and stay out of the Reintal valley. This main launch, just south of the mountain rescue station, only operates when no pedestrians are on the path below it, and pilots keep proper safety heights and distances from people, buildings and the cable car — including the avalanche-blasting cables that run just above the launch. Every pilot needs a briefing here, and departure toward the landing field should happen in good time with enough height in hand, since Osterfelder is a genuinely alpine site with several other launches nearby, each with its own specific rules.

Local rules & hazards

This launch only operates when no pedestrians are on the path below it, and pilots keep proper safety heights and distances from people, buildings, the cable car and the avalanche-blasting cables running just above the launch. Wind must come from roughly 30° to 170° (east through south) — never west wind, and never with a föhn over the Zugspitze above 35 km/h. North wind can bring small rotors right at the lift-off point, west wind brings lee rotors and lee thermals; after launching, pilots turn left as soon as possible and stay out of the Reintal valley, departing toward the landing field in good time with enough height.

Check conditions before you fly

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