Schmalzlalm

Schmalzlalm is an east-facing practice slope in Bavaria, Germany, launching from 645 m and built for exactly the kind of low-pressure flying its description promises: a hill to play on and practice on rather than chase serious distance. Training flights only happen when conditions actually suit training, which keeps the site's easygoing reputation from turning into a trap on a day that's really too strong or shifty for beginners. The one hard line drawn here is about wind direction: crosswind launches with any southerly influence are banned outright, because the adjacent forest throws turbulence and a lee effect into exactly the part of the sky a pilot needs to be climbing through right after launch. Anyone flying here is also expected to inform the terrain holder before using the slope, keeping the site's access on good terms with whoever manages the ground. Wind from the northeast is what the launch is built for; strayed too far south and the forest behind it stops being scenery and starts being a hazard.

Getting there & local rules

Inform the terrain holder before flying here.

Local rules & hazards

Crosswind launches with southerly wind influence are banned — the adjacent forest creates turbulence and a lee effect right where a pilot needs clean air after launching.

Check conditions before you fly

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