Skihang Wirtsberg

Skihang Wirtsberg is a ski slope near Bartholomä in the Swabian Alb, at around 690 m facing southeast, well suited to kiting practice and to soaring in strong wind. Because a glider airfield sits right next door, maximum flight altitude here is capped at 300 ft (about 91 m) above ground, and the neighboring gliding club sometimes flies its landing pattern directly over the Wirtsberg and shares the lift along the forest edge — worth watching for. Flying is banned outright whenever skiing, sledding, cross-country skiing or grazing is under way: the ski season, from December through March, brings a full ban on training and guest flights while the snow and guide fences are up, and the slope must not even be walked on with thin snow cover, especially along the cross-country track. Sheep or cattle grazing, or grass grown tall, also rules out flying for the day. Vehicles can't park at the slope itself, on the gravel track to the ski hut, or on the field path — everyone parks at the hiking car park instead.

Launch & conditions

Good for kiting practice and soaring in strong southeast wind, but maximum altitude is capped at 300 ft (about 91 m) above ground because of the neighboring glider airfield, whose pattern sometimes crosses directly overhead.

Getting there & local rules

Park only at the hiking car park — not at the slope, the gravel track to the ski hut, or the field path.

Local rules & hazards

Flying is banned during skiing, sledding, cross-country skiing and grazing, including the full training-and-guest-flight ban through the December–March ski season while snow fences are up. Launches and landings off the marked areas are only allowed on dry ground, and driving on the protected grassland is not permitted.

Check conditions before you fly

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