Winterkasten

Winterkasten is a southeast-facing training slope in the Bergstraße district of Hesse, at about 444 m, run as a practice hill for paragliding and hang-gliding students. Flying only happens by prior arrangement with the site operator — this isn't a site to simply turn up and launch from. Nature-conservation conditions set by the district authority in 2011 apply: the terrain itself may not be altered, and launches and landings must be flown with the least possible disturbance to the surrounding landscape. Students still learning to turn are restricted by their instructor to limited sections of the slope until they've mastered turning flight and slope-landing technique, and during full-height training the instructor typically positions themselves mid-slope, near the orchard trees, to talk students down by radio. A dedicated landing field, Winterkasten Landeplatz, serves the site.

Launch & conditions

This is a supervised training slope, not a free-fly hill — flying happens only by prior arrangement with the site operator. Students who haven't yet mastered turning flight are restricted to limited sections of the slope at their instructor's discretion.

Getting there & local rules

The site sits near the Gumpener Kreuz / Bismarckturmstraße junction. Arrange your visit with the site operator ahead of time rather than turning up unannounced — this is a school-run training hill.

Local rules & hazards

Nature-conservation conditions set by the district authority in 2011 require the terrain to stay unaltered and launches/landings to minimise disturbance to the surrounding landscape. During full-height training days, the instructor is typically positioned mid-slope near the orchard trees to guide students down by radio.

Check conditions before you fly

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