Cumbre San Andres y Sauces

Cumbre San Andrés y Sauces is a high-altitude launch on La Palma in Spain's Canary Islands, taking off from 2,064 m in wind from the north or northeast, and set up primarily for thermic flying given the launch height and terrain. The approach to launch is straightforward — the site is reached via the LP-4 road and is clearly marked along the way, so finding it is not the hard part of the day. What deserves real attention is the weather: cloud can build below launch very quickly, and condensation is known to form early in the day and develop fast, which can change conditions on the mountain in a short window. The landing zone is La Fajana, below the town of Barlovento — it's stony and overgrown rather than a manicured field, so a careful approach matters, and pilots are advised to place a windsock there before flying since none is guaranteed to be set up. The same landing area doubles as informal parking for cars and campers, so expect some ground traffic to plan around on arrival. Given the altitude and the fast-moving cloud, this is a site better suited to pilots comfortable reading a mountain sky in real time rather than trusting a morning forecast alone.

Getting there & local rules

The site is reached via the LP-4 road and is clearly marked the whole way, so it's easy to find.

Local rules & hazards

Cloud can build very rapidly below the launch, and condensation is known to form early and develop fast, so check conditions at the landing zone before flying and stay alert for sudden wind shifts.

Check conditions before you fly

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