Chiodo fisso – Passo del Chiodo

Chiodo Fisso, at Passo del Chiodo near Passo del Tomarlo and Santo Stefano d'Aveto, opens onto real cross-country potential along the ridgeline toward peaks like Ragola. The take-off is an easy, grassy field right next to the road, with reliable lift usually found just to the right of launch. Altitude here is capped at 1,500 ft AGL under the Genova CTR, so airspace awareness matters more than at many nearby sites. Landing in the valley directly below Volpara is genuinely difficult — forest and power lines close it off — so pilots generally use the safer landing field close to take-off if the first thermal doesn't work out, or one of several grassy fields near Volpara itself, the largest of which sits between the main road and the village.

Launch & conditions

An easy, grassy take-off directly next to the road; lift is usually found just to the right of launch.

Getting there & local rules

Easy to reach by car at Passo del Chiodo, near Passo del Tomarlo and Santo Stefano d'Aveto.

Local rules & hazards

Altitude is capped at 1,500 ft AGL here — check the Genova CTR before flying. The direct valley landing below Volpara is difficult, hemmed in by forest and power lines, so most pilots use the safer field close to take-off, or one of the grassy fields near Volpara — the biggest sits between the main road and the village.

Check conditions before you fly

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