Col Rodella Startplatz 3

Col Rodella is one of the most recognized takeoffs in the Dolomites, launching from 2,383 m below the mountain station with a view over some of the range's most striking rock towers — on good autumn days, pilots here can climb above the peaks themselves. The Dolomites are as demanding as they are spectacular: the rock flanks around this launch are enormous and can turn genuinely turbulent, and the source is direct that this is not a site for pilots without solid mountain flying experience once the thermals get going. Access on foot is possible via the Sella Pass for pilots who'd rather walk in than rely on the lift, and the flyable wind direction here is south-west. This is a site to fly with real Alpine mileage behind you and a clear-eyed read of the day's thermal strength — the same terrain that produces the classic Dolomites views is what makes the air rough when it's working hardest.

Launch & conditions

Takeoff sits below the mountain station, beneath towering, turbulence-prone rock flanks — the source is explicit this isn't a site for beginners once the thermals get going.

Getting there & local rules

Reachable on foot via the Sella Pass, as an alternative to the lift.

Local rules & hazards

The rock flanks here are enormous and can turn genuinely turbulent — fly with a clear-eyed read of the day's thermal strength, especially once the thermals are actively bubbling.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Col Rodella Startplatz 3, 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 Col Rodella Startplatz 3 with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.