Mombarone

Mombarone is a demanding hike-and-fly launch above San Giacomo, roughly 2.5 to 3 hours' walk from the valley, and it requires solid take-off technique — this is not a beginner's site. Launch sits around 2,300 m just below the mountain refuge, with grassy ground open to southwest and south (watch for rocks) plus an east-facing option, more like northeast, that works best in nil to light wind and offers the flattest spot to lay out a wing. Conditions can turn bumpy through the middle of the day, so pilots after a smoother, more relaxing glide tend to launch in the evening, after 17:00. Foehn wind from the north and cloud building in around take-off are the hazards to watch here; there's no windsock, only a flag at the mountain refuge when it happens to be open. The official landing is down at San Giacomo.

Launch & conditions

Launch sits about 2,300 m just below the mountain refuge; ground opens to southwest and south (watch for rocks), with an east-facing option — more like northeast — that's best in nil to light wind and offers the flattest spot to lay out a wing.

Getting there & local rules

Roughly a 2.5 to 3 hour hike up from San Giacomo, which is also where the official landing is located.

Local rules & hazards

Watch for foehn wind from the north and cloud building in around take-off — both are real hazards here. There's no windsock; the only wind reference is a flag at the mountain refuge, when it happens to be open.

Check conditions before you fly

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