Speikboden

Speikboden is a high, excellent cross-country launch in South Tyrol at 2,362 m, with several places to lay out a wing about a 10-minute walk from the chairlift, and usable wind from northeast through southwest. A FlyCard purchase applies to fly this site, so it's worth sorting that out before your first visit rather than at the last minute. Landing is at a very large meadow with a windsock down in Taufers — though it can't actually be seen from launch, so pilots should know the field before committing rather than expecting a visual reference on the way down. A shuttle bus connects the landing back to Sand and the gondola, making the return easy. One clear hazard to respect: a north wind here is flagged as genuinely dangerous, distinct from the site's normal northeast-to-southwest window.

Launch & conditions

Several places to lay out a wing, about a 10-minute walk from the chairlift. A FlyCard purchase is required to fly here — best sorted out in advance.

Getting there & local rules

Landing is at a very large meadow with a windsock at Taufers, not visible from launch — plus a shuttle bus stop back to Sand and the gondola.

Local rules & hazards

A north wind here is flagged as dangerous — treat it differently from the site's normal, usable northeast-to-southwest window.

Check conditions before you fly

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