Palfries

Palfries, above the Trüebbach/Oberschan area in eastern Switzerland, launches from around 1,746 m on a south-westerly wind and is a genuine multi-discipline site — good for thermals, soaring, cross-country and hike-and-fly — though it's mostly used by hang-glider pilots. The single hazard every pilot needs to know before flying: there are unmarked cables in the area. The cable car up to Palfries does not carry hang-gliders or paragliders, so getting to launch means driving up from Trüebbach or Oberschan and following the local parking rules once there. Airspace is legally tight here too: flying between Ragaz and Vilters is forbidden outright, because of the airfield at Bad Ragaz. Foehn wind is a genuine hazard, and landings can turn turbulent when the wind is a Bise. The landing zone at Wangs is the only legal one inside the airfield's 5 km radius — Flums or Walenstadt are the alternatives outside that zone.

Launch & conditions

This site is mostly used by hang-glider pilots; there are unmarked cables in the area, so watch carefully before committing to a line.

Getting there & local rules

The Palfries cable car does not carry hang-gliders or paragliders — drive up from Trüebbach or Oberschan instead, and follow the local parking rules.

Local rules & hazards

Flying between Ragaz and Vilters is forbidden outright because of Bad Ragaz airfield. Foehn wind is a genuine hazard, and the landing zone can turn turbulent in a Bise. Wangs is the only legal landing zone inside the airfield's 5 km radius — use Flums or Walenstadt outside that.

Check conditions before you fly

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