Best Conditions
Description
Located in the Meransen region of Italy, the Gitschberg offers a medium-difficulty paragliding experience with an elevation of 2089 meters and a height difference of 1180 meters. This site is regularly used and offers potential for cross-country flights.
The main launch site, Gitschberg 1, is situated just below the chairlift and is primarily used for tandem flights, especially on good cross-country days or when there's an east wind. It's about a 5-minute walk from the mountain railway. For more information, you can visit the Bat-Flyers Weitental website: [Bat-Flyers Weitental](http://batflyers.jimdo.com/fluggebiet-bergbahn).
This launch site is a good starting point for finding light thermals. If you don't catch any thermals, you can glide over the meadow ridge to Meransen or land in Weitental. Pilots should be comfortable with reverse launches, as the thermal updraft can be quite strong around midday. Be cautious of wind systems around the mountain ridge before launching, as rotors can form on both sides if the wind isn't directly aligned with the slope.
The Gitschberg cable car operates from mid-June to October, with a midday break. Operating hours are from 8:30 to 11:45 and from 13:30 to 17:00. For exact operating times, visit [Meransen](http://www.meransen.com/).
In spring, when the cable car is not in operation, you can drive to the 'Scharte' parking lot near Kieneralm (1741 m). From there, it's about a 45-minute hike to the 'Gitschhütte' (2210 m), the mountain station of the cable car. Make sure to bring provisions, as the huts may not be open.
During summer, the gondola only goes up to the middle station. From there, you'll need to hike a bit further to gain altitude. Without thermal support, the glide over the forest to the next landing spot can be quite far unless you land in Meransen. Landing at the church without gaining altitude is unrealistic, but you can land near the railway on the slope.
In winter, you can combine skiing with paragliding. If the lower slopes are snow-free, you can fly for 1-2 hours around midday. The thermal updraft is usually just west of the Kiener-Alm slope. Winter launch sites are near the summit station, facing west and east. The east launch site is good for cross-country thermals in spring. For winter and summer east wind conditions, a south launch followed by a left turn towards Vintl in Pustertal is recommended.
In spring, cross-country flights in Pustertal are possible, but avoid north winds. Early thermal entry is on the east side of Gitschberg, near the summit. You can fly to Bruneck (Pfalzen) and back. If you come in low before Pfunderertal, fly in for landing and updraft opportunities.
The valley wind in Pustertal frequently changes with the sun, blowing east in the morning and west in the afternoon. This makes returning flights challenging, so most big return flights are done from Sillian in the opposite direction.
In autumn, Gitschberg is a good alternative to the Dolomites. The cable car operates until mid-October. In high-pressure conditions with east wind, a 15-minute walk to Gitschhütte allows for better east launches.
The landing spot in Meransen requires a glide ratio of at least 7 to reach without thermals. The landing spot is higher than the valley station of the cable car, so this must be considered to avoid landing in the village. A good reference point is the church spire.
For weather information, visit [South Tyrol Weather](http://www.provinz.bz.it/wetter/suedtirol.htm).
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