Niesen
Niesen Startplatz · Mülenen, Bern, Switzerland · 43 flights a year · 43 in 30 days
About Niesen
Pyramid above Lake Thun: funicular from Mülenen, launches near 2,250 m, and landings in Spiez, at Niesenflankenhof or in Frutigen.
For intermediate pilots- Funicular from Mülenen to 2,250 m
- Landings in Spiez, Niesenflankenhof, Frutigen
- About 1,600 m of height to fly
- No-fly zone over Reichenbach airfield
The Niesen (2,362 m) is a striking pyramid south of Lake Thun. Launches are a short walk from the top station; you land in Spiez, at Niesenflankenhof, or in Frutigen. The Air Base Flyers club maintains the site.
The funicular takes 30 minutes from Mülenen to the top, changing at Schwandegg, where you move your own wing across. At most ten wings go up per trip; when it is busy there is no guarantee, so bring patience.
South launch (2,265 m, SE–SW) and West launch (2,250 m, SW–W) are a five- to ten-minute walk from the railway, both of medium difficulty with a clear windsock. Land in Spiez, near Niesenflankenhof, or in Frutigen, where a landing fee applies.
Between May and August, watch out from 11:00 to 16:00: strong thermals can push the valley wind over the Niesen. Avoid launching in northerly wind; the usual westerly to south-westerly can also get too strong.
Never overfly Reichenbach airfield's red zone; the wider 5 km zone calls for extra caution, and FLARM is recommended. Breaking this risks closure of the Frutigen landing field. Landing fees are included in the funicular ticket, except in Frutigen.
The funicular runs daily, roughly from late April to early November; check the current timetable with the Niesenbahn.
When pilots fly here
Most flights start in September. Pilots usually launch between 11:00 and 14:00. Thermals here climb 0.7 m/s on average. Most thermals drifted in SE, E wind.
From 43 flights the Open Glider Network saw start here in the last twelve months.
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Step · Spot
Pick a launch: sites rated for the day, the most flown spots, valley wind, gusts and live stations.
Weather models
DWD ICON-D2 · 0.02° (~2 km)
Model guidance only. Terrain, launch conditions and winds aloft need a separate assessment.
Launches, landings and towing
Site
Hill site for paragliders · 1639 m height difference
Paragliders: 1- and 2-seaters
Seen launching (OGN): 24 flights today · 43 flights in 30 days
Access: Public transport · On foot
Spots nearby
- MäggisserenFrutigen, Bern, Switzerland · 7 km away
- RamslauenKiental, Bern, Switzerland · 8.4 km away
- HuusErlenbach, Bern, Switzerland · 9.4 km away
- AbendbergErlenbach, Bern, Switzerland · 10 km away
- StockhornErlenbach, Bern, Switzerland · 10 km away
- GrimerFrutigen, Bern, Switzerland · 10 km away
- All spots around Pohlern