Happy Holidays!!

 

Arosa - more: 12./13.; 17./18.12.

Some more trips to Arosa:

12./ 13. slowly the slopes are getting 'better' - meaning that I'm not sinking anymore up to my knees into the deep snow :-) Flying has been possible only on the first day, as the 'bad' weather arrived much faster than forecast; extended sledder to Chur.

Webcam 12.12.22

17./ 18. Still, the 'FIS' is not yet groomed, but at least hard packed in places by the skiers.

Sat: launching was ok - on the 3rd attempt :-(

Many thanks to PeterN/ Züsi and Hampa for their assistance and patience, as well as to Réné for the lift to the train station!

...tailwind...

17.12.22

Sun: as the wx station in Chur was reporting southerly winds (Föhn tendency) with 15-27kmh, I decided not to repeat yesterdays flight. A surprisingly large number of pilots have made their way to the Weisshorn; launching has been a bit tricky in the unsteady SW/ W -wind. 

In order to extend my flight by a few minutes, I landed on the large meadow in 'Isla'.

Arosa - 2 days with Oli

 

...too much snow for me...

I've spent the last 2 days in Arosa together with my friend Oli. Perfect winter weather, but that does not mean perfect flying weather ;-)  - especially not on the Weisshorn.

Tuesday: 2 problems: 1) to much (deep) snow on the not yet groomed slopes; 2) too much wind from a less than ideal direction (NW).

After about 2 hours on the mountain we decided to call it a day. When going down we met Bruno, who apparently after a failed launch in the deep snow managed to get off for a sledder.

Wednesday: 2 problems: 1) (still) to much snow; 2) not enough wind...

I've made 3 attempts to launch in almost nil wind from E-SE, but didn't make it. Afterwards I was completely drenched in sweat...

                                        

...so I didn't try again.

Oli managed to launch in this light easterly wind for a sledder to Mittelstation.

He came back up again to launch. Meanwhile the wind had shifted to light W and he finally could launch on the FIS. All this 'hassle' paid off for him, as he could find some thermals above the golf course and in the end he landed after more than an hour (as he was getting too cold) - congrats!!

As from coming Saturday, Weisshorn should be opened also for skiers, so by then the slopes are supposed to be groomed and launching -even in less than ideal conditions- should be possible also for me again ;-)