Watles (IT)

I had left home Wed afternoon (19.3.) as my first iCamp in 2025 with Michael, Gudrun and Peter was supposed to begin on Sat, 22.3. in Levico Therme. 

Ofenpass - looking East into Münstertal; Ortler (3945msl) on the right

I stopped at Laatsch in the upper Vinschgau, as I hoped to make a flight the next day on Watles.

Thu (20.3.) Blue skies, little wind - all looking very good :-)

Mals (bus station): Ortler

I parked my car in Mals at the bus station, as first I had to ride the bus (20') to Prämajur (1700msl), from where the chairlift (2 sections) start to Watles - pretty fairly priced at 15EUR. On the bus I have met a local pilot (Luis) and with him I rode the chairlift to 2140m, where we stopped for a while and had something to drink. Here, Luis gave me a good brefing about the local coditions  - many thanks!

view from restaurant at 2140m: again Ortler

An hour later we have been joined by 2 other pilots and we rode the second chairlift to Watles (2490m) - the actual peak is a about 500m away and 100m higher. The launch here can only in winter reached by chairlift; in summer there is another launch at 'Pfaffensee' (2220m). Launch directions are S (on the groomed slope) and W - but here the launch is not well prepared (so no choice for me with little or no wind).

The 3 locals launched without too many probles. I, on the other hand, had to abort the launch 4 times on the rather flat slope with no wind at all :-(

looking S

rather shallow, especially with no wind... (looking SE)

In the end with a little headwind, I also had a good launch (but lots of running) :-)

Conditions would have been rather good, but with my 4 aborted launches I had spent a bit too much energy, which lacked now ;-)

looking N: Watles on the left/ Reschenpass on the right

Monastery 'Marienberg'

LZ in Schleis, looking to Prämajur, Watles; 'Burgeis' at on the far right

In the evening I have received a message from Peter, that the iCamp had been cancalled due to a very unpromising fcst. But I could secure myself a slot in the next iCamp starting in 2 weeks (5.-12.4.), also in Levico.

Tomorrow (Fri) unfortunatley already looks bad with a chance of the Föhn becoming too strong - but we'll see in the morning...  Anyway I'll be driving home  - with or without a flight.