TRUTH.LIBERATES
Life expands and shrinks in proportion to your courage.
- Annais Nin
Mythen Region, Schwyz (Mythical Region) Birthplace of Switzerland
Schwyz is the heart of Switzerland, is the birthplace of this country. It's here that the self-reliant and freedom-loving Swiss founded the original Swiss Federation in 1291. This region, especially the Mythen Region (Mythical Region), offers an authentic Swiss experience and food, and is perfect for those looking to explore near Zurich, Zug or Lucern.
The Mythen Region is a huge playground for outdoor adventurists. The geography is favorable to strong thermals, making it suitable for paragliding flights ranging from 30 to 60 minutes. Even if the weather is unfavorable, flights last 15 minutes, because of the height. The breathtaking rock faces of this region, with their sharp, detailed textures and sheer verticality, offer awe-inspiring sights and jaw dropping vertical updraft. On good days, thermals will lift you easily above the Grosser Mythen peak, which stands tall at 1898m (6600 feet). For those with an adventurous spirit, a unique restaurant sits atop this formidable mountain, accessible only to brave hikers, and supplies can only be delivered by helicopter.
Our adventure begins at Rotenfluh cable car valley station, also our primary meeting point. Note that cars are not allowed up to the mountain's summit. Once you arrive at the top by cable car in 15 minutes, you'll find the Restaurant Gipfelstuebli at 1571m (secondary meeting point), right outside the cable car exit. This restaurant offers delightful meals and drinks, perfect for our rendezvous. If you purchase a round-trip Rotenfluhbahn cable car ticket, for only a few franc extra, you'll receive a lunch coupon (ensure you order before 4pm and present your coupon beforehand). The food is pretty good at the Gipfelstubli restaurant. After your paragliding adventure, the landing spot is a mere 5-minute walk to the cable car's valley station entrance. Do not park your car near the landing spot.
If you have bulky luggage, explain your situation and the friendly cable car staff will store it for you at the valley station while you fly. For those driving, ample parking is available at the base of the cable car station. Ensure you ride the cable car to its final stop and avoid getting off at the intermediate station.
For travelers from Zurich HB main station, various trains (some are double deckers) will take you to Schwyz in approximately 1.25 hours. Upon reaching Schwyz train station, board bus number 503 and alight at the Rotenfluhbahn (Rickenbach Seilbahn) bus stop. If driving from Zurich, it's a 45-minute journey, with parking available right at the Rotenfluebahn bus stop (bus 503). The location is equidistant from Luzern and Zurich, offering stunning views en route. For your return, the last bus/train to Zurich HB departs from Rotenfluhbahn at 10:29 pm. Alternatively, you can catch a train from Schwyz HB to Zurich HB as late as 11:23 pm, giving you ample time to savor Schwyz's charm.
Alternatives nearby
Zugerberg, Zug
Enjoy the view of the Zug city. The city next door from Zurich is the wealthiest city in Switzerland. This site requires west wind. Suitable for short flights in summer and fall In spring. Spring and early summer, you may have luck to fly longer here. Enjoy the view of the Zug city, Zug lake and Mount Rigi from the top of the Zug mountain. There is a farm at the landing where you can try out amazing sweet unpasteurized unhomogenized raw cow milk, not available in most of the industrialised world.
Most likely we will meet at the Zugerbergbahn Schoenegg station which is at the bottom of the Zugerberg. Zugerberg cablecar takes you up the mountain in a few minutes. After that we walk about 15 minutes to the take off site.
Zug trainstation is only a few stops by train from the Zurich HB mainstation, quick and convenient. From the Zug train station, you take Bus 11 to Schoenegg, That is the same exact location as the Zugerberg cablecar train station, our rendez-vous point. There is car parking there if you prefer coming by car.
Rigi, Luzern
Close to Zurich, pleasant flights here in the later part of the afternoon to early evening. Long flights are often possible in the mid-summer to autumn. To get up takes about an hour by cogwheel train, and the view, superb panorama. There's a nice organic restaurant/hotel near the takeoff at Staffelhoehe, and nearby a thermal bath spa called Rigi Kaltbad that will help you warm up and relax with the alpine view. Why not go the spa before the flight? There is a cog train that starts from Arth Goldau Station that brings you to the peak, Rigi Kulm. Depending on the wind, we can take off from Rigi Kulm or from the usual Staffelhoehe. Staffelhoehe is close an organic restaurant (Edelweiss) and a Mineral Bath Spa (Rigi Kaltbad).
Urmiberg, Schwyz
The Urmiberg take off has an amazing wide view of the lake of Luzern (Vierwaldstaettersee) and works with weak to moderate south wind on a sunny day. Best for shorter flights and the landing is near the lakeside village of Brunnen, not overrun by international tourists. Urmiberg is about 1.25h from Zurich HB main-station by public transport. The restaurant at the top of the Urmiberg is very traditional, and cute.
We will usually meet either at the Zurich HB mainstation or at the Urmiberg Seilbahn (aerial cablecar).
Uetliberg, Paragliding over Zurich
Local flying site of Zurich city, only Flyable when moderate strong East Wind days
Catch the panorama view of Zurich city from the air. Getting to the take off requires about half hour of hiking, but well worth it. Take-off requires a moderate easterly wind of at least 15km/h. The total travel time is not much different from going to the Swiss Alps, because of hiking 30 minutes up. This site needs moderately strong east (approx. 15km/h) wind, which happens frequently in Spring and Autumn, or sometimes when overcast in the summer.
The mountain is 450m higher than the city center. Depending on the weather we can fly almost 1000m over the city. It's the best view you can ever have of Zurich city and the lake!
The Rendez-vous point is either at Zurich HB main station clocktower, or at the Leimbach Hofladen (Organic Farm-house shop).
From Zurich HB, you should take the S4 train from the Zurich HB mainstation to Leimbach station, then take a bus 70 to “Im Husli”. From there walk up a small path, “Risweg” just to the right of the bus stop as you face uphill. Walk up the small footpath to the farmhouse for about 15 min. You will see a farmhouse shop with some umbrellas outside. After we meet at the farmhouse shop, we hike up a steep, but short 15 minute from the farmhouse to the launch site at Uetzigi, Uetliberg, Zurich.
Hoch YBrig, Schwyz
This mountain range is a ski area in the Winter, hiking area in the summer, facing North. Klein Sternen is the take off place, ideal for northerly winds. Northerly winds are more common during seasonal transitions of autumn and spring. There is a restaurant, Sternen which is a picturesque place for the rendez-vous and is near the take-off, and traditional Swiss. The landing is at the bottom cable car station at Weglosen. There is plenty of free parking space here. Hoch-YBrig is not convenient by public transport from Zurich, but easily reachable in 49 min by car. The passenger will need to buy a one way cable car ticket to Klein Sternen, not the middle station. Why not combine your hiking discoveries and fly down afterwards?
Ebenalp, Appenzell
Ebenalp starts a mountain range that extends into Santis. It is about 2 hours by train from Zurich to Wasserauen, and the train ride there is amazingly picturesque like a fairy tale. This site is suitable for longer flights, and a hiking day trip. Locations this far is only possible with private charter or multiple flights in a day.
Pilatus, Luzern
It's one of the famous peaks near Zurich. We meet at the Pilatus Aerial cable car station that climbs the Pilatus from city of Kriens. The panorama is spectacular and the rock faces are rough and sharp.
Pilatus is very close to Luzern and reachable in about 1.25 hours from Zurich by train. The wind conditions are sometimes fierce here, so mild to moderate wind is a must. Luzern by car is always a traffic jam during rush hours, so definitely take the train for this place if you plan traveling rush hours.
Fronalpstock, Schwyz
Fronalpstock area is flyable with north wind. Because the mountain faces the north, the mountain is typically good for shorter flights, only sometimes good longer flight. Because North faces do not get heated up by the sun, so we need a cold front here to stay up. The mythical place is rocky, mossy and has the view of the Lucern lake directly from above. You can ski here in the winter, hike around here other times. There is a nice resort called Stoos at the halfway point. To get to the rendezvous-vous point of Morschach Aerial cable-car, it’s about an 1.25h from Zurich by public transport. You will want to spend the greater part of the sunny day here. Awesome view of the Luzern lake!
Cross-country Day trip flights (>1 hour per flight)
Cross Country (XC) Whole Day Trip
From Spring to summer, multiple long flights over 1h are possible starting as early as 11am until about 7pm. Switzerland is full of mountains and lakes. Here we will go as far as we can follow the mountain chains, moving with the sun and wind. We hope to cover many many of kilometers and land and walk to the public transport for return. Excellent area for this is Swiss French Alps, Wallis, Grindelwald, Weissenstein, and Annecy (which is about 1.5 h from Geneve by bus). Bring your passport in case we cross borders if you want to fly close to the borders!
We need wonderful weather for long distance (XC)
Long distance flights (XC) depends on lifty weather so plan to be very flexible about the dates. The best chances are in spring and early summer, north wind, or 2 dry days after rainy days. When the humidity is lower and the sun is strong, it is even better, and the air at high altitude 10c or colder than the valleys. Dress warmly for this adventure, so you don’t freeze. We’ll fly high as the clouds, and glide far over valleys. Bring your motion sickness pills, water, and snacks. We’ll be airborne for hours, weather and your bladder permitting. Please wear hiking shoes in case we have to walk to the public transport after landing.
Grindelwald, Engelberg, Fiesch, Niesen, and respective mountains chains
Some valleys are long are pretty reliable for long distance XC flights of 50km and more.. The more reliable flying locations have long chains of bright south facing rocks that allow build up reliable updraft thermal winds. Most of Switzerland has an exceptional hiking paths, public transport infrastructure and many cable cars that serve as our safety net in case we must land.