Page 37 - Cross Country Travel Guide 2019

Sasha Serebrennikova takes us hang gliding above these incredible peaks

Col Rodella
This well-known launch must have the
highest number of take-offs per year in the

Dolomites. At least that’s the impression you
get when flying from this famous mountain
in the heart of the Dolomites in September.
Flights earlier in the season are possible
although conditions might be turbulent at
the height of summer. Also bear in mind that
lots of non-flying visitors descend in August,
so accommodation can be tricky.
The cable car normally operates until the
beginning of October. From there, two take-
off directions, NE and SE, are possible for
hang gliders. As with the Kronplatz, launch is

pretty high so don’t spare on your run.
This is classic XC territory: fly around
the Sella massif, along the huge walls of
Marmolada, above Lake Artemoia; and
beside Violet Towers. Look for a good day
with cloudbase between 2,900m to 3,500m.
bit.ly/2A291RQ
Photo: AdventureFlying

Seiser Alm

The Seiser Alm offers another opportunity
to experience the Dolomites, this time from
the other side of the Langkofel massif. If
you are after a stroll over the remarkable
Rosengarten and not always easy-to-reach
Violet Towers, you might consider this very
friendly take-off for light NW winds. (It’s not
worth trying to fly here in Föhn).
In German, the word Alm means alpine

pasture, which is a good way to describe the
numerous top-landing opportunities here.
It is actually the largest high-altitude Alpine
meadow in Europe. It is especially attractive
if you’d like to have some lunch in the
Gasthaus right at the top.
It is worth checking the schedule for when
the road to the top is open: sometimes it is

shut after a certain time, meaning you can
always get down but you will have to wait
until the next morning to go back up to get
your vehicle.
seis.it-wms.com
Photo: AdventureFlying

DOLOMITES CROSS COUNTRY TRAVEL GUIDE 2019 37