Top conditions in the Alps: 277 km flight on May 1, 2025
Top conditions in the Alps:
277 km paragliding flight on May 1, 2025
by SWING XC Teampilot Anne Jan Roeleveld
On May 1st, Anne Jan Roeleveld took full advantage of perfect alpine conditions for an impressive 277 km triangle flight with the Swing Stellar RS. In his detailed flight report, he shares valuable insights into the day’s route, conditions, and how the glider performed. A must-read for all XC enthusiasts!
The flying season started off strong this spring, both in the flatlands (NL, DE) and in the Alps. March and April already saw many good days, benefiting flying schools, clubs and individual pilots. Thursday, May 1, was another such “Hammertag,” as the locals in the mountains call it. Little wind was forecasted, both at altitude and in the valley. With a high cloud base and excellent thermals expected, it looked like a promising day. Anne Jan Roeleveld wrote a report about this flying day.
Launch from Riederalp: conservative start in the thermals
Together with more than 100 other pilots, including the Dutchmen David Groen and Jeroen Minnema, I started that day around 9:30 AM from the well-known launch site Riederalp in the canton of Valais, Switzerland. Initially, the thermals needed some time to develop, so it was important to make use of every bit of lift. Once in Goms, the thermals became stronger, allowing me to ignore the weaker bubbles and focus only on the strongest thermals.
From Grimsel Pass to Furka Pass: the infamous “Grimsel snake”
At the Grimsel Pass, conditions were perfect to continue towards the Furka Pass. This area is known for the strong downdraft that usually flows from the Grimsel Pass into Goms, also called the “Grimsel snake”. At the Furka Pass, I turned around after setting the first waypoint. From 12 o’clock onwards, the thermals became so strong that you could fly straight for dozens of kilometers with the speed bar engaged without losing altitude.
On to Martigny: a smooth crossing to France
The plan was to fly at least to Martigny and then see if the crossing to Chamonix would be possible. With a light easterly wind at my back, I flew past Crans-Montana and then Sion. Fortunately, Sion’s TMAs were not active that day, so I didn’t need to make a major detour.
Soon, I reached the end of the Rhône Valley, and the cloud base was so high that crossing to France felt like a gift. The valley at Martigny is known for its strong valley winds, so it was important to cross with enough altitude. Once in France, Mont Blanc towered above Chamonix—a magnificent sight. Memories of last September bubbled up when I climbed the summit with Jaap Smit and flew off it with the Swing Verso RS.
Second waypoint in Chamonix: back to Switzerland
Around four o’clock, I decided to set the second waypoint in Chamonix and fly back. From there, the route to Verbier would be new territory for me, where I hadn’t flown before. Together with another pilot, we kept searching for thermals, and in no time, we were back up to around 3,800 meters, ready to fly back to Switzerland.
Via the southern side of the Rhône Valley
I flew back to Brig, the starting point of the flight. Around seven o’clock, I managed to find one last thermal near Visp, climbing back up to 3,700 meters, which allowed me to fly straight back to the launch site and complete my triangle.
A memorable flight: 277 km through the Alps
What a day! After a flight of over 10 hours and 277 kilometers, I landed with a big smile in Brig. As far as I know, this is the longest flight ever flown in the Alps by a Dutch pilot. Jeroen and David flew their first flights of over 200 kilometers that day. So many flights were logged in the Alps that the XContest server couldn’t keep up. Nearly 7,000 flights were recorded on the popular flying site for paragliders. Hopefully, there will be more days like this this season—I want more!
Glider: STELLAR RS
XCONTEST Anne Jan’s flight