If you haven’t already read the page about the Heimat takeoff, I suggest you do that now.

Success in the first task – getting up in the generally reliable lift in the vicinity of takeoff – brings the reward of a stunning view of the Aletsch Glacier (at 23km, the longest glacier in the Alps). The peaks of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau can be seen beyond this spectacular “river of ice”.

If you’re not interested in clocking up kilometres, it’s usually quite easy to potter around in the area between take-off and the Riederhorn, about 8km to the south-west, enjoying the scenery.  In normal conditions, you can expect to find plenty of thermals (and gliders marking them) unless you’ve taken off very early.  However, as there are no official landing fields for 12km between the Fiesch and Bitsch LZs, it’s a good idea to maintain enough height so that you remain within range of one of these options without needing to rely on finding lift.

The track log below shows a route in normal conditions, in the early afternoon, with cloudbase at a little over 3000m.  Despite the relatively low base, the visualisation and XContest details show how I am able to benefit from buoyant air along above the spine of the ridge and to pick up thermals generated on both sides of it; this is typical.  The relevant section comes in the middle of a flight when I had returned to Fiescheralp from the Goms, intending to fly into the main Rhône valley, but I changed my mind and flew back again.

In the morning after a cold front or a storm due to overdevelopment the night before, cloudbase may well be below takeoff height at first, but rise swiftly as excess moisture in the air is soaked up and the temperature climbs. In these often very unstable conditions, a low-level trip to the Riederhorn and back amongst forming cloud can be a delight, and in the summer you may well find that by the time you return to Heimat, base has reached sufficient height for you to be comfortable to start the transition to the Goms. My track log below is from just such a flight, with base at 2,200m when I launched at 9:40, but rising to 3,500m by 2:30.

Note that in contrast to the previous example, I am picking up most of my thermals from the shoulder where the steep tree-covered slope rising from the valley flattens out to form the Riederalp/Bettmeralp/Fiescheralp plateau. In the afternoon, this line often still works, but is much less reliable than the higher route shown above, and the thermals are likely to be drifting and torn in a south-westerly valley breeze coming from the main Rhône valley. The other important difference to note is that in the morning flight I pick up thermals from the east-facing side of the Riederhorn, but in the afternoon I use the west-facing flank (more because this is in the valley breeze than for its stronger solar heating).

In normal conditions, the direction in which the majority of XC flights start is to the east, into the Goms valley, as the more easterly aspect of the terrain there usually leads to it beginning to work well before the more southerly-facing slopes of the main Rhône valley to the west get going. I strongly recommend maximising height before starting the 5km glide across the Fieschertal towards the shoulder above Bellwald, the village on the corner of the ridge to the east of take-off. If you are no longer in lift (or at base) and have at least 2800m directly from takeoff, you can set off immediately, but most pilots head left along the slope for 1km to the north to Salzgäb, for a top-up in a second reliable house thermal, to shorten the transition and arrive with more height. This is a very obvious trigger point and easily identified by a large isolated barn in front of a spine, where the climb can be expected to release from the slope.  When a low base prevents you from getting decent altitude but the air is very unstable – typical just after a cold front has passed through – you may be able to get away with starting your crossing with as little as 2,400m, but usually that would lead to a significant risk of bombing out at Bellwald.

If base is low or the thermals are poor, you can even head a further 1km north to reduce the length of the crossing. It is nearly always a mistake to allow yourself to be pressurised into leaving low because you have lost your thermal or been struggling to get good height. This is likely to lead to even more difficulty at Bellwald, because the thermals there are unlikely to be better or easier to find, and you will of course be several hundred metres lower than when you started your transition.

As you glide across the Fieschertal valley, you will usually find smooth air and relatively gentle sink as you enjoy spectacular views of the 4274m Finsteraarhorn and Fiescher glacier on your left. I have never encountered significant turbulence or seen anyone take a hit on this transition, so it can be a good opportunity to make minor comfort adjustments to your harness, or to take some pictures.