Gemsfairenstock & Clariden - April 24th, 2010
Gemsfairenstock 2972 m
Clariden 3267 m
Ascent: 1500 m from Fisetenpass
Descent: 1700 m down to Jaegerbalm
Here are a few pictures from a great Saturday tour with Kevin up to the Gemsfairenstock. Followed by a short descent down to the Clariden glacier and climb up to the summit of the Clariden. From the summit we downclimbed the ridge to the Chammlijoch and rode down to the Klausenpass and then to Jaegerbalm, where we finally ran out of snow.
After a 6 AM ride up with the gondola from the Urnerboden we could enjoy a nice sunset on the Fisetenpass.
Looking towards the Klausenpass on the way up to the Gemsfairenstock
Following the ridge (Ober Orthalten)
Getting to the rock wall at 2520 m. In midwinter this can be one of the more difficult parts to get through, but now in spring condition there is no avalanche danger in early morning.
Relatively easy cruising up the slopes
Last pitch on the Lang glacier
Kevin at the summit of the Gemsfairenstock
Look onto the Clariden glacier with the Clariden in the background to the middle right.
I chose the snowboard today as well.
The mighty Toedi
After a quick descent down to the Clariden glacier we got our glacier gear out and proceeded the relatively flat but quite long way on the glacier towards the Clariden.
It was an extremely warm day and we were sweating hard on the glacier.
East face of the Clariden
At this point we are just having another 100 vertical meters before us. In this picture we are looking back the way we came up the glacier.
Kevin and I on the Clariden.
Looking south towards the Gross Duessi (pyramid in the middle) and the Oberalpstock with the great run down the Staldenfirn.
Looking north down to the Urnerboden
After soaking in the great views and the warm sunrays we got ready and walked down the west ridge.
Shortly below the summit the terrain gets quite exposed. The way is secured with chains and it's a good idea to secure yourself with a short rope to it, so just in case you would slip you don't sail for 800 m down the north face.
Kevin hasn't done this kind of exposed climbing ever and his heartrate was pumping, but he was doing great and we made it safely through the rocks.
Climbing up again a bit to the intermediate summit. In the background the ridge from the Clariden summit we just down climbed.
Looking down to the Chammlijoch. We were thrilled when we could finally put our snowboards on and ride down towards the Klausenpass.
Kevin in the Iswaendli
Surfing the middle part. The snow was good to about 2500 m, after that it was extremely heavy snow due to the warm day and we had a somewhat hard time to make our way past the Klausenpass. Sometimes our boards almost stuck to the snow, but we enjoyed it anyways as long as we could. 
Using the last patches of snow.
Somewhere around 1550 m we ran out of snow and had to walk down for a short section on the road. Luckily I could hitch a ride back to our car at the Urnerboden. This way the hiking was reduced to an absolute minimum.
Thanks Kevin for the great company on this classic tour. It might have been my last one for this season.... because I have some great news: I became a father shortly after the tour. On Monday, April 26th, 2010 our daughter Anja was born.
See also http://www.backcountry.ch/index.php?option=com_touren_boerse&Itemid=71&task=detailnach&id=290
