Freeride Disentis and Staldenfirn - February 16 & 17, 2013

It has been quite a while since my last post (not that much time anymore to post skiing pictures since the birth of our lovely daughter and son). But after this memorable weekend I thought I might share a few pics.

I went with my brother Alexander, Rene and Max to Disentis for one day freeriding. We stayed Saturday night in the winterroom of the Cavardiras hut. On Sunday we went to the Oberalpstock and followed it up with one of the longest available rides down the Staldenfirn.

We agreed on the dates about 2 month ago, and it turned out that we chose the date wisely. I was on the Staldenfirn two times before in previous years, but never had it been in such prime conditions. Powder from top to bottom. Upper part around 40 cm of fluffy powder and even lower down in the Milchplanggen still 20-30 cm of fresh pow on top of a thick snowpack.

Lift assisted warmup runs (Val Acletta) - Alexander

Even the southern slopes provided some very dry, fluffy powder; however not bottomless, since there was a crust about 30 cm underneath.

Rene

Max is loving it

Afterwards we are trenching our way to the northern slopes.

Unfortunately at that point the clouds started to move in. So there is no photo evidence of the face shot galore that unfolded after this hike over into the Val Strem.

At the end of the day we make the traverse over to the ladder.

Quite some snow this year… usually not that easy to get on it.

Rene on the ladder



Followed by Alexander and Max



Short downhill to the Brunni firn and than a longer flat section to the hut on the horizon.

Last sun rays on the Brunni firn

Just before dark we make it to the Cavardiras hut.

Quite a good winter room, which we shared with 3 other people (the picture does not do it justice). Took a while to get warm, but afterwards nice an cozy.

Next day bluebird

The group is stoked to get going.

Making our way over the brunni firn towards the Oberalpstock.





Max soaking in the views (Gross Duessi to the right, Clariden in the background).

Alexander and Rene on the upper half.

On the summit. This Sunday was actually quite a busy day on the Oberalpstock. We started at 8:30 at the hut and at around 9:10 the first people already started clearing the ladder. There were probably almost 80 people on the summit this day. This was the only minus point on this great day (note to self: next time start one hour earlier at the hut).

Looking from the summit to the Toedi west face.

Looking to the east (Bristen in the foreground).

Entrance to the Staldenfirn. Even though we were in the first third of the bulk of people it has seen already quite some traffic.

Luckily the Staldenfirn is wide and you could still find plenty of room to lay your own tracks.

Alexander halfway down in the Gemsplanggen. What a feeling to surf this wide, long slope in such prime conditions.

Even the Milchplanggen provided still some face shots.

Yes Rene, that was a good day!

Goodbye Maderaner valley.

Thanks to the whole crew for an awesome weekend!

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