Traverse from Schwändi to Klöntalersee | Mountain hiking | Swiss Alpine Club SAC
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Traverse from Schwändi to Klöntalersee Vorder Glärnisch 2328 m

  • Difficulty
    T5-
  • Ascent
    4–5 h, 1650 m
  • Descent
    2–3 h, 1500 m

Vrenelis' little brother

Vorder Glärnisch is for alpine hikers what Glärnisch is for climbers: an exciting tour to a fabulous viewpoint. The view down to Glarus from Vorder Glärnisch is even more impressive than from Vrenelisgärtli. The city of Glarus burnt down 150 years ago and was rebuilt as a planned city with a geometrical street layout, which, viewed from the summit, looks like a scale model. The ascent on the steep south face with its two huge gullies is more interesting than the usual white-blue marked route on the barren north face which has scree and rubble.

Route description

Schwändi – Schwändisienen
From Schwändi follow the the yellow hiking trail briefly to P. 755, then go straight ahead on the small carriage road to P. 933. A red arrow shows the way up to the carefully kept small houses of Schwändisienen ("Schwander Siene" on the national map).
Schwändisienen - Vorder Glärnisch
Past the houses (signpost) ascend in a gully and negotiate the subsequent step (faint path, T4). At 1600 m the terrain flattens. Traverse westward on scree under a rock wall until the «gelbe Wand» (yellow wall) at ca. 1720 m. Climb the wall from west to east in a gully. Continue on steep grassy slopes (faint path) until the lower right corner of the characteristic rock towers called Chilchli. The rock towers are overcome on a trail with sporadic markings (T4+) until a horizontal stretch of the ridge called «Gareplatz». On the left Garerus and on the right Hanslirus run steeply down the face. From here traverse the uppermost part of Hanslirus, at first slightly descending, on a delicate faint path (T5-). You reach the south-west ridge of Vorder Glärnisch north-east of P. 2057 («Furggle»). Now on scree follow the ridge to the summit.
Vorder Glärnisch - Hintersackberg
The descent is on the white-blue-white marked alpine hiking trail at first on talus, then overcoming a first rocky escarpment to the Gleiter alp and another to Hintersackberg.
Hintersackberg - Rhodannenberg
Descend on the marked hiking trail, cutting short the bends of the road, to Rhodannenberg at the retaining wall of Klöntalersee.
Variant: ascent via Mittler Guppen - Sienetobel
The ascent on the south face can also be undertaken via Mittler Guppen (from Schwanden on the mountain hiking trail) and by traversing Sienetobel via P. 1496. The itinerary merges with the other route at ca. 1650 m; T3, same hiking time.
Descent via Schlattalpli
Those who have some strength and time left can undertake the impressive traverse from Gleiter to Vorder Schlattalpli. From there descend to Rhodannenberg, T3.

Additional information

Departure point

Schwändi b. Schwanden GL, Post (700 m)

End point

Klöntal, Rhodannenberg (850 m)

Time

Schwändi – Schwänder Siene - Furggle - Vorder Glärnisch: 4–5 h

Vorder Glärnisch - Gleiter - Sackberg - retaining wall of Klöntalersee (Rhodannenberg): 2–3 h

Difficulty / Material

Finding your way on the south side is not trivial in poor visibility. But with good visibility, the right itinerary is relatively easy to find through the ledges: if you have to climb seriously somewhere, you are surely wrong. Key passages are the amazingly easy to master rock towers of the "Chilchli"( T4+). And the crossing of the Hanslirus (T5-), depending on the condition of the faint path and wetness, which can be difficult or even impossible, as the ground is somewhat loose (T5-).

The descent via the blue-white-blue marked normal route to Saggberg is easy to find and equipped with wire ropes at all tricky points (T4-).

Waypoints

Furggle (GL) (2057 m)

The itinerary passes slightly north of the lowest point.

Various

Hintersackberg (1051 m)

Sackberg, Restaurant Schwammhöhe, Tel. 055 640 28 17, www.schwammhoehe.ch. From here you can descend to Glarus (ca.1½ h).

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