The glacier is reached after about 1.5 hours of hiking: time to put on the crampons. They are, along with a good ice axe, mandatory for this tour, especially for the steep part behind. However, if you feel comfortable on a steep (45-50 degrees) and icy glacier slope, it can be done without a rope.

That's the steepest part from close-up, with another (big and slow) party downclimbing. Well, for Loecky, this wasn't the least problem: tigers can of course do this without crampons and axe. Their claws are so much better suited to this than human feet and fingers, he says...

We deposited our gliders in the pass between Piz Sardona and Piz Segnas and climbed the latter first. Behind you can see the summit of Piz Sardona, where we later tried to launch from, as well as the spot where we finally got airborne.

That's the summit ridge of Piz Segnas (3099m). The glacier slopes would also provide a good launch, but for NW-winds. This day, the wind was supposed to come out the WSW, but in reality it was due South.

On the way towards Piz Sardona (3055m). After passing the steep glacier slope, this is hikers terrain without any difficulties again. Also watch our backpacks and remember that weight is not necessarily proportional to volume.

That's me on the summit of Piz Sardona (3055m).

That's the view towards the Glarnerland with Fanenstock (closest ridge), Berglimatt (middle ridge) and Glärnisch (on the horizon). That's also the direction in which we wanted to fly, but things ended up differently.

That's where we first tried to launch, right below the summit of Piz Sardona. The slope is optimal, the scree not quite, but it's doable in good conditions. However, the main problem is not really visible in the picture. The wind was lateral with about 15km/h. We hoped for a straight-in cycle, which never came, so it just didn't work...

...we bagged it and hiked down a little to a south facing launch. The wind here was stronger, 15-25km/h, but at least we could lay out our gliders on a patch of snow and launch safely. All three of us were very happy that we didn't have to walk/climb down!

Best of all was that it was soarable here, although at most, I only got about 40m above launch. But it was enough to enjoy the scenery for a good while and wait until all of us had sorted their gliders and launched. I need to mention that of course I only managed to stay up because of my co-pilot Loecky's fabulous piloting skills, else... guess what!

The flight towards Elm and Schwanden was no longer possible from this South facing launch. So we flew through the Weisstannental in the direction of Sargans. At Weisstannen Dorf, after a 40 minute glide, we had to land in this field. We packed up, had just enough time to go for a drink and cheer on this successful tour, before the postal car was leaving, bringing us back home!