Tödi – Mountain of Longing

Not only for Emil Zopfi is the Tödi a longing and a dream. It is the same for mountaineers and ski tourers. From a distance, you can see its white peak and majestic shape, it is an impressive 3,612 metres high. Moni Bont from the Alpine School Glarnerland will take you up the mountain.

‘In the middle of the night, my alarm clock rings. I am immediately wide awake. There is already a lot of activity in the hut. I hear muffled voices, footsteps thundering through the corridor, dishes clattering in the kitchen. At the breakfast table, I struggle with the muesli. My stomach nerves are in revolt. Soon we are standing in front of the hut, fully equipped for high-altitude touring with headlamps on our heads. The night is clear, the sky is studded with stars, cold air fills our lungs. In the beam of light from the lamps, we set off towards the Biferten Firn. We drive down the moraine to the glacier 'on the run’, as if on raw eggs. Here, the mountain guide takes us by the rope. We glide over the surface at a moderate pace and climb up to the first drop-off to the east. The mountain guide skilfully chooses the route through the crevasse zone. The second drop-off has significantly more crevasses, and I feel a little uneasy crossing the glacier bridges. But the rope and the competent guidance give me confidence. The magical atmosphere that comes with the rising sun also distracts me a little. The rock faces are bathed in golden light, the sky above us is cloudless and blue, and the snow sparkles at our feet. We walk as if in a trance towards our dream. At the Klagemauer, the last steep glacier climb, I slowly feel the fatigue in my limbs. But as soon as we have overcome the obstacle, all the effort is forgotten. Just a few more steps and we are at the summit cross. We hug each other, congratulate one another, beam with joy, take photos to remember the moment and marvel at the panorama. The Weisshorn, Mont Blanc, Bellavista and Piz Bernina – what a view! After a long rest at the summit, the mountain guide gives us instructions for the descent. We follow him at short intervals, always on the lookout for dangerous crevasses. I dread crossing the abyss. But what seemed so frightening in the light of the headlamp is much less daunting in daylight. We soon reach the end of the glacier tongue, the snow is already much heavier and the turns more exhausting. We take a short break at the Fridolinshütte SAC, enjoying a cold beer and some fresh waffles. The mountain guide soon reminds us that it is time to leave. It has become warm and there are still some steep slopes ahead of us. So let’s go! We need to use our muscles again. After a descent of more than 2,800 m, we are back in the valley. We are exhausted, yet we are also incredibly grateful and happy to have had the wonderful experience of climbing the Tödi. A long-held dream has come true.’