pictures_that_came_at_a_hard_price

join me for four days in the world without plants, animals and civilisation this is the story of a four days long mountaineering adventure in the Swiss Alps and it covers a range of mountain features from ridges at 3600 m to morenas at 2500 m. four days that I will always remember

Eiger-gletscher (an almost hanging glacier at 2800 m)

Eiger-gletscher (an almost hanging glacier at 2800 m)

The Monster reveals itself

The Monster reveals itself

There is a hard day ahead of me

There is a hard day ahead of me

Avoid crevasses

Avoid crevasses

a bit of a frozen avalanche stopped halfway

a bit of a frozen avalanche stopped halfway

low visibility although walking in diffuse light

low visibility although walking in diffuse light

layers of snow (just like a sample of avalanche field)

layers of snow (just like a sample of avalanche field)

Four climbers on their way to the summit (I envy them)

Four climbers on their way to the summit (I envy them)

a ridge to be treated carefully

a ridge to be treated carefully

big fog and cloud attacks from the glacier far below

big fog and cloud attacks from the glacier far below

the ridge with that partly-detached immobile avalanche at 6 a.m.

the ridge with that partly-detached immobile avalanche at 6 a.m.

an exhilarating view at 6.30 a.m.

an exhilarating view at 6.30 a.m.

today I walk again into the big whiteout

today I walk again into the big whiteout

"please stay where you are, while I move around"

"please stay where you are, while I move around"

pilgrims of the frozen space

pilgrims of the frozen space

encompassing view of the Jungfraufirn

encompassing view of the Jungfraufirn

Hey Friend, would you mind sharing your apple with me here at 3500 m where there is nothing to eat?

Hey Friend, would you mind sharing your apple with me here at 3500 m where there is nothing to eat?

the weather is changing to worse

the weather is changing to worse

morena still life

morena still life

three huge groups of trekkers appeared

three huge groups of trekkers appeared

Europe's biggest glacier at 4.45 a.m. (the best climbers have already left the hut)

Europe's biggest glacier at 4.45 a.m. (the best climbers have already left the hut)

towering above my head with its fresh snow cover

towering above my head with its fresh snow cover

a whole night's snow makes everything so slippery

a whole night's snow makes everything so slippery

slowly dawning on the glacier

slowly dawning on the glacier

as beautiful in the twilight as dangerous in reality

as beautiful in the twilight as dangerous in reality

the neighbouring peaks

the neighbouring peaks

yet another summit from the dozen

yet another summit from the dozen

the first shadows finally appear, it's almost 7 a.m. now

the first shadows finally appear, it's almost 7 a.m. now

that's what one sees while puting on the harness

that's what one sees while puting on the harness

now the rucksack is on my back, all set to go

now the rucksack is on my back, all set to go

a huuuuge group of trekkers preparing to go while my companions are still climbing down this rock

a huuuuge group of trekkers preparing to go while my companions are still climbing down this rock

and off we are, straight into the middle of it

and off we are, straight into the middle of it

finally we reach the base of the rock (after a 150 meters descent)

finally we reach the base of the rock (after a 150 meters descent)

people on the glacier

people on the glacier

still gloomy, the weather is not too promising

still gloomy, the weather is not too promising

determination

determination

scenery to our wanderlust (in reality: obstacles everywhere)

scenery to our wanderlust (in reality: obstacles everywhere)

the treacherous body of the glacier from close up

the treacherous body of the glacier from close up

hours and hours of jumping over these crevasses

hours and hours of jumping over these crevasses

some of them are really deep and they are quite close to each other

some of them are really deep and they are quite close to each other

zillions of cracks, crevasses, breaches and holes on a block of ice stretching over 24 km

zillions of cracks, crevasses, breaches and holes on a block of ice stretching over 24 km

here the water allegedly falls down into approx 400 meters depth

here the water allegedly falls down into approx 400 meters depth

the glacier used to be 100 meters higher (thicker), one can still see its former imprints

the glacier used to be 100 meters higher (thicker), one can still see its former imprints

the landscape that surrounds this silent ice-valley

the landscape that surrounds this silent ice-valley

widening gaps towards the edge of the glacier

widening gaps towards the edge of the glacier

a giant system of labyrinths

a giant system of labyrinths

we cross onto these rocks still with our crampons on

we cross onto these rocks still with our crampons on

where the dirty sideway of the glacier meets the rocks (unfortunately their distance is growing year after year)

where the dirty sideway of the glacier meets the rocks (unfortunately their distance is growing year after year)

looking back to our journey from a more solid ground

looking back to our journey from a more solid ground

overview of what we have just done (crampons and harness off, rope coiled, we are now safe)

overview of what we have just done (crampons and harness off, rope coiled, we are now safe)

there used to be a sea here once upon a time

there used to be a sea here once upon a time

good bye (in spite of the scary moments, I love this glacier)

good bye (in spite of the scary moments, I love this glacier)

new horizons open up, the sky too is getting clear

new horizons open up, the sky too is getting clear

Frans is an old mountain bear, so I was actually honoured to secure him when once he nearly slipped down into a gap

Frans is an old mountain bear, so I was actually honoured to secure him when once he nearly slipped down into a gap

Hubert has also grown old in the mountains. He knows every little crack of the glacier, he has got a real sense of it. And he sa

Hubert has also grown old in the mountains. He knows every little crack of the glacier, he has got a real sense of it. And he sa

I rarely met with so nice and modest mountaineers as the four Lake District climbers whom I pointed out hours before when they w

I rarely met with so nice and modest mountaineers as the four Lake District climbers whom I pointed out hours before when they w