Glärnisch

Geschichte

The Glärnisch is a mountain massif of the Schwyz Alps, overlooking the valley of the Linth in the Swiss canton of Glarus. It consists of several summits of which the highest is 2,915 metres above sea level. The other main summits are the Bächistock (2,914 metres), followed by the Vrenelisgärtli ("Verena's Little Garden" at 2,904 metres) and the Ruchen (2,901 metres). Until 1995, the highest point of the massif was considered to be the Bächistock, as the current main summit was thought to be lower (2,909 m).The massif of the Glärnisch consists of two ridges of either side of the glacier named Glärnischfirn, culminating at the Ruchen to the west, rising more than 2,000 metres above the Klöntalersee, and at the Bächistock to the southwest. The Vrenelisgärtli is the closest peak to Schwanden.The Glärnischfirn (also known as the Glärnischgletscher, the "Glarnisch Glacier") is about one mile long and about one-half mile wide at between 1.5 and 2.0 miles above sea level. The surrounding peaks are generally accessible to hikers and climbers only by traversing the length of the glacier itself. From the Vrenelisgärtli peak, the Lake Klontal may be seen directly, more than one mile below.In recent years, the glacier has lost a massive amount of its volume and its tongue has retreated sharply.East of the Glärnisch is located the lower Vorder Glärnisch.