Launch at 11:25 from the 'Kühboden' above Fiesch. Slowly I gain altitude and cross towards Bellwald a few minutes later. The thermals are plesant and reliable. Large parts of the distance I can cover without turning. At the same time the clouds grow bigger and start to spread.

In a bit over an hour I arrive at the Sidelhorn and, together with Urs Nadler start to fly accross the Grimsel towards the Nägelisgrat. Urs finds a few meters in front of me a weak thermal whil I have a mere null sink. I'm searching the riedge for the much needed thermal, but eventually end up at the bottom of the 'Rohne' glacier. That's it I need to go and land, fly back to the old hotel in Gletsch to land in one of the big fields there.

As I prepare for the landing the phone rings. It's Alfredo, he left his glider in front of the hotel and drove off with his car. Now he asks me to go back there and get it for him. Why and how this could happen is a different story ;-) Just in Front of the Grimsel pass street, there where usually the the wind falls down from the Grimsel pass, I find a weak but reliable thermal. I immediatly start circling and gain valuabel altitude. I can see Urs above me, he is not much higher and obviously is also trying to get to the base. About 150 Meters above the ridge, the thermal dies down. It looks much better on the south side of this narrow valley.

With the altitude I just won, I change to the south side and find a better thermal there. Originally I wanted to fly on towards Andermatt, but after Alfredos phone call and the fact that I was not convinced to find much better conditions on the other side I descide to try to fly back to Fiesch.

I can fight my way back, from ridge to ridge and finally at the 'Ulricher Gale' I manage to get back up to the base. Arriving high above Bellwald I set my mind, despite the fact that the clouds look very dark, to fly on and go to the 'Riederfurka', another 10 kilometers.

After the 'Eggishorn', on 3000 Meters sealevel I fly as fast as I can and without furter turn to the 'Villa Cassel'. I then turn and start gliding back to Fiesch. Having much height, I should be able to reach the official landing area in a mere glide. But I do not loose altitude, I climb continuosly. The dark clouds above me slowly appear as a threat. I should know better. Big Ears, Speeder and still climbing with 2 meters a second. I don't feel too confortable anymore. I turn and fly out into the wide valley. Still climbing. I start a spiral and keep it until I feel dizzy. As soon as I get out of it the glider starts to climb again. My adrenalin level is raising. Finally I find a area with some sink and with 'big ears' and speeder I loos as much altitude as possible. Relieved I land a while later in Niederwald.

Urs calls me later, he landed in the Surselva, also fighting his way down after a cloud greeted him with a flash of lightning.

Flown distance : 74 km
Maximal height: 3200 meters asl
Maximal rate of climb: 5.1 Meters/Second !
Duration: 4 Hours 7 Minutes