Alpine tour on Gross Spannort in the Urner Alps

From Engelberg, the dark jagged crown of Gross Spannort fascinates at the far end of the valley. It looks unclimbable and precisely for that reason it attracts mountaineers. Even better when you hear that climbing it is not a big problem and there is a great base at the Spannorthütte (1956 m). Standing after the scree ascent right on time for the sunrise in the Schlossberglücke (2627 m), you know why you keep climbing mountains: You glance over a glacier surface into the morning, put on crampons, and gently ascend circling almost the entire mountain (which cheerfully crumbles away). On the south side, the rock formation of Gross Spannort has its weakest points. Here, you climb rock steps (up to grade III) in several pitches to a snow plateau and then easily to the summit. Who would have guessed that at first sight! The descent is done by rappelling, somewhat more direct and steeper than the ascent.