Clariden, Alpine summit in Glarus Alps, Switzerland

Clariden is a 3,267 m summit in the Glarner Alps on the border between Uri and Glarus. It rises above the Klausen Pass, within the chain Gross Schärhorn – Clariden – Bocktschingel – Gemsfairenstock. The south side is covered by large glaciers and firn, including the Hüfifirn to the west and the Claridenfirn to the east.

The sources do not record a first ascent date for the Clariden. Its documented history is one of routes and retreating ice: the north-wall couloir, up to 50° steep, was climbed directly by Urs Odermatt, and chains were later fixed on the rock ridge above the north wall after accidents there. In 2022 and 2023 Switzerland lost 10 percent of its glacier volume, and the 6 m of snow on the Claridenfirn in mid-May 2024 had vanished by September.

The name Clariden probably derives from the Latin clarus, meaning bright or shining. The summit marks the cantonal border between Uri and Glarus, and the mountain is climbed from both sides: from the Klausen Pass in Uri via the Iswändli and a chain-secured rock ridge, and from the Clariden Hut in Glarus over the Claridenfirn.

Mountaineers can reach the summit through routes departing from the Clariden Hut or starting near the Klausen Pass with proper alpine gear and experience. The climbing season is best in late spring through summer when conditions are most stable for safe passage.

The Hüfifirn on the west side melts into the Chärstelenbach, a tributary of the Reuss that reaches Lake Lucerne, while the Claridenfirn on the east feeds the Linth and eventually Lake Zurich. The summit thus sits on the watershed between the Rhine and Aare basins. The Claridenfirn is shrinking: the 6 m of snow measured there in mid-May 2024 had vanished by September.