Scenic Flight Glarus and Central Switzerland

On this flight there was an interesting weather situation. The eastern part of Switzerland was covered with a thick cloud layer and everything was like in a black and white movie. The rest of Switzerland was almost free of clouds and the light of the setting winter sun caused a phantastic golden illumination of the landscape below us. The course with a Rockwell Commander 114 of Moonlight Air, was: Triengen, Mount Pilatus, Mount Titlis, Engelberg, Mount Mythen, Glarus, Lake Walen, Zurich highlands, Mount Rigi, Triengen

Winter Landscape — Fig. 1: Shortly after takeoff from Triengen air field there's this view on a nice winter landscape, covered in snow. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Winter Landscape — Fig. 2: The light of the low winter sun casts long shadows on this winter landscape with freshly fallen snow. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Hazy Winter Landscape — Fig. 3: Slowly the landscape rises and forms the Swiss Alps. Haze lies upon the ground and is veils the winter landscape in backlight. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Pilatus 1 — Fig. 4: Mount Pilatus is the local landmark mountain of the city of Lucerne. It is visible in the front with all the buildings on it. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Pilatus 2 — Fig. 5: The curved ridge of Mount Pilatus snaking away from the observer. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Pilatus 3 — Fig. 6: The summit station of Mount Pilatus with hotel and restaurant. On the left you'll see the tracks of the steepest cog railway worldwide. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Pilatus and Lucerne — Fig. 7: Hotel Bellevue on top of Mount Pilatus with telecommunication antennas on the tip of Mount Pilatus. In the background lies Lake Lucerne and the city of Lucerne with the train station and the culture center KKL. On the upper right corner is Lake Zug. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Lake Sarnen — Fig. 8: Twinkling in the sunlight lies Lake Sarnen with the village Sarnen in the foreground. In the background Lake Lungeren is visible. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Slopes with Snow 1 — Fig. 9: Mountain slopes covered with snow somewhere in canton Obwalden. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Slopes with Snow 2 — Fig. 10: Mountain ridges and slopes covered with snow somewhere in canton Obwalden. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Titlis 1 — Fig. 11: The last beams of sunlights are reaching the glacier park on Mount Titlis. Clearly visible, the prominent tower on the top of the mountain. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Midlands with nuclear power plant — Fig. 12: Lookout from the Swiss Alps towards the flat midlands of Switzerland. Very prominent is the cloud factory of Gösgen (aka nuclear power plant). — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Titlis 2 — Fig. 13: The wonderful ridge with steep walls of Mount Titlis with the telecommunication antennas on the prominent tower. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Top station Titlis — Fig. 14: The top station of the cable car of Mount Titlis is visible in the foreground. In the background the prominent telecommunication tower. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Mountain summits in sunset light — Fig. 15: The low winter sun is casting the mountain summits in a wonderful light. With the dark clouds above eastern Switzerland in the background there is a good contrast. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Above the mountains — Fig. 16: That's how flying above the Swiss Mountains in a small airplane looks like. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Sisikon — Fig. 17: The village Sisikon on the shore of Lake Lucerne lies on the border of canton Uri and canton Schwyz. The small stream Riemenstaldenbach flows into the lake here. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Great Mythen and Brunnen — Fig. 18: The hut on the top of Mount Great Mythen, one of the most prominent mountains in the region around Schwyz. In the background lies Brunnen on the shore of Lake Lucerne. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Lake Klöntal — Fig. 19: Unfortunately the entire canton Glarus was covered in thick clouds. No beam of sunlight could reach the winterly valleys. Because there were also no colour visible with the bare eye, I converted the following images to black and white completely. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Firn 1 — Fig. 20: A small glacier firn on a mountainside of Mount Glärnisch in Klön valley. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Firn 2 — Fig. 21: Another small glacier firn on a mountainside of Mount Glärnisch in Klön valley. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Stream with obstructions — Fig. 22: A small stream on the side of Mount Glärnisch. Many steps and obstructions made of concrete should prevent landslides. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Mürtschenstock — Fig. 23: The colour is coming back when exiting the Glarus valley and looking beyond Mount Mürtschenstock towards the sunny Swiss midlands. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Linth Plains — Fig. 24: The plains of the Linth channel and the highway. In the foreground one can see train station Ziegelbrücke. There's really no colour in the winter landscape, except for the blue sky in the background. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Rapperswil, Lützelau, Ufenau — Fig. 25: The evening sun is transforming Lake Zurich into pure gold. Here one can see the two small islands Lützelau (left) and Ufenau (right). Rapperswil is on the left hand side of the image. In the background Mount Rigi with the prominent transmission tower. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Wetzikon Preyenstrasse — Fig. 26: The district in Oberwetzikon with the Preyenstrasse. My parents, my sister and my two nephews lived here back in 2005. In 2017 everybody had to leave because the owner Wincasa decided to renovate all blocks and probably doubles the rents. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Zürcher Oberland, Lake Zurich — Fig. 27: The Zurich highlands covered in snow with Lake Zurich in pure gold caused by the winterly evening sun. The two promient mountains in the background are Mount Rigi (left) and Mount Pilatus (right). — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Einsiedeln — Fig. 28: Also Lake Sihl is made of pure gold. The village here is Einsiedeln. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Lake Sihl — Fig. 29: The village Einsiedeln (left hand side) with the narrow bridge to Willerzell crossing Lake Sihl. In the background Lake Zurich with the peninsula Au is visible. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Sunset Mood — Fig. 30: Light plays in the evening mood with Mount Rigi Scheidegg and Mount Hochflue — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Lake Ägeri — Fig. 31: The light of the setting sun is reflecting in some windows of the village Oberägeri and reflects again in Lake Ägeri. In the background is cloud factory Gösgen. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Rigi-Kulm — Fig. 32: The summit of Mount Rigi (aka Rigi Kulm) with the promient transmission tower. In winter time Rigi is a nice skiing and sledging site. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Rigi-Scheidegg 1 — Fig. 33: The trees on Mount Rigi Scheidegg cast long shadows in the light of the winterly evening sun. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Rigi-Scheidegg 2 — Fig. 34: These houses on Mount Rigi Scheidegg must have a wonderful sight of the setting sun in this winter. The lake in the background is Lake Zug. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Rigi-Scheidegg with Mythen — Fig. 35: Twin peaks in central Switzerland. Mount Small Mythen (left) and Mount Great Mythen (right) are glowing in the light of the setting sun. The dark clouds of eastern Switzerland in the background are creating a wonderful contrast. Unfortunately the summit of the mountains are in shadow. The houses in the foreground are on Rigi Scheidegg. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Rigi-Kulm 2 — Fig. 36: The summit of the queen of the mountains, Mount Rigi with the Rigi Kulm Hotel, the prominent transmission tower and the top station of the cog railway. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Rigi-Kulm 3 — Fig. 37: The transmission tower on top of Mount Rigi with the Rigi Kulm Hotel and Lake Lucerne in the background. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Restaurant Rigi Kulm Hotel — Fig. 38: Turning above Rigi Kulm Hotel with some spectators. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Lake Sempach with KKW Gösgen — Fig. 39: Lake Sempach with the famous cloud factory KKW Gösgen, where all the clouds in canton Aargau and Solothurn are made. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Sempach — Fig. 40: The church of the village Sempach on Lake Sempach. Slowly we are heading back to airfield Triengen. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Winter Landscape 3 — Fig. 41: Swiss landscape in winter. The fresh snow on the trees has already molten away. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005

Airport Triengen — Fig. 42: Approaching the runway of airfield Triengen with Swiss Alps in the background. — Nikon D70, Nikkor AF-S 28-70mm 1:2.8D, polarization filter, 26 November 2005