technical support: SAC Sektion Tödi
photography: Michael Güller, Hanspeter Högger, Lukas Menzi
patronage: Ostschweizer Regierungskoferenz, Cantons of Eastern Switzerland

A land-art event as an appetizer for the Swiss National Expo '02...

'According to recent geological research, the catchment area of the thermal springs of Bad Ragaz reaches well into the Tödi-region, where the glacier's water oozes away along cristalline layers into great depths, before surfacing as thermal water 10 years later in the Tamina-gorge.' (Society of friends of Bad Pfäfers, Tamina gorge - old thermal baths of Bad Pfäfers, flyer 1994).

The water in the thermal springs in the Tamina gorge nearby Bad Ragaz is as hot as 36.5° Celsius. The icy water from the Tödi glacier is hot when surfacing after its underground journey.

Heated in the interior of the earth - or maybe not, after all? Could it be that the heat comes from the glacier itself? Are glaciers actually hot inside, are they silently gleaming and burning?

No one has ever before seen the legendary glacier fire. In the night between August 31st and September 1st of 2002, it could be observed, for the first time ever, on the Tödi glacier. What an amazing show for those, who were fortunate enough to be in the Fridolin mountain hut, and particularly for the few mountaineers who were surprised by the fire when being on the glacier itself and thus experienced the powerful but fine happening from within...