It was ... I have so many feelings that I can only summarize them in a slightly longer writing.
The evening before the climb, on Thursday, we arrived at the parking lot at the Neues Lucknerhaus hut at 1918 m around 11 pm. A good five hours of sleep and it was time to climb. All winter equipment with us: crampons, snowshoes, gaiters, ice axe, as well as poles, safety harness, helmet... A winter climb awaited us (even though we were there in May, there was still a lot of snow). The snow started after just a few meters. We trudged the first part of the way. Luckily, some Spaniards trudged us. Up to a point. Then they gave up because they didn't have snowshoes. But we put them on and trudged on. When we reached the glacier, the fog finally cleared and we saw our destination: Glossglockner. We tied up and continued in a column over the glacier all the way to the ridge. This part was beautiful, the view of the summit and a view of a few peaks peeking above the clouds. It was hot. I ate small pieces of snow the whole time. We continued slowly. Only at the end did our snowshoes twist our ankles as we crossed towards the ridge below the Erzherzog Johann Hütte hut. We were so thirsty that we scooped up snow and poured hot tea over it to get a little more liquid. We took off our snowshoes and put on our crampons. The climb up the ridge to the hut followed while the ski tourers were already coming back down, asking us if we were still going to the top today. It was already around 2:30 p.m. The hardest part for me followed. Along the snowy ridge to the top. Very steep, very snowy. 50 cm of draft, a precipice on both sides and a steep slope. I had in my head the whole time I wonder who will come down here. At 3:30 p.m. we happily reached the summit. Happy. Proud.
We only stayed at the top long enough to put on jackets, windbreakers, double gloves and take a few photos. The descent followed. I was supposed to go first. But I resisted. It wouldn't work. Dad went ahead of me and then I had to focus only on each step individually. Every step was safe , but we were protected and it worked. When we came out of the steeper part, the descent to the hut followed. The adrenaline subsided and I was very hungry. Although in the end I didn't even manage to eat a whole (small) can of tuna. I had almost no food left at this point, and even less drink. I didn't have enough liquid with me, if I had, I would have drunk half a liter of water at this point. The descent went without any problems. We would have done great and we would have been "home" before nightfall if one of the members hadn't collapsed (exhaustion). So the rescue followed: pulling with a rope, supporting him under his arm and walking in a snake to get him into the valley. There was no other option. We were caught in the fog and darkness, we ran out of food and drinks, the snow was crazy wet. Luckily, there was a self-service cabinet with beer and sparkling water at the Lucknerhütte hut. We had a little refreshment and then the last 300 meters of descent followed. In the end, everything ended happily. Up and down in one day. In real winter conditions. 15 hours of walking. Exhausting, but worth it. And if you go again? Not in winter. But in summer. The landscape would probably look completely different.
We made the climb with guides Andrej and Marija Štremfelj as part of our acclimatization before Mont Blanc.