It's Friday evening and the first mountain guides arrive at the sports center in Grindelwald to pick up their start numbers for tomorrow's race. Immediately after the "check-in", it's on to the obligatory "Parade of Nations" - in the traditional mountain guide attire, of course. From the start at the Outdoor Shop & Café, the parade of mountain guides moves past the sports center to Bärplatz and finally to the curling hall - with the anniversary ice axe, of course. They are led and musically accompanied by the Grindelwald trychler group - a convivial parade with numerous spectators. A delicious aperitif awaits us in the curling hall. Information is given about the next day's program, followed by a few speeches. The anniversary ice axe mingles with the mountain guides and is admired by many. A convivial evening with many exciting conversations draws to a close.

Early in the morning on Saturday, the Eiger Express takes us up to the station "Eigergletscher". Some mountain guides have quite a bit to carry, a pair of skis for the giant slalom and a pair of skis for the uphill race. Others, on the other hand, ski and run both races with one and the same ski - just as they do in their professional lives. The anniversary ice axe is still a bit hesitant - in the morning it is raining cats and dogs and it takes a bit of convincing before he goes to the start of the giant slalom. And as if the weather man was a mountain guide, it stops raining just in time for the start at 10am and the clouds clear. The competition starts on the long course for the mountain guides born in 1964 and younger - also a few telemarkers show their skills. The competition continues on the shorter course with the older mountain guides and their companions. Not only the guides compete with each other, but also the companions fight for every hundredth of a second. Shortly after noon the downhill race is over and they meet at the finish for the ascent. At 1pm the best giant slalom skiers start with the skins on their skis for the ascent race. The course leads from Salzegg to Fallboden and on to the Eiger glacier. The race is run according to the Gundersen method, i.e. the fastest start first and are chased by the runners behind. Despite the effort, everyone has fun and arrives happily at the Eiger glacier. Here they are already awaited by the anniversary ice axe - of course a finisher's photo must not be missing, especially as now also Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau show themselves in the sunlight. The aperitif in the Schreinerbar is now well deserved by all and so they philosophize about the race and already make plans for next year. 

A few hours later, the mountain guides and their companions meet at the Hotel Sunstar for the gala evening. In the traditional uniform, they dine and celebrate in style. Between the courses, the award ceremony takes place so that the winners receive the honor they deserve. There is eating, chatting, plagiarizing and discussing until late in the evening and soon it goes on in the cellar with the party - this could not be missed even the anniversary ice axe...but it is not told, certain things may also remain secret 😊