When the snow covers grass mats, rocks and stone fields, rough terrain suddenly becomes a playground of endless expanse and joy. While thousands of people are standing in each other’s way on overcrowded slopes, we stand alone on untouched peaks. We don’t need go-go girls, animation or happy hour up here. Instead of overdriven beats, my heartbeat is enough when I get into some faces. Sometimes it’s louder and faster, sometimes relaxed. Accompanied by thunderous silence. A twittering bird or an airplane at a height of 10 kilometres. Nothing else. Best of all, you’re not distracted and closer to yourself than usual. There are no thoughts about mails that have to be sent, absurd timings, super important meetings or other self-made obligations. None of that matters up there. Neither at the bottom. Because if you are already so small in contrast to the surrounding mountains, how big are the problems, which are actually none. What counts is the vital, healthy assessment of the snow, the confidence in yourself and own abilities, as well as allowing gut feeling.
Actually, touring is like life, or how it can be.
In front of you a wide, white field. Not another trace. And then create your own trace as you like. The snow surface is the playground that invites you to experience and live out maximum freedom. I often find myself setting my own limits. They’re usually just in my head. That’s why I’m glad I have the mountains on my doorstep. Up there I learn a lot about myself, my fears and about the limits that are there to cross them. Mostly they are the result of our own convictions and the influence of our environment. Of course, there are also real, true limits: Avalanche or crash hazard, weather and own snowboarding skills. But if you are with yourself, you know your own abilities, you don’t have to prove anything to anyone or to yourself. Especially not to the mountain. In any case, he is stronger. And then a real problem — in contrast to those in our heads that usually start with “I have to…”
Winter is slowly receding. There is still enough snow for tours to the surrounding mountains and for extended descents through untouched powder or firn. There is still time before the snowboards go into the well-deserved summer break. But next winter will come. Whether he’ll be as overwhelming as the last one, we’ll see. It’s in our hands, too. Because, as long as we are convinced that our problems are real problems, we compensate them, among others through consumption. This is at the expense of our patient Mother Earth and the climate. The effects are least noticeable in cities. But more and more on the countryside, in nature and above all in the mountains. Nevertheless — no matter where I go, I will always move back to nature, to the mountains. To learn more about me, life and our home planet full of possibilities and potentials.