So after a bit of back and forth, I’ve decided to start a blog. I love spending time in the mountains—whether that’s on foot, a bicycle, or skis—and I’ve managed to steer my way to a life here in the Swiss alps. However, I am not a professional endurance athlete. Far from one. I work full-time behind a screen and endurance sport is just a hobby. I have a lot of thoughts when I’m out in the mountains, so I figured I might as well put some of those thoughts into writing. And maybe you’ll find them of some use too.
Whenever I go out into the mountains, I like to remind myself why I do it. There are always one of 3 reasons I come back to. First, to embrace the beauty and peace of nature. Sometimes when I’m just fed up with life, a quick jog in the forest is all I need to remind myself how amazing it all is. Second, for adventure. I love the magic of discovering new places, especially those that you can only reach by foot. Whether that’s the top of the Weissmies, an abandoned hut in the forest, or an unnamed grotto at the bottom of a combe—there’s adventure everywhere. Third, to train. I’m not going to lie, I get really giddy whenever I feel strong and just fly up a mountain without breaking a sweat.
As someone with a deep appreciation and love for nature, I feel I have to play my part in keeping it around. That’s why I prioritise travelling by public transport and think about sustainable outdoor gear. A major perk of choosing public transport from an adventure perspective is that I am not bound to return to the car. To me, that is ultimate freedom. It means that I can go on point-to-point adventures and traverse entire mountain ranges without worrying about finishing where I start.
While the public transport network in Switzerland is incredible, I think lots of progress can be made here in Valais, where I live. I remember reading a quote once from an urban planner that said the hallmark of a truly developed nation was not that the poor have cars, but that the rich use public transport. I was very pleased to learn that in November 2024 the Swiss public rejected the government’s road infrastructure plans to expand national motorways. It’s certainly a step in the right direction, and I hope we will continue to see improvements to public transport and active mobility infrastructure.
As much as this blog is about the joy of exploration, I plan to also write about my gear and training. I’ll be competing in some local trail running races next summer and using the general advice from Uphill Athlete to structure my training. I hope my blog posts and guides will be entertaining and informative to any mountain adventurer that stumbles upon it.
From my hike to the Steinschlaghütte today
(would advise against going there)
