Va’ Sentiero
Silence can be Loud
Wadden Sea
Va’ Sentiero runs along the first part of the forgotten Sentiero Italia, 7,000 km across all the Italian mountains.
An adventure pushed to the limit, the expedition of Simone Moro and Tamara Lunger in the wild winter Gasherbrum.
The Wadden islands risk becoming a lost paradise if we keep on with our current behavior.
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YOUR FAVORITE PFC-FREE RAIN JACKET
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ALBULA JACKET Environmentally friendly, thanks to a main fabric made from 100% recycled polyester. Sustainably coloured using water free dope-dye method. PFC-free. Comfortable thanks to a pleasant, lightweight, soft and stretchable material. MAMMUT SWISS 1862.
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EDITO BY
D AV I D E F I O R A S O
I want this emergency to lead to a real revolution. Inside and outside us. I want to learn this lesson, without missing any teaching. I want to carry these emotions, these reflections, these thoughts with me and I want them to lead to a real change. I want every person to have the opportunity to experience time as we are doing it now. Slow, simple, extended. Without any of this, no one in the world would have truly discovered himself, put his creativity into action, demonstrate what he’s capable of.
I want time back for adults and kids, fathers and children, without the every day commuting and constant daily commitments that deprive us of our energies. I would like to have smart working promoted wherever possible, conserving economic, physical and ecological resources. I would like that even a simple walk in the neighborhood will be considered valuable; that kisses and hugs will be given with care because of the value they really represent. I want the elderly to return having the role that has always belonged to them, as custodians of stories, memories and wisdom. I want respect, solidarity, brotherhood to reign. We needed such a strong experience to realize what we are really capable of. And what we really need. It is time for everyone to do their part, to start again in a different way. A more responsible way. A more aware. Wiser. More true. I don't want things going back as they used to be.
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PHOTO LUIGI CHIURCHI
I want to go back to live what's essential; go shopping in my hometown, buy only what I really need, use the car as little as possible. I want to learn to take a step back from the world and admire it without disturbing it, without noise, pollution.
SCOPRI IL SIGNIFICATO DI FOR YOUR MOUNTAIN SECONDO L’ULTRA RUNNER MICHELE GRAGLIA
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PHOTO LUIGI CHIURCHI
ART DIRECTION George Boutall | george@evergreendesignhouse.com Francesca Pagliaro, Diego Marmi
ISSUE 39 CONTENTS
T H E D A I LY P I L L
P. 5 2
P. 1 2
DON'T WANT TO CHANGE PL ANET
P. 5 4
KILLER COLLAB
P. 1 6
WE LOVE OUR RUNNING SPOTS
P. 5 6
ECO SEVEN
P. 2 0
ASK FOR ADVENTURE
P. 6 2
GOOD READS
P. 2 4
CAUCASUS COOKING
P. 6 6
MOVING PICTURES
P. 2 6
NO PLANET B
P. 7 0
ARC'TERYX
P. 2 8
ANNA STÖHR
P. 74
DEUTER
P. 3 0
TH E R U N N I N G PASTO R
P. 7 8
P I C T U R E C L I M AT E C H A N G E
P. 3 2
FARO E IS L AN DS
P. 8 4
N O PL AC E TO FAR
P. 3 4
LHOTSE
P. 9 2
HEART OF THE DOLOMITES
P. 3 6
PATAG O N I A I N T O T H E U N K N O W N
P. 9 8
GIANT ROAD TO REVOLUTION
P. 3 8
VA SE NTI E RO
P. 1 0 4
FUTURELIGHT
P. 4 0
E L C H AT L E N
P. 11 2
VAU DE
P. 4 4
WADDEN TRIP
P. 1 2 0
ALBA OPTICS
P. 4 8
SILENCE CAN BE LOUD
P. 1 2 8
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PHOTO LUIGI CHIURCHI
YO U R PAT H I S T O N O W H E R E
BEST MADE
P. 8
KALIPÈ FREE Kalipè Free with differentiated thickness in the midsole and enveloping rubber protecting the toe and heel.
SHOP ONLINE · SCARPA.NET
THE DAILY PILL BY DAV I D E F I O R AS O
NEW OWNER FOR ODLO Monte Rosa Sports Holding AG acquired Odlo International from Herkules Fund III. Odlo, a Swiss company with Norwegian roots, today has about 800 employees and is a leader in the production of technical underwear. Monte Rosa is a holding company owned by Hugo Maurstad and Christian Casal. Maurstad has followed numerous investments in the sector, while Casal is the former head of McKinsey Switzerland with an extensive corporate experience. "We have found similarities with the investments made in Rossignol and Helly Hansen" - explains Hugo Maurstad - "The company is globally recognized. By bringing Odlo back to its roots, its position as an European leader in the sector will be strengthened."
MIZUNO TORINO: THE FIRST EUROPEAN SINGLE-BRAND STORE Mizuno has inaugurated its first single-brand store in Europe in Torino. The new store, inspired by Japanese culture with clean and minimalist lines, is located in the elegant context of the historic center of the capital city of Piedmont. The new space will have the symbolic task of strengthening the community of sportsmen loyal to the brand and will fully embody the corporate philosophy. The President of Mizuno Italia, Oliver Strenghetto, commented: “this historical moment so delicate for Italy and for the rest of the world has highlighted even more the importance of sport in everyday life and will probably also be one of the driving sectors for starting again”.
SCARPA SPONSORS RAG NI DI LECCO Scarpa has announced a collab with Ragni della Grignetta (or Ragni di Lecco), one of the most prestigious realities of the mountaineering panorama, with more than 70 years history of climbing at the highest levels. The collaboration, regarding the supply of technical gears, symbolizes the sharing of common values: spirit of freedom, passion for the mountains and bond with tradition. It all started in the territory of Cortina d'Ampezzo in a day spent together with the Gruppo Scoiattoli and the Alpine Guides of Cortina. An opportunity to exchange ideas and reflections on future projects and to take look at the news in the world of mountaineering.
THE NORTH FACE INTRODUCES FUTURELIGHT IN FOOT WE AR The North Face brings its revolutionary breathable and waterproof technology in the footwear world. Futurelight offers exceptional air permeability, it’s suitable for environmental conditions and activities of all types and has been rigorously tested to last over time. Confirming the brand's commitment to the increasingly frequent use of recycled materials, the shoes of the Futurelight collection are characterized by various sustainable components, such as the eco-friendly Ortholite hybrid footbed introduced in the Ultra Fastpack Futurelight range and in the Ultra Traction models Futurelight and Activist Futurelight.
AT K S P O R T S S R L I S B O R N ATK Sports is born from the merging between ATK Race and Gimec, owned by the Indulti family. The goal is clear: to reach the ambitious goal of expansion and at the same time to create the conditions for an international project that will supports the development, engineering and production of goods, components and systems for the world of sport. It also represents an opportunity to combine the technical, industrial and commercial optimizations that had already been launched. In the short term, ATK Bindings will therefore become the main brand controlled by ATK Sports, destined to guarantee unparalleled performance in the modern ski mountaineering and freeride sector.
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150 years of Outdoors 150 may seem like a lot of years, but here at Ferrino it feels like yesterday that Cesare Ferrino tested the first waterproof fabrics, in the back of his shop in Turin. We have been producing outdoor products for a century and a half with the same passion and dedication typical of family
Š Fondazione Sella Onlus
businesses. Innovation, research and sustainability are the pillars on which we are building our future.
THE DAILY PILL BY DAV I D E F I O R AS O
M AT TEO D E LL A B O R D E LL A I S A N E W V I B RA M ATH LE TE Vibram is happy to welcome in its team the mountaineer and climber Matteo Della Bordella. Lover of unconventional mountaineering, Matteo embodies the adventurous spirit typical of the pioneers of the past. His latest adventures include various expeditions to the Indian Himalayas, Pakistan and Patagonia, a place he loves very much. Born in 1984 in Varese, Matteo knows very well and normally uses Vibram sole shoes; after years of collaboration as a tester, he officially joined the team of athletes, he will contribuite to to the study of new solutions for mountaineering and outdoor sports in general.
TH E FE R R I N O AM BAS SAD O R ALE KSAN D RA TAI STRA I S TH E PROTAG O N I ST O F G O R RO PU Last fall, the strong Polish climber became famous by climbing in just one day the legendary via Hotel Supramonte (8B max/7C obligatory) in the Gorropu Gorge, in Sardinia. Opened by Rolando Larcher and Roberto Vigiani back in 1998, it is a spectacular multipitch route, an important goal in the career of a climber. Francesco Pierini's film “Gorropu - An inspirational climbing story” tells the great passion and determination of Aleksandra, showing how climbing can become a springboard for understanding yourself. The documentary will be screened in the most important Italian cities.
M O N TA N E AC Q U I R E D BY I N V E R L E I T H Inverleith LLP, sa Scottish investment company specializing in consumer goods, acquired the majority of Montane, a British outdoor clothing and accessories company founded in 1993 in Ashington and internationally known thanks to the mantra Further. Faster. This investment will help the company expand its global distribution, with a major focus on product development. After a transition period, Montane's CEO, Jake Doxat, will take on a new role as a global brand ambassador. He will also continues as a minority shareholder and lead of the board of directors.
FERRINO TENTSET IS ONLINE Online now the configurator that, in 6 simple steps, can help you to create a tent suitable for any condition. Starting from today it’s possible to realise a first configuration where to choose type of tent, inner tent, poles and flysheets and then eventually add accessories or custom components to realize the perfect tent or simply to change its use without having to purchase a new one. A function that looks up to environmental sustainability by allowing you to combine multiple tents in one, reducing the consumption of resources and the waste of material.
ROCKMASTER: THE ARCO EVENT IS POSTPONED TO 2021 For the first time in 35 years the history of RockMaster has been interrupted. The current situation does not allow planning an event that brings together thousands of fans, volunteers, technicians and athletes from all over the world. "It seems an act of responsibility to free economic resources that public administrations will be able to allocate to emergency response policies determined by Covid-19" - declares the organization. RockMaster 2021 will be a model for relaunching outdoor tourism in Arco and in Garda Trentino. This forced stop will serve to define new proposals, from the competition formats to the new design of the Climbing Stadium.
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D I S T R I B U I TO D A S O C R E P | W W W. S O C R E P. I T
V I S I TA C I I N V I A S A N T ’A N D R E A 1 8 - A N G O LO V I A D E L L A S P I G A CANADAGOOSE.IT
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1 . SA L E WA
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SELLA RESPONSIVE JACKET
RIBELLE TECH 2.0 HD
TRAILHEAD CAMP CHAIR
For the 20/21 winter season Salewa presents the new Sella Responsive Jacket, a versatile mountaineering and ski-mountaineering shell made with the innovative Powertex Responsive, a three-layer fabric with a waterproof and breathable membrane. The internal lining contains an exclusive mix of minerals capable of recycling the energy emitted by the body for greater thermal comfort and better performance during the activity.
Scarpa further perfects a product that has revolutionized the mountaineering market, changing the rules of the game about how to move in the mountains. The new Ribelle Tech 2.0 HD removes what may have been superfluous. The result? A more efficient, stronger boot with a higher level of thermal insulation. New asymmetrical overlapping system integrated with the upper and new elastic gaiter in Knit technology.
Yeti continues to make its mark with its bestin-class products dedicated to the world of camping and outdoor life. This is the case of
4.BIOLITE
5 . PATAG O N I A
6 . L A S P O R T I VA
HEADLAMP 330
A S C E N S I O N I ST PAC K 5 5 L
HELIOS III
High performance combined with unprecedented comfort, thanks to the BioLite 3D SlimFit patent. With a front thickness of 9 mm and a weight of only 69 grams, the headlamp is positioned optimally without feeling any oscillation or slipping. The breathable fabric keeps you cool and dry during any activity. 330 lumens, 40 hours of battery life at minimum power and charging via Micro USB.
Two new variants of the Ascensionist Pack backpack from Patagonia. This 55L version is inspired by the requests of its ambassadors, looking for a large backpack for climbing and expeditions. Optimized in detail, it is designed for long approaches, where lightness is a key element. The aluminum supports offer support for heavier loads, without hindering flexibility in movement.
A “door to trail� footwear designed for off-road training and running. An athleisure product with a light and breathable upper, made with a unique combination of rip-stop fabric, single-bladed mesh and sandwich mesh. FriXion Blue compound tread perfect for use on hard and rocky terrain. The EVA midsole with MorphoDynamic technology guarantees the high cushioning typical of the Helios model.
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the Trailhead chair designed for legendary durability and extreme comfort. It is made of FlexGrid fabric that eliminates pressure points, packaway frame, wide GroundGrip feet to offer greater stability to the ground. Once you've conquered a killer trail, you've earned an even better break.
BEST MADE BY DAV I D E F I O R AS O
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7. O P I N E L
8.MAMMUT
9.BLACK DIAMOND
NO. 8 OUTDOOR KNIFE
9.0 ALPINE SENDER DRY ROPE
CAMALOT Z4
Multi-function knife that preserves the legendary Opinel ergonomics. This version is equipped with a 2.5 mm thick Sandvick saw blade (very efficient for cutting natural or synthetic ropes) and a 4 to 10 mm shackle key. The handle, made of fiberglass-reinforced polyamide, has an integrated survival whistle and a Virobloc double safety ring.
A 9 mm rope with three certifications that extend its range of use: single, half or twin rope. A high-performing product for the cliff, which is also perfectly suited for mountaineering or ice climbing. It is equipped with Dry treatment which guarantees waterproofing to the sock and the core, while the dense weave prevents dust from penetrating inside. Available in the 30-40-50-60 m versions.
A real innovation in the climbing world. Z4 is the new friend created with the precious collaboration of athletes such as Hazel Findlay,
10.ORTOVOX
1 1.ADIDAS TERREX
12.FERRINO
SWISSWOOL PIZ PALĂœ JACKET
FREE HIKER GTX
PILIER 2
The award-winning ski touring jacket. It combines a warm Swisswool padding (weighing just 60 g/m²) with an outer layer in Pertex Quantum Diamond Fuse that protects against abrasion and wind, while remaining extremely breathable. Inside, finally, a Merino Naturetec Light softshell that ensures great comfort and an optimal body temperature. Elastic inserts on hood and cuffs.
New generation comfort to better enjoy any excursion. The upper in exclusive Primeknit fabric wraps the foot to ensure flexibility and stability, while the Boost midsole provides a continuous return of energy. Waterproof and breathable Gore-Tex membrane, anti-abrasion reinforcements and tip with shaped protection. Continental rubber sole for optimal grip even on wet terrain.
The 2-person tent built to withstand adverse high altitude conditions. Its main feature is its geodesic structure which gives stability and exceptional wind resistance. The entrance with front apse is fully roll-up; the bedroom door with external mosquito net can be stored in a special pocket. Made with Fire Retardant fabrics, taped seams and a double water-repellent roof in Ripstop 50D polyester.
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Carlo Traversi, Sam Elias and Babsi Zangerl. It consists of a single stem with RigidFlex technology that allows it to remain rigid when it is under tension and to flex again when it is in position, moving without making the cams walk. Available in 7 different sizes.
ReaCH BEYOND Wave MUJIN 6 ADERENZA TOTALE
La scarpa perfetta per lo spirito esplorativo del trail runner. La Wave Mujin 6 con suola in gomma Michelin, tecnologia XtaGrip e Mizuno Wave offre una perfetta aderenza su terreni irregolari. Seguici su MIZUNO ITALIA
@MIZUNO.IT
MIZUNO.COM
mizuno store
il primo flagship store d’europa a torino 210x265 - PILL OUTDOOR.indd 1
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KILLER COLLABS BY DAV I D E F I O R AS O
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1.GORE-TEX INFINIUM X CARHART T W I P : P O I N T P U L LOV E R
2 .T I M E X X A L P H A I N D U S T R I E S : 4 0 M M FA B R I C S T R A P WAT C H
3 . DA N N E R X W EST E R L I N D : JAG THE TETON
The first partnership between Carhartt WIP and W.L.Gore is already out. In the spring/ summer 2020 collection there is a series of jackets re-proposed with breathable and windproof Gore-Tex Infinium technology. Sportswear removable covers made of 50 denier woven polyester. Adjustable hoods, ergonomic construction of the sleeves and taped seams. The Point Pullover is distinguished by the half zip closure.
Timex and Alpha Industries share a past linked to the production of articles for the US military. The result of this collab is a military-inspired watch with an anodized aluminum case and a sturdy woven fabric strap. The dial, taken from the classic MK1, shows the logos of both brands, while the hands and high-contrast luminous indexes underline the legacy of Timex in the functional design.
The original Danner Jag debuted in the 1980s as an alternative to the classic hiking boots. 30 years after its disappearance, it has been reintroduced in a new version that incorporates lighter and more resistant materials: 100% waterproof barrier, EVA cushioning midsole, waffle sole that adapts to a wide variety of terrains. The aesthetic result is instead the result of the collaboration with the retailer Westerlind.
4 . G O R E -T E X X PA L A C E : PA C L I T E V E N T PA N T
5 .C L A R KS O R I G I N A LS X NEIGHBORHOOD: DESERT TREK
6.MILESTONE X CLEF: BUCKET H AT + M S - G 1
In the fourth spring drop, the London based streetwear brand Palace Skateboards presented a selection of rather captivating clothing and accessories, in which the set by Gore-Tex stands out. Specifically, this trousers with Paclite technology offer long-lasting waterproof and windproof protection. Adjustable waist, Tri-Ferg logo in reflective material, side pockets with zip closure.
After Atmos, Sophnet, Beams and Staple, the British based brand Clarks Originals signs another joint venture in the country of the Rising Sun, more precisely with Neighborhood. The first silhoutette chosen, the Desert Trek, comes in a light grey suede version with the "toothed" logo of Mr Takizawa positioned on the tip. Leather patch on the heel with the image of a hiker, Vibram sole, signature of the two labels on the insole.
Milestone, an Osaka-based lighting company, has launched a large collection of headwear in collaboration with Clef, a specialist in the sector since 2003. This classic bucket hat, a true must-have for teenagers in the 90s, incorporates the 300 lumen MS-G1 headlamp, an extremely light USB rechargeable model (only 24 g) but equally powerful and compact. Coolever technology prevents from falling from your forehead because of the sweat.
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SENSE RIDE 3 EVERY DAY. EVERY TRAIL.
KILLER COLLABS BY DAV I D E F I O R AS O
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7. THE NORTH FACE X KAZUKI KURAISHI: URBAN EXPLORATION COLLECTION
8 .W H I T E M O U N TA I N E E R I N G X A D I DAS O R I G I N A LS : L XC O N
9.NEW ERA X THE NORTH FAC E : 5 9 F I F T Y C A P
The North Face is going on with its collab with Kazuki Kuraishi also for the spring/summer 2020. A capsule collection divided into two releases that includes a range of 14 pieces, including the first female creations of the Japanese designer. Technicality is intertwined with the streetwear aesthetic thanks to straps, pockets and transformable inserts that make the articles very versatile. All the outerwear garments present the new Futurelight technology.
The Japanese brand White Mountaineering joins forces with Adidas and present a technical and daring look without distorting the cards on the table. Based on the 90s Lexicon running shoes, this practical model takes up the old-school appeal of the original version, updating it with an exclusive buckle closure system. Upper in Primeknit fabric with TPU upholstery and WM logo on the back.
New Era, ready to celebrate its 100th anniversary, combines its know-how with The North Face’s in an iconic pack of hats celebrating of one of the greatest challenge in history: the climb of Mount Everest. To enhance the location between the two nations, Nepal and Tibet, New Era has developed two exclusive patches, traditionally used as souvenirs, with the traditional names of the mountain: Sagamartha and Chomolungma.
1 0 . M A A P X S U P L E S T: E D G E + R OA D P R O S H O E
1 1 . SO I L L X O N T H E R OA M : C H A L K BAG
1 2 .W TA P S X H E L LY H A N S E N : B OW JAC K E T
A new collab between Maap Cycling and the Swiss brand Suplest. Edge+Road Pro is the speed shoe that features cutting-edge technological features. The microfiber upper includes two Boa IP1 closures to ensure a perfect fit, while the rigid carbon sole, combined with the Solestar insole, allows an efficient power transfer. Performance and comfort, with a touch of color that will catch every eye.
Chalk Bag in TPU with internal fleece lining, back pocket with zip, adjustable waist belt. Includes a snap closure to prevent magnesite dispersion when not in use. It is part of the exclusive On The Roam collection born from the collaboration between So iLL and the actor Jason Momoa, Khal Drogo of Game of Thrones. From that comes the motif of the references to Niho Mano, a Hawaiian symbol with triangular shapes.
The Japanese label WTAPS joins again the historic outdoor brand Helly Hansen for a seasonal capsule of clothing and technical accessories that gravitates around the G353 nylon jacket. Substantially unchanged from the original version introduced by the Norwegian brand in the 90s with its oversize fit, it is presented in a bold orange color with color-blocked panels on the pockets and buttoning.
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“I like to keep it varied and exciting — climbing, mountaineering, trail running — otherwise I get bored. I want to train as a mountain and ski guide, to help other people also have amazing experiences in the mountains, in safety.” FINN KOCH, ASPIRANT MOUNTAIN GUIDE, WITH THE GUIDE LITE 30+. For FINN KOCH, variety is the spice of life — particularly when he has an ultralight mountain pack on his back, like the new Guide Lite.
Deuter_170x230mm_20.indd 1
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ECO SEVEN BY DAV I D E F I O R AS O
˜ SY M PAT E X R E VO L U T I O N H Y B R I D THE FIRST FUNCTIONAL UPCYCLED JACKET Sympatex has introduced rEvolution Hybrid, a highly sustainable new product that represents the wear2wear partnership between the European industries in the sector, whose common goal is a closed cycle. rEvolution Hybrid is a high performance triple layer hardshell made with 30% recycled used fabrics and 70% recycled PET bottles. “The latest product born from the wear2wear partnership is revolutionizing the functional textile market and is synonymous with sustainable and responsible clothing” said Rüdiger Fox, CEO of Sympatex Technologies. “Nobody has ever gone so far in our industry”.
S.CAFE - FROM COFFEE GROUNDS TO S U S TA I N A B L E FA B R I C Huge quantities of grounds come from daily coffee consumption. These grounds can be used in different ways, such as plant fertilizers or air fresheners. The sustainable S.Café technology, patented by the Taiwanese company Singtex and developed after four years of research and hard work, transforms them into an ecological fabric. A patented process combines processed grounds with recycled polymer granules to obtain a yarn ready for weaving. The end result is a high-performance fabric that offers excellent odor control, UV protection and quick drying.
S K I N S B E LT S - # R E - U S E I T D I F F E R E N T LY The reuse of everyday objects would help reduce, if not limit, their enormous impact on the planet. The Skins Belts project was born from the idea of Marta Lotti: recycling synthetic seal leather to create belts, giving a second life to a product that can no longer be used for its
original purpose. To ignite the spark was the discovery of a box of old leathers dating back to the 1980s, each different in color, length and material. The handmade belts are unique and irreproducible pieces. A simple idea but that can give a positive impulse in the consumer society in which we live.
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Original
R KS O W T AR
Distribuito da Boardcore s.r.l. info@boardcore.it
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M I L L I K E N & C O M PA N Y A N N O U N C E S T H E PA R T N E R S H I P W I T H N AT I O N A L G E O G R A P H I C Milliken, global company owner of Polartec, announced the partnership with National Geographic in order to "inspire innovation for sustainability and for the future of a circular economy”. The collaboration began in Washington DC with the sponsorship of the National Geographic Circular Economy Forum. Milliken, a textile manufacturer who acquired Polartec in 2019, continues its commitment to protecting the planet in favor of future generations. Its sustainability goals include the promise to “summon scientists and thoughts leaders to promote the goal of an end-of-life solution for plastics”.
OSPREY ANNOUNCES ITS S U STA I N A B I L I T Y P L A N Spring 2020 marks a new stage in Osprey's journey to become the most innovative, transparent and sustainable outdoor brand in the world. From chemistry, with the adoption and launch of the C0 DRW coating (and the goal of completely eliminating PFCs by 2022) to the choice of recycled materials, introduced for the first time in the backpacks of the new Archeon and Arcane series. But also corporate social responsibility and the Code of Conduct according to the standards established by the Ethical Trading Initiative. Osprey will also continue to support environmental projects by funding awareness campaigns and field operations.
TERNUA AND THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY P R O J E C T L AT E X A R T I C L E There are about 1 million Latxa sheep in the Basque Country. However, their wool represents a problem: it has no commercial value and cannot be discarded. With the Latxa Artile project, Ternua has transformed this waste into a unique circular economy opportunity. The goal is to demonstrate the potential of this product and reintroduce it on the market as a thermal insulator. The project aims to provide value to these sheep farms and provide a stable outlet for the 2.5 million kg of wool produced every year. The first jacket with Artileshell technology will arrive in the autumn-winter 2020-2021 collection.
S A U C O N Y T O WA R D S T H E P R O D U C T I O N O F BIODEGRADABLE SHOES Experiment with eco-compatible materials and study the way to create shoes that decompose at the end of life. With these two specific goals in mind, Saucony is developing a 100% plastic-free biodegradable shoe
made of natural materials (organic cotton, Tencel, wool, rubber) and renewable resources. The starting point is a casual shoe from the Originals line, whose production process will be streamlined and with reduced energy consumption. Without the use of glues and yarns derived from petroleum, this shoe will follow the same binding processes used in the footwear sector at the end of the 19th century. Further news are expected at the end of 2020.
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Your Life,
your Spirit.
GOOD READS BY DAV I D E F I O R AS O, M AT T EO PAVA N A , LU CA A L B R I S I & G I U L I A F I C I C C H I A
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1. IL SUONO DELLA SOLITUDINE
2 . L’A R T E D I F A R E L O Z A I N O
M I C H E L E M A R Z I A N I - E D I C I C LO E D I TO R E
A N D R E A M AT T E I - E D I C I C LO E D I TO R E
Solitude can give you freedom, but solitude is not for everyone. “Il suono della solitudine” according to the author, is an essay that moves through his memory, from his childhood on the beaches of Rimini to the choice of moving to a small village in Alta Valsesia. A story of research and awareness, but also of acceptance of your own limits. After reading it, what will be the sound of solitude for you?
Tell me what you have in your backpack and I'll tell you which traveler you are. For Andrea Mattei, author of this short book that is impossible not to devour, it is right to be curious about how other travelers fill their backpacks. The art of backpacking is an art that must be studied because it will bring us back in the past and will tell us the stories of the most used objects, from Marseille soap to the safety pin, from the Swiss knife to the notebook.
PA O L O R U M I Z - F E LT R I N E L L I
4 . I N PATAG O N I A
5 . M O U N TA I N S O F T H E M I N D
6. OCEANO
B R U C E C H AT W I N - A D E L P H I E D I Z I O N I
R O B E R T M AC FA R L A N E - E I N A U D I E D I TO R E
F RA NCESCO VI D OT TO - M I NER VA ED I ZI O NI
Chatwin's Patagonia becomes, for anyone who will love this book, a place that was missing from his personal geography and whose need he subconsciously felt. Backpacker, smile on the lips and curiosity in mind, Chatwin faces an unforgettable journey through places of great charm and beauty. Colors, sounds, smells are immediately perceived as tangible and engaging as the stories of the people that the protagonist meets.
There was a moment in history when the mountains went from being little appreciated geological areas to arousing the wonder of enthusiasts and non-enthusiasts at the same time. Robert Macfarlane looks for that switch by retracing mountaineering expeditions, artistic creations related to the world of peaks, scientific discoveries and much more. In his pages he shows how these rock giants have remained unaltered and how instead we have changed our approach to them.
The story of a lumberjack who has never seen the sea. Oceano Giovanni Maria Del Favero was born on a cart pulled by two not so willing mules as his family was going down from the mountains to seek fortune in America. Not even the time to open the eyes that he finds himself abandoned and entrusted to two new parents who come from a tiny village in the Dolomites so, ironically, he goes back to the mountains, this time by train, and lives a completely different destiny.
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3. LA LEGGENDA DEI MONTI N AV I G A N T I 8000 kilometers through the mountain chains of Italy; the Alps first, then the Apennines. From Friuli to Calabria, a story that evokes marine metaphors as we were sailing in an immense emerged archipelago. A journey to discover a silent world that enhances an Italy made of altitude, little visible and little told, between legendary re-enactments, myths of our time (Bonatti and Rigoni Stern), musicians looking for roots (Guccini or Capossela).
MOVING PICTURES BY DAV I D E F I O R AS O, M AT T EO PAVA N A , LU CA A L B R I S I & G I U L I A F I C I C C H I A
NARCIS ELIAS ELHARDT
In southern Kosovo, a country devastated by wars and ethnic conflicts, Elias Elhardt and Alex Tank go to the discovery of Brezovica, the most important and famous ski resort in the entire area. A mostly Serbian enclave in the Šar Mountains National Park, where time seems to have stopped. His guide, between crumbling facilities and abandoned hotels, is Hamdi, a snowboard enthusiast who wants to give a new life to this place, sharing his passion for winter sports with the new generations. But how can a future be built if the burden of the past is still so heavy?
C A M E L F I N D S WAT E R TREVOR GORDON
Trevor Gordon's is an 8 and a half minute video that will immediately remind you of Wes Anderson. The story directly involves its author who one day finds the abandoned hull of an old fishing boat and decides to bring it back to life, thanks to a lot of handicraft and liters of pastel paints. The result is Camel, a new sailing companion, a small dream that has come true. And as it should be, Trevor does not think too much about it and inaugurates it immediately, taking it with him to British Columbia, in search of waves and the thrill of surfing in cold waters.
THE WOLF’S LAIR M O N TA N U S
After Home Wild Home, Francesco D'Alessio and Giorgio Frattale (aka Montanus) are back to show us their land in the way they know best, experiencing wild nature slowly. The Wolf’s Lair is a 400 km long bikepacking itinerary that crosses the Natural Parks of Gran Sasso, Sirente, Majella and Abruzzo. Initially traced in 2016, it was updated after three and a half years to explore even more surprising places, replacing the asphalt with singletrack, gravel and doubletrack roads. A journey through medieval castles, alpine scenarios and ancient Apennine villages.
THE IMAGINARY LINE K Y L O R M E LT O N
While America is living one of the longest lockdowns ever experienced, two teams, one Mexican led by Jamie Maruffo and one American led by Corbin Kunst, decide to give life to something big: the project is to install a slackline above the canyon of Santa Elena and connect not only the two shores, but also the two countries to which they belong. The video therefore follows the adventures of the two teams and of course the crossing of the slackliners, demonstrating how a simple sport can become a bridge between two nations, but above all how that borders are only imaginary.
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RIDER: Stefano La Mastra STRATOS BLK VZUMâ„¢ ML LAVA albaoptics.cc
BY GIULIA BOCCOLA
Find yourself in Nature This mandatory lockdown, which has seen millions of people completely forced to stay home, has slowed down our job opportunities, our mobility and our metabolism, giving rise to feelings of frustration, worry and unease. And precisely in these months of indoor life, together with moments of deprivation due to an imposed constriction, the closest nature has never been so important and fundamental. Despite this difficult global moment, its beauty and tranquility have offered us great joy and hope. Many studies have shown that an active lifestyle and experiencing green spaces accelerates healing times, reduces stress, improves physical health
and brings cognitive and psychological benefits to individuals. Another particularly relevant aspect nowadays, apart from physical exercise, is getting a correct exposure to sunlight and forests natural elements which are able to strengthen our immune system. Unfortunately, the crisis has already made it clear that many city neighborhoods do not have enough green space nearby. Just think about that in the United States, 100 million Americans do not live within a 10 minutes walk park. Being outdoor is an affirmation of life and health. Nature has an intrinsic special effect on each of us, it makes us happier, more energetic, more creative and by spending more time outdoor we increase our sense of
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belonging to the world and experience a more solid bond with the earth. Shane O'Mara, neuroscientist and author of "In Praise of Walking�, said: “Let the wind blow on your face; let the light of day and the street lamps of the night dance on your eyes; feel the rain on your face; feel the earth under your feet; feel the sounds; speak, even if only with yourself; relax to the rhythm of walking and let your mind wander, deliberate, contemplate; travel to your past, dig into your possible futures or don't think about nothing at all.� Being surrounded by non-human living beings is a reminder of nature cycles, of the resilience of life, of the urge to live.
Essential function. Refined aesthetic. Outstanding versatility. Built for what’s to come.
arcteryx.com
AX_S20_Ad_ThePill_210x265_Gamma_200520.indd 5
20.05.20 13:41
Deuter Guide Lite BY GIULIA BOCCOLA
The backpack designed for mountain guides
Deuter, in collaboration with VDBS, the German Mountain Guides Association, realized a movie that traces the journey of two young mountain enthusiasts who, facing various challenges, are trying to realize their dream of becoming mountain guides. A profession, a passion that not only consists of accompanying clients into mountain environments while having fun together, but also of always being alert to dangers, understanding the physical limits of the people in front of them, considering all possible risks and evaluating their possibility. This film captures the physical efforts and the most emotional moments of the two aspiring guys while they progress to become real mountain guides. The two main characters, Bianca and Finn, are trying to learn as much as possible and get involved to see their goal achieved. Both have embarked on a long training programme, but overcoming the selections is definitely no picnic.
wear. It has all the features you need to face a day in the mountains: a practical drawcord closure on the main compartment allows you to open it with one hand and when the weather changes there’s a built-in rain cover, which also can be used as a helmet holder, that protects its contents. A compact, versatile and lightweight backpack to facilitate the work of the mountain guides. It has a capacity of 24L and an 22L SL version specially designed to adapt to the female anatomy. The movie will be screened for the first time during various film festivals in summer 2020 and will be completed by four webisodes, which will
It's a human story, a true one, where a part of the history of the mountain guides is also told, but it also takes a look at the near future, at the effects that climate change will have on us and on the mountain itself. For Deuter, one of the best brand in outdoor backpacks market, was inevitable to support this project with its new product, the Guide Lite. With a clean and minimalist design, it is even lighter and faster to
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be launched on social media starting from March. The first episode, "It's not a man's world", looks at the female mountain guides and shows an interview with Gudrun Weikert, the first female German guide, and Lisi Steurer, the only Austrian female guide instructor. To celebrate the launch of this new exciting movie, Deuter has also set up a scholarship program worth â‚Ź1000 each, which will go to three lucky mountain enthusiasts to help them to support the cost of the mountain guide course. Find out more about it here: www.becoming-guide.de.
B Y S I LV I A G A L L I A N I
Picture Organic Clothing: Climate Change
During the financial crisis of 2008, a quote from the Obama administration underlined the importance of viewing the dire situation as a genuine opportunity, “Never allow a crisis to go to waste.” The same proposal could be applied to the delicate moment that we are experiencing now all around the world. The current worldwide pandemic will leave space to an “afterwards” never experienced or even thought before and that entails a great deal of uncertainty. That’s why it is important to start right away in trying to shape it as much as possible. Several scientific papers and journals have already reported on the clear connection between human activity, the pressure we have put on ecosystems worldwide, and the emergence of the new coronavirus. Against all expectations, its outbreak has created a massive temporary reduction in greenhouse gas emissions. Not surprising, since almost all business, manufacturing, shipping, and travel have come to a screeching halt. On the other hand coronavirus also taught us that governments have the possibility to take radical, unprecedented and extraordinary measures to solve the problem. This should remind us of the central role they play and that their choi-
ces could have major repercussions, both positive and negative. That same role should be applied also in trying fight climate change on a global scale. But there’s more. Us as individuals need to start thinking of the planet as a single entity that everyone should strive to preserve and protect. Climate is everyone’s concern and we all have to act. Picture Organic Clothing business is just picking back up again, its staff just returned to the offices after 2 months working from home, manufacturing jackets made with recycled materials just resumed, and shops are finally reopened. Its company’s mission – to fight against climate change – will not change. Its slogan, “Using business as a force for good”, perfectly matches its vision of entrepreneurship. All these elements connect into its new clothing line, Climate Change, that well underlines the risks we are living now and what we should do to prevent an even worse scenario. The design is simple but impressive. T-shirts and hoodies with the print of most endangered species on the planet (from forests to penguins or white bears) or fossil plants as a reminder of where to
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start again once the current lockdown and crisis will be over. Be responsible. But what exactly need to be done? The IPCC recommends four major actions to implement simultaneously to drastically reduce our emissions while also increasing our ability to sequester the CO2 already present in the atmosphere: 1 Severely reduce our dependence on fossil fuels in favor of renewable or low-carbon power sources. 2 Change our behavior, the pace of daily life, the pace of business and our consumption and travel habits. 3 Increase our capacity to naturally capture and sequester the CO2 currently present in the atmosphere. 4 Develop carbon sequestering technologies. While there is still a lot of work to do, the good news is that these actions are already part of today’s reality. And Picture itself has a detailed roadmap, including major objectives and dates, that is currently a work in progress, to fulfil its mission mission to offer sustainable, ethical and eco-responsible products while standing in the fight against climate change.
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BY CAMILLA PIZZINI E X P E R I E N C E BY S CA R PA
No place too far T H I S I S W H AT H A P P E N S W H E N R AG N I M E E T S C A R PA .
“Our collab was born almost by chance, I would say naturally. Ragni di Lecco were looking for a brand that shared their own values and that could satisfy all the needs of their members, from expeditions to climbing. It was love at first sight.” LUCA PASSINI, SCARPA GROUP VICE-PRESIDENT.
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"By now it is no longer just about your arm and physical form, but also the gears are very important.”
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he brand from Asolo has always collaborated with expert mountaineers to offer a performing line of products in its entirety and from their experiences were born developments and changes in order to refine even the smallest details. The aim is to improve and to create increasingly sustainable products that last and that can offer the perfect experience to anyone. This splendid adventure began with two days not only full of discoveries in the technical industrial field, but also of magnesite and climbing in the Cortina area, where we understood even more about the qualities and secrets of the Scarpa materials. We took advantage of the wonderful opportunity to ask to some of the Ragni di Lecco members how their experience in the outdoor world had been, how much the quality of the materials matters and how truly they felt in harmony with Scarpa's payoff “No Place Too Far ". Within the Ragni di Lecco you can find people of great experience in the world of climbing and mountaineering, but also young people who, although not being alpine guides yet, have a great passion for the mountains. To the questions: “Could you briefly summa-
rize your career as a climber and as a mountain guide?” or "What is the peak you climbed that has given you the most satisfaction?” they did not answer with the names of great trails or peaks, but with stories of memorable experiences that some of them have faced together. While Matteo de Zaiacomo tells me about the adventure that Luca Schiera and Matteo della Bordella had with him in India at the Bhagirathi IV west wall, Paolo Marazzi tells us that probably his best memory is one of the first trail that he and his friends opened together in Qualido in Val di Mello without bolts.
Undoubtedly what unites them all is the insatiable desire to climb, explore and never stop: “Even when you are on an expedition, everything fits and you reach a place that seemed unattainable, nothing is actually as distant as you thought” says Simone Pedeferri. Paolo Marazzi adds: “The payoff is real, there are many people who are a bit crazy and walk for miles and miles just to climb a single wall, I often walk for days just to go climbing on that specific mountain and when I found out this aspect of Scarpa I was happy because there was someone who share my mindset”.
Talking about the quality of the materials, they are all firmly convinced of the fact that “Being able to rely on something good is crucial” (Matteo de Zaiacomo) or "By now it is no longer just about your arm and physical form, but also the gears are very important.” (Stefano Carnati). In fact, the mountaineer Simone Pedeferri when asked: "How important is a good material in what you do?” explains how in the evolution of mountaineering new materials have been fundamental not only to climb more easily, but also to allow you to evaluate and face a wall in all its possible conditions and variables.
Between a few stories, some comments on the materials and one pitch and the other, we arrived at the end of these wonderful days. All this turned out to be a wonderful opportunity to discover not only a part of the history of Italian mountaineering, but also a whole series of realities, developments and technologies that Scarpa is implementing within this world. And finally an exciting moment to let yourself be carried away by the adventures that these great athletes and mountain guides carry out every day with infinite passion and dedication.
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BY M A R TA M A N ZO N I E X P E R I E N C E BY S CA R PA
In the heart of the Dolomites "What doest thou in heaven, O moon? Say, silent moon, what doest thou? Perhaps, if I had wings Above the clouds to fly, And could the stars all number, one by one, Or like the lightning leap from rock to rock, I might be happier, gentle moon!"
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he wind is silent. I put the skins on and turn on the front light. An exceptional adventure that I will never forget is about to begin thanks to the Scarpa team who organized a unique experience for me and a highly selected crew of highlanders. The climb begins and I soon discover that ski-mountaineering by night is perhaps even more fascinating than during the day. It is certainly just as tiring! From behind the mountain the moon pops up, and it seems to have been reserved especially for us: giant, full, it magically illuminates in an instant the enchanted landscape that surrounds us, a surreal panorama.
EXCERPT FROM THE POEM N I G H T S O N G O F A WA N D E R I N G S H E P H E R D I N AS I A BY G I AC O M O L E O PA R D I .
from walking to skiing is fast and intuitive» says Massimo Pellizzer, Scarpa's Category Manager, as we climb with the skins. «F1 LT is a boot suitable for all conditions. In the lower part has the Boa, in the upper part the velcro band with the integrated lever: in this way you can customize it according to your needs».
A trail in the woods brings us to the Scoiattoli Refuge, built in 1969 by the mountain guide Lorenzo Lorenzi and still managed by the same family today. In the morning the alarm clock rings very early. I look out of the window: I am immersed in the heart of the Dolomites that sparkle in the light of dawn. From our refuge you get the feeling of touching the imposing and magnificent Cinque Torri. The whole world envies us the show that I have the privilege to admire while the sun is rising. The day is epic and I tremble longing to launch myself into the white playground. I put my boots on, and I immediately understand that they are not just as any other boots: I tie them easily and I feel that my foot is well hold and supported.
Here silence reigns. Nature is unspoiled and wild. There are only our traces, which will soon disappear as if they were on sand. The legendary Scoiattoli di Cortina are with us: a group founded on July 1st, 1939 by ten young guys from Ampezzo who shared a passion for mountains and sport climbing. Impossible not to recognize them: their legendary red sweater, with the white squirrel embroidered on the left arm, is unmistakable. Their adventures have made the history of mountaineering and are famous all over the world: their logo, in fact, is inextricably linked to the conquest of K2, which took place on July 31st, 1954 by one of the Scoiattoli member, Lino Lacedelli, that reached for the first time the summit together with Achille Compagnoni. It is also thanks to the Scoiattoli if K2 will be remembered forever as the "Italian mountain”.
«F1 LT is one of the lightest and most versatile ski touring boots that Scarpa has ever made. Switching
The trails they opened are many, in the surroundings of Cortina d'Ampezzo
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Here silence reigns. Nature is unspoiled and wild. There are only our traces, which will soon disappear as if they were on sand.
and in the mountains all over the world, especially in Greenland, on the Atlas of Africa and in the Andean or Himalayan peaks. For today's hike, the Scoiattoli members Luca Dapoz (President of the Alpine Guides of Cortina), Franco Gaspari (Alpine Guide and historian), Walter Bachmann and Carlo Alverà, together with the Alpine Guides Alessandro Fiori and Simone Corte Pause, put together for us an amazing and exciting itinerary, which from the Scoiattoli Refuge takes us to the Croda Negra, and then to the Cima Gallina, where a surprise that seems to come from another time awaits us. Here we meet Franz Brunner: with a bayonet on his shoulder, looking proud in his uniform of an Austro-Hungarian officer of the Kaiserschützen, long mustache and snowshoes made of rope on his feet, a historical guide who, passing down memories from another era, takes us on a journey through the past, a historical re-enactment made of cannons, trenches, gunpowder, machine guns, and battles that took place on these ridges. In front of us, the top of Lagazuoi: the snowy ridges on which we are standing were the background of the First World War. Thanks to the valuable testimony of Franz Brunner I learn the origin of the expression “giramento di palle” (literally “my balls are turning” which in Italian means “a pain in the ass”), born precisely during the Great War and later spread by veterans throughout Italy. The practice of removing the bullets (the “balls”) from the cartridge cases and inserting them upside down - prohibited by the Geneva Convention - was common in the Italian and Austro-Hungarian armies, who used it to do even more harm when they were particularly angry with the enemy. It was a hasty and "alternative" method to make ammunition more lethal: the soldiers, after having extracted the balls put them back turned. In this way, the bullet, exposing the bare lead end, not jacketed by copper, spread everywhere at the moment of impact, causing extensive wounds difficult to heal. So it was better to stay away from a soldier with the “balls turned”. Franz Brunner holds the bayonet and fires a blank shot. I react instinctively to the sound of the shot by closing my eyes. It seems to me that every moment that I am experiencing, from yesterday night’s hike on skins under the moonlight to the incredible day today, is a dream. All I can do is to be thankful for these wonderful moments.
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B Y S I LV I A G A L L I A N I
Road to revolution: the new Giant TCR 2021
“The new TCR range perfectly represents the brand's intent to help cyclists unleash their full potential. Its realization is the result of the remarkable progress made in our industrial processes, made possible thanks to targeted investments in the field of production technologies. Driving precision and attention to detail come from the collaboration between our engineers, product designers, professional runners and aerodynamics experts.� AN LE, GIANT GLOBAL MARKETING DIRECTOR.
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Advanced SL, Advanced Pro and Advanced.
new production techniques to make it lighter, stiffer and more aerodynamic.
These are the three versions of the new TCR frame that Giant has recently launched on the market.
The results of wind-tunnel testing and more race tests have shown that the TCR 2021 models have an overall structure with significantly lower drag at a wider range of yaw angles in order to allow much faster sprints and solo efforts.
TCR is a historical model of the brand but is now relaunched with new key features that coincide with a change of direction of the brand itself, starting from its own tagline: Ride Unleashed. It is result of a team effort involving Giant experts and some of today’s top professional racers including World’s Tour participants CCC Team riders and their technical staff. TCR 2021 symbolizes the evolution of a bicycle that has always stood out for its performance on the road. The new TCR Advanced SL represents a goal that seemed nearly impossible at the beginning: make it even more efficient. The developing team analyzed every aspect of the bike and conceived
The stiffness-to-weight ratio remains unchanged thanks to the use of cutting-edge composite materials, reengineered tubing shapes and advanced robotic layup techniques. The result is a livelier ride quality, explosive acceleration and improved climbing efficiency. In addition to the innovations introduced on the frame, the TCR 2021 range is equipped with other new technologies, including the new Giant SLR wheels and the new Fleet and Approach saddles, made using Particle Flow Technology which helps to distribute better pressure for an optimal comfort.
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The TCR 2021 line is available with disc brakes or rim brakes, for a total of six models. The range is completed by two frames in the SL versions with integrated seat post and Advanced Pro.
It is result of a team effort involving Giant experts and some of today’s top professional racers including World’s Tour participants CCC Team riders and their technical staff. TCR 2021 symbolizes the evolution of a bicycle that has always stood out for its performance on the road.
BY DENIS PICCOLO
My first time with The North Face Futurelight Mix together a location like Chamonix, a paradise for all freeride enthusiasts, and the launch of the new and innovative The North Face technology, and the result can only be explosive. Yes, we have been invited to test the Futurelight line products exclusively and in the field. Futurelight is the new breathable and waterproof membrane of the American brand, that thanks to a unique production method called nanospinning, allows air to flow through the fabric for an incomparable transpiration, guaranteeing at the same time great porosity and absolute impermeability. Furthermore, depending on the specific needs of athletes and consumers, various parameters can be modified and adapted during the manufacturing process such as weight, breathability, elasticity and durability of the garment according to the different type of activity and environmental conditions. A possibility that has no precedent in the sector and that has been developed and tested for two years also thanks to the precious help of the most known mountaineers, climbers, trail runners and snowboarders of the TNF team all over the world, in every type of activity and in different climates and weather conditions, also the most extreme. Xavier de Le Rue was also present in Chamonix together with us and the TNF team. We put jackets and pants on and then headed towards our first destination, Les Grands Montets area, a sunny place surrounded by snowy giants. That first day was enough to show everyone the qua-
lities of Futurelight. One of the features immediately highlighted was the extreme breathability of the products: even after the most demanding descents we never suffered from excessive heat thanks to the new nano-fiber structure that allows the passage of air without sacrificing waterproofness and resistance. On second day we found ourselves facing the high spire of the Aiguille du Midi that, from its 3,777m high, offers an unparalleled 360° view over all the French, Swiss and Italian Alps. Also on this occasion the Summit Series products were our faithful allies thanks to their lightweight and flexibility. They permitted us to climb and reach the summit without restrictions, allowing us to focus only on the adventure we were living. In fact, we can say that one of the merits of these new TNF garments is to really adapt to everyone’s needs, without having to compromise between comfort, breathability and waterproof protection. This intense two days ended between laughters and drinking beers together once we went back to the valley, and we certainly couldn’t miss the opportunity to have a chat with Xavier de la Rue to get to know what he thinks about this technology.
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"Futurelight has been really noticeable, what personally surprised me the most was its breathability. Very often in the mountains you need to strip off, but thanks to this technology you don’t need to do it as much as you used before." Hi Xavier, tell us something about your present and near future. This year I’ve got a new baby, Margot, who needed an extra room so I found myself trying to finish to arrange my house before Christmas and I didn’t ride too much. In Verbier, my hometown, there has been some very good snow but I didn’t enjoyed it. My season really started a very short time ago. I’m so happy because now I’m going out everyday, doing some really cool lines and hitting features every days, so I can say that even though I started late now I’m really enjoying and having a blast. Has your approach to extreme sports changed since you became a father? I don't think I've totally changed. My perspective is a bit changed though: I think a little more about everything I do now, which is a good thing in the mountains! I’m a father and if I think about anything bad happening to me the first thing coming to my mind is my daughter, the thought of leaving her alone is really difficult to digest. In addition I think that having a child makes your life busier, I spend less time on a board or in the mountains. You used from the beginning Futurelight and other The North Face products, what’s your opinion about them? Every year there’s this new technology coming up and that should be groundbreaking. It happens so often that after a while, almost nobody pays any attention to it. But Futurelight has been really noticeable, what personally surprised me the most was its breathability. Very often in the mountains you need to strip off, but thanks to this technology you don’t need to do it as much as you used before. When I felt it the most was in summer when you have only a t-shirt and a shell on and you realize you’re ok with that, you don’t need to take anything off.
For me has also been really important to see TNF’s consciousness towards environmental issues. Often these technologies are very harmful to the environment but the fact of having such a product, fully biodegradable and made of recycled materials, is a big improvement, especially for people like me who use more outfits during a season. The global warming problem is huge and is effecting everyone of us, do you think that there will less and less possibilities of practicing freeriding? For many years I’ve always been concerned about the environment and I’ve always felt guilty to talk about it. But in the past few years there has been a big change in the mindset of people. I attended a seminar about the environment in Verbier. The theories exposed have been really inspiring, they made realize that basically no one will ever be perfect about sustainability but what we can do is trying to improve in the small things. That gave me hope, it shifted my way of thinking: trying to improve even some aspects of our daily life can already be a huge step forward. I’m going to do a big film about that, a big project with The North Face which is going to be filmed and come out in September 2021, it’s going to be a really strong project. Xavier in the future? In the future I will probably have the balls to just take my phone and throw it somewhere and then go touring, surfing, biking and paragliding somewhere. And I’ll be happy even with no more sponsors. That’s one of the possibilities, or maybe I will feel that what I do is still useful to inspire young people to go in nature and love it, that could be another possibility. So we’ll see, anyway it will connected to nature because that’s the most important thing in life.
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BY SABINA COMI
Vaude: the spirit of mountain sports
Forty-six years have passed since the acronym of a name became one of the most significant brands in the outdoor world. It was 1974 when Albrecht von Dewitz founded Vaude in Tettnang in Baden-WĂźrttemberg, a few kilometers away from Lake Constance. A story that is tied to the family history of its founder, but which finds its key ten years ago when it was the daughter Antje von Dewitz who took over the company and immediately decided to put social and environmental responsibility first.
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A fate that perhaps Antje herself did not expect to find in her hands: her dream was to work for an NGO, also influenced by the figure of a mother who has always been involved in environmental activism and with the awareness of wanting a better world for her four children. But sometimes fate knows how to weave its threads so well that it seems like there’s really a meaning in everything that happens. Her father's business activity becomes an opportunity for her to transmit these values, to become a pioneer of a change in mentality that would soon involve the whole outdoor world and much more. Like a futuristic vision of a world where you can do your job in harmony with nature and with other people. The first thing Antje does is creating a park for kids within the company, one of the areas most appreciated and shared by employees nowadays, as if to immediately emphasize the centrality of the person, even at work. “Living outdoor experiences, enjoying nature and
the mountains: these are the things we have always been passionate about. Our goal is to support a world in which life is worth living. We are committed to this every day because we are convinced that a coherent and sustainable management is the only reasonable approach for our future". The claim that accompanied Vaude's production then cannot better describe the mission that the brand has been promoting in the last decade and the direction in which it is going. Since 2001, in fact, it has collaborated with the rigorous bluesign certification that controls the entire textile production chain and recognizes its ethical and responsible commitment. Furthermore, Vaude was the first outdoor company to receive the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) certification, the voluntary tool created by the European Community to evaluate and improve its environmental performance and to provide the public and other interested parties with information on its environmental management. As if that were not enou-
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“Living outdoor experiences, enjoying nature and the mountains: these are the things we have always been passionate about. Our goal is to support a world in which life is worth living. We are committed to this every day because we are convinced that a coherent and sustainable management is the only reasonable approach for our future".
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gh, Antje herself has promoted a program that looks to the future assuring the continue improving environmental performance with the aim of gradually transforming the entire range of products in order to be manufactured according to highest standards of environmental compatibility
ved. Flexible work, home office, health management, climbing and yoga lessons, rental of tools and much more are some of the initiatives promoted by the brand to guarantee value both for the working life as well as for the private life of its employees without the first prevaricate the second.
Creating a better world, therefore, is at the base of Vaude's philosophy that has never stopped believing in outdoor and sustainable mobility as means of making this possible. A commitment not only from an environmental point of view, but also from a socially one with a constant update on the working conditions of its employees and suppliers both in Germany and in the production plants all over the world with which the company maintains cooperative and responsible commercial relationships . The independent organization Fair Wear Foundation regularly reviews all production facilities and ensures that working conditions are monitored and constantly impro-
But obviously first of all Vaude is a company that produces equipment and technical clothing for the mountains, for hiking and cycling and that develops technical and cutting-edge products by supplying high quality materials, without forgetting the starting and the ending point, that in this case coincide: the mountains and the love for them. Having a heritage that starts from here means knowing how to recognize its own DNA in the outdoors and in the natural landscapes the scenario of its own existence to be safeguarded. But it also means relying on high and clearly defined and specialized standards for its products. Once the starting point has been specified,
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it is important to study the route. And here Vaude underlines the importance of interacting with nature and with people by putting "team spirit" at the center, like a team in mountain sports. Finally, the direction: go ahead by questioning the conventions and the limits of what it is possible, sometimes, but with the aim of creating future-oriented products and solutions, a reality in whose veins green blood pulsates and in whose thoughts there is the design of a better world.
Go ahead by questioning the conventions and the limits of what it is possible, sometimes, but with the aim of creating futureoriented products and solutions.
ITW GIULIA BOCCOLA P H O T O S I LV I A G A L L I A N I
Alba Optics Doesn’t make you faster Young, nice and super dynamic. We met Luca Gentile and Piergiorgio Catalano, the founders of Alba Optics, an Italian company that has managed to make itself known all over the world in a couple of years. Proud of their products totally Made in Italy, they focus on quality and attention for every little detail. Passionate about cycling, outdoor sports and nature, they believe in a product that can combine performance but also of quality of life. Creativity and desire to do are the basis of their project.
Who are the founders of Alba Optics? We’ve always been friends, a bond that was born 20 years ago within the walls of a surf shop in Milan. At the time, we only thought about selling while waiting for the weekend to go skiing in the mountains. After our studies, each of us took different paths, Piergiorgio became a producer and Luca a designer, but we have always remained best buddies. When was the idea of this project born? About 4 years ago. Luca was having an exhibition of one of his project at a fair in the area dedicated to two wheels and we noticed a stall selling an old stock of cycling glasses from the 1980s. They were aesthetically fascinating but made with low quality materials. So we decided to combine our skills in a project related to a product. We worked at nights, on weekends, sacrificing free hours for a couple of years and then dedicated ourselves to it full time. 2019 was our true zero year. What is your corporate identity? Initially we got inspired by a model of the past and decide to propose it in a modern key. So after some research, we found a local producer who resurrected an original mold from the 80s now forgotten. After designing the lens and testing the various pro-
totypes up to the final version, our first model was born: the Delta. Over time Alba Optics has evolved into a real eyewear brand with a more complex and complete collection. What are you inspired by when you design glasses? We listen to the needs of every athlete with whom we speak, of every gender and age. We develop them thinking of a product that can satisfy people. Our collection follows a precise range of offers and types. We have few but specific models for the use they are intended for. We like to take inspiration from the world of art and design, from the trends of the past, we love rummaging through the memorabilia of the Italian history of sport and cycling. We often follow our instincts and we like to shuffle the cards on the table while maintaining a certain image identity. We are like a starred restaurant, few dishes, only one chef. What about your values? Passion and research, attention to every detail and to the quality of the products and how they are made. Nothing is left to chance, each piece is conceived, designed and manufactured exactly as we want it to be. We postponed several releases just because the final result did not convince us. We don't want to have
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We like to take inspiration from the world of art and design, from the trends of the past, we love rummaging through the memorabilia of the Italian history of sport and cycling. We often follow our instincts and we like to shuffle the cards on the table while maintaining a certain image identity. We are like a starred restaurant, few dishes, only one chef.
any regrets or think we could have done better. We remove all the superfluous things in order to make the best of what remains and every part of the product or stylistic choice must have its own motivation. Our motto is summed up in a phrase by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, a point of reference for many architects and designers: Less is more. Who is Alba Optics dedicated to? To the sportsman who does not necessarily want to finish first, but to reach any goal he wants, in any condition. The tagline was born for fun "Alba Optics doesn't make you faster" but it summarizes our whole philosophy. The model that best represents us is definitely the Delta, our Stratocaster. It was the first one, the most transversal and iconic of the collection. What does the word outdoor mean to you? Twenty years ago it was the difference between freestyle and freeride, today's outdoor is for us the fusion of these two terms. What did this forced lockdown period mean for you? At the beginning it was a shock. Living in the most affected area of Europe and finding yourself in a forced lockdown overnight and with an invisible enemy to fight was not easy at all. The summer season had not yet started and for a small company like ours there were several moments of anxiety and despair. But after a first moment of discomfort we rolled up our sleeves and pressed even more on the accelerator. We created virtual tours with our best athletes involving various communities. We launched new products that were already on the calendar, without fear, confirming the productions. We focused only on the essentials, on the necessary needs. This is what it takes to survive. All the superfluous and harmful must be eliminated, it only makes us waste time.
What strategies are you implementing to face this difficult moment? We have enhanced the sales and the online platform but also tried to bring out new models in line with the timings of our retailers, sometimes anticipating the colors and models. We want our dealers to feel protected by our company and considered as a fundamental part of our project. For this reason you will never find our products in large online sales chains. New plans for the future regarding technologies and sustainability? Sustainability does not always go hand in hand with a good user experience. Let me explain. Our glasses could be sold inside an organic cotton bag and shipped just like that. The impact will be low but it will also mean an unsatisfactory user experience, which due to the expectation on our products, would probably remain very bitter. We try to maintain a certain balance, offering the best in terms of design and research but being careful to minimize waste, the use of plastic and other unnecessary polluting materials. We produce everything in Italy and we are proud of this. We prefer to maintain a certain craftsmanship and control over the product, rather than go for an Asian industrialization that would undoubtedly compromise the quality. Can you reveal us something about a new product? Ice and dust will be the two elements we will work on in the next few months. The bike trip you will never forget? Last year we had the opportunity to take two days off to reach Chiavari from Milan. It was short but intense, an excellent memory. Traveling by bike, carrying only the essentials with you and freeing your mind for a few days from everyday worries is a very rewarding practice.
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Your path is to nowhere
BY LU CA F O N TA N A
E N V I R O N M E N TA L AWA R E N E S S T H R O U G H S K I M O U N TA I N E E R I N G
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limate change is real and is caused by human activity. My life has been turned upside down by this truth. My life as a photographer and explorer has changed: I was a traveler but I decided to stick to the territory, but it is nothing compared to the interests moved by the economy and politics.
Forum, where every year the most powerful people of the world meet in Davos, Switzerland, to decide our destinies. Gio is out of his mind: “They will talk about sustainability but arriving in Davos on private jets. It's a joke, we have to do something, let's go to Davos but on skis!�.
Giovanni Montagnani, a childhood friend with whom I share interests and ideals, during a hike told me: "Lucone, we have to make a difference. We know how to move in the mountains, let's do it better. “ We got to know about the World Economic
We decide to leave from Chiesa di Val Malenco passing through the Engadine and the Preda Valley. 100km and 6000m of positive difference in altitude in 3 days. We want to respect our philosophy: we will get to Chiesa by public transport, we will bring our food,
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Climate change is real and is caused by human activity. My life has been turned upside down by this truth.
we will sleep in bivouacs. At Milan Central Station we are obviously the only ones with skis in hand, destination Sondrio. At Chiesa we meet Don Roberto, who open for us the house of the lord of Chiareggio. We wake up at 6 am, 40km with 10kg of backpack are waiting for us. The snow is frozen. Keeping up with the others is difficult. I have to take photos and videos. We go down to the Engadine, my friends cross the lakes, I rely on public transport, we meet again in Silvaplana. 4 pm. We still have 1500m of difference in altitude to go and it’s pretty cold. Gio’s optimism is contagious, we have the front lights so we go on. The next 8 hours are very hard: the Forcla Suvretta never comes. Then a descent in the dark on unknown terrain. One last climb and we get to the Jenash Hut where we turn on the stove of the winter room. No breakfast: we want to reach Davos by the evening. We climb to the Piz Laviner. At 3100m the wind has swept the little snow that had fallen. It's hot, certainly above 0 Celsius degree. We descend through spectacular valleys made of still light rocks. In Bergund we find ourselves going up a slope to the south without snow. At the top, at sunset, the view is beautiful. Giovanni throws himself into a wood, finding the only possible descent line. The sun
goes down permanently. Gio's dad is waiting for us in Davos with some pasta. Come on! We go up a Neptunian valley to Colle Duncan. From here there’s only a way down. It is a magical moment. Exhausted, happy, we are in a small little town just above Davos. A local, annoyed by our shouting at 10 pm, shouts to us "Shut up, stupid!". Not really the welcome we expected. We try to sleep a few hours and in the morning I look for a grocery store to eat bread and cheese. It has been an all-encompassing experience, made even more interesting by the limits we set ourselves, by self-sufficiency, by having lived the mountain completely. A question emerges: to reach Davos, we have done our best in what we do best, move in the mountains. But are the people who professionally manage our destinies, acting at their best for the future of humanity?
“They will talk about sustainability but arriving in Davos on private jets. It's a joke, we have to do something, let's go to Davos but on skis!” 53
BY M A R TA M A N ZO N I
5 good reasons to see "non voglio cambiare pianeta� by Lorenzo Jovanotti. I’ve seen the sixteen episodes of Non voglio cambiare Pianeta (I have no wish to change my planet) all in a row: it is extraordinary. Lorenzo Jovanotti in his docu-trip available on RaiPlay, tells about his bike journey, alone, between Chile and Argentina through 4,000 km. Non voglio cambiare Pianeta is a hymn to life, a continuous source of inspiration, full of fantasy, spectacular landscapes, artistic expressions, multicultural encounters and spiritual experiences. It is a fusion of 5 elements: travelling, outdoor & sustainability, culture, music and happiness. An important project precisely because it reaches a mainstream audience, surpassing the target of his fans.
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Travelling
“After every important thing that happens in my life, I love to take a trip because I need to be alone and feel inside myself what has happened" says the musician. A journey that the singer began to imagine during the Summer 2019 Jova Beach Party: “I left to distance myself from everyone, reflect and prepare for the future. I came back and was forced to stay away from others and unprepared for this present” he continues. “I wanted to share this experience during the lockdown because it is the day-to-day effort, with seemingly unreachable peaks, endless roads that can be tackled, one pedal stroke at a time, to reach any places”.
The “short movie”, as he calls it, takes its title from a verse from Pablo Neruda's poem Lazybones, which introduces Lorenzo Cherubini's perspective: “I have no wish to change my planet, because I'm fine with it. It's spectacular, I like it, it shouldn't be changed. It is up to us to change ourselves in order to live in it”. Many reflections on the interpretation of the concept of travel: “tourism must be distinguished from travel. I don't care about organized trips, I like when I don't know what I'll find. I never collect many info and I only plan the bare essentials”.
Outdoor, sustainability & cycling tourism
For the songwriter is important to raise public awareness about a lower environmental impact also through his personal commitment, as happened with the partnership with the WWF. The artist expresses his thoughts on sustainability, beyond any religious belief. “Maybe dying is just like that: being completely melted and part of the elements” he speculates. Instinctive by nature, he defines himself as an animal because he feels like always having
an exchange with other living beings. “Usually the moments you remember from travelling are those hardly conquered”, the bike is the perfect companion with whom sweat towards each goals, satisfy the desire to discover and the search for beauty. On the saddle you can grasp the positive power of this tool: the songwriter met many lonely touring cyclists, coming from every corner of the globe, some have been riding for months, others for years.
Culture
Non voglio cambiare pianeta is the celebration of knowledge and intellect: Jovanotti has a crazy culture and is a master in transmitting it. Many tributes to artists and sportsmen, from the present and the past, among them: Pantani, Evita, Che Guevara, Primo Levi, Mariangela Gualtieri, Erri De Luca, Pablo
Neruda, Jorge Carrera Andrade, Antonio Machado and Julio Cortázar, writer of Hopscotch (Rayuela). And then Tiziano Terzani. “Poetry has been a great friend in these lockdown days, so every micro episode that lasts about 15 minutes - ends with a poem”.
Music
Culture also means music: Jovanotti took care the soundtrack of Non voglio cambiare pianeta as soon as he got back, guitar in hand, composing unpublished texts and arranging great classics, reinterpreted with a touch of South America. “A music commenting images can free you from the precise structure of a song, it allows you to make mistakes and leaves room for
the energy of the moment. Is very funny!”. Among the many artistic testimonies, Jovanotti accompanies us on a visit to the home of Carlos Gardel, an Argentine musician famous for tango. “Music and bike are very similar: the more you are immersed into it and see yourself from the outside, the more you concentrate and your head takes unexpected directions”.
Happiness
“We will never stop looking for happiness through music, and above all through love. Happiness is a condition of movement, it is the perception that can flourish. It is a short emotion, which lasts a moment. It is not a static thing: it is that emotion when you feel yourself becoming something better, it is a promise realized in a moment within you, in the form of a strong wonder”. The musical-adventurous docu-trip is a manifesto of joie de
vivre. The artist's daring and folkloric digressions are exceptional, a culmination of imagination. A contagious optimism, crazy and ingenious energy, the pure embodiment of his famous “Penso positivo” (I think positive) refrain. Non voglio cambiare Pianeta ends with a quote by Luis Sepùlveda taken from the book The Story of a Seagull and the Cat Who Taught Her to : “Only those who dare may fly”.
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TEXT & PHOTOS DENIS PICCOLO R U N N E R S L U C A B E LT R A M E & M I C H E L A TA L L O N E POWERED BY NIKE
Valvaraita: My favorite trails. It's symbol is the majestic Monviso that for outdoor lovers becomes an inexhaustible source of emotions and adrenaline. There is no shortage of refuges and bivouacs, essential for those who practice mountaineering and high altitude hiking. The numerous mountain lakes, villages, ski slopes and the Bosco dell'Alevè add to the valley many places to go for those who love nature and they let you discover how much beauty exists as soon as the first step is taken on a trail. It is exactly in these wonderful places that two runners, after weeks of lockdown due to the Covid emergency, choose to find mental freedom by relieving the daily stress of working from home, running on different trails and with different characteristics. Two runners and two Nike models, Air Zoom Pegasus 36 Trail Gore-Tex for Michela who cannot give up a reactive shoe and Wildhorse 6 for Luca who wants to feel safe and firm on the ground at every support. In addition the Nike Run Club app allows them both to monitor their runs, providing useful information such as pace, position, distance, height difference, heart rate, recording the progress and becoming a source of useful and personalized advice. A valuable ally to allow athletes to stay active, healthy and motivated. “I have been coming here since I was a child, I have walked, run, cycled with my MTB on all these trails, with snowshoes too and in all weather conditions. This is my place in the world.” Michela Tallone is a graduate in Primary Educa-
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tion Sciences and currently works as a swimming instructor. She loves everything that is movement, sweat, fatigue, adrenaline. She tells us about her favorite mountain, Monte San Bernardo, and about those trails on which feet run fast as if it were what they were created for. It stands on the watershed that divides the Varaita Valley and the Maira Valley and is therefore accessible from several points. The summit in fact unites the three municipalities of Valmala, Busca and Villa San Costanzo which converge in a single large metal cross erected in 1994. The 360 degree view that can be enjoyed from the top ranges from the Langhe to Turin, from the Ligurian Alps to Mont Blanc , up to Monte Rosa and the Matterhorn. “I have always run in the mountains. I love to see the trail huddle under me, take a look beyond cliff, feel the air scented with rain and pine resin. I concentrate, let my mind free, for a moment I lose my balance and instinctively regain it again. I keep running.” Sportsmen's thoughts are often poetry, contact with nature brings back to a primordial stage of sensa-
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tion and physicality which is usually repressed in favor of work priorities or study. The scheduled appointment with the outdoor world allows you not to forget that inner well-being that can illuminate and enrich life in all its aspects. Also Luca Beltrame, a freelance surveyor and owner of two companies operating in the real estate sector, tells us about his off-road passions. “I practice trail running and MTB on the hills near home. I have always moved around the Varaita valley since I was a child and it is the favorite destination for my excursions running or cycling.� There is a particular trail that he loves to go to after long working days or weekends: the Colle del Prete. It can be reached by an easy dirt road from the town of Becetto. Overcoming fresh and wooded parts alternating with more open stretches opens a wide panorama of the valley. Becetto, Rore, Campolongo and the Sampeyre slopes can be seen. It is from here that on the first Sunday of summer, the queen of the Valle Varaita Trail runs every year in all its beauty. 36 km and a positive difference in altitude of
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2000m, full of colors and emotions in the most beautiful season of the year, on a trail that starts from the vertical up to the church of S.Michele and goes on through the ridge, on the border with the Po Valley. Monviso is the undisputed protagonist of the journey, it stands with its splendor in the natural stage made up of the Northwest Alps and the Varaita Valley. It takes place entirely in the Vallone di Gilba, municipality of Brossasco. The lives of the two runners intertwine first at the pool of Piasco and then in a close-knit group, the Podistica Valle Varaita. They say they found the professional advice they sought to improve their performance and acquire the necessary technique to better face the competitions. But that’s not all. In the careful hands of the coach, in the encouragement of the training group, in the pat on the shoulder after the stretching which means "well done", in the shiny eyes after that long-awaited race, so suffered, so loved, they have found a friendship. Sport is simplicity, it is sharing, it means winning only by getting off the bench and taking a first step. They believe it.
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NIKE A I R ZO O M P EG A S U S 3 6 T R A I L G O R E -T E X The perfect shoe for wet days and rough terrain. The Gore-Tex upper in fact ensures always dry feet. The Zoom Air units on the heel and forefoot provide a feeling of elasticity for an ideal return of energy and the right cushioning with each step, while the aggressive tread with studs ensures maximum stability on any route.
N I K E WILDHORSE 6 Trail running shoe that provides stability, safety and lightweight on dirt roads. The mesh upper gives you breathability and in combination with the materials on the tip that prevents abrasion. The all-rubber sole features abrasion-resistant materials and ensures the necessary traction, while the Nike React foam midsole guarantees maximum cushioning during the run, a soft and fluid gait and an extra boost at every step.
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Don’t ask for security, ask for adventure . BY PAT R I C K D E LO R E N Z I
Heart accelerates, the sound of the feet touching the floor, the breath deepens and the mind gradually abandons all thoughts and focuses solely and exclusively on the present time. Moments of pure essence, of total connection between our mind and body, this is the gift that running gives us in our lives full of thoughts, obligations, jobs, expectations, stress. For some years now, my ambition has been to simplify my life, bringing it closer to the emotions I feel while I run.
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had a very lucky life, full of fun, jobs, things to do, conversations, dinners. Every day I woke up and faced a lot of choices: what pair of shoes to put on, where to go for lunch, where to go riding, work work work, decide what cell phone covers buy on Amazon, working again, often till late. Always surrounded by people, I was the “hyped" one, the one who always said yes and found solutions in every situation to entertain and please everyone. And I never gave up. I used to took every job opportunity I had, I never said no; working times used to get longer, I had to earn more, do more, he who hesitates is lost! I ran to relieve the stress, finding time to do it between lunch and other work.
the fun part: there is no cure, only palliatives. Everything I had built in 28 years had to be reviewed and modified.
My girlfriend started telling me to work less, I was often in the office more than 12 hours, and what did I do? I bought a laptop to work from home! Every day was an adventure, always different, high stress, high risk, more and more, more things, more events, more conversations. I have spent years that way.
I radically changed my diet, removing everything that was processed or coming from animals and I started having incredible improvements, which for doctors on the paper could not exist. I needed some form of movement, the pain was still too much to run and to ride a bike. I learned to swim. A sport that I hated, that has always been boring and tiring for me but in a month it became my best ally and I started to love it and not being able to go on without practicing it. Weeks went by, and slowly I started riding around the city on my bike. And I still remember, after a few weeks, the moment I tried to run for one kilometer: an incredible emotion. I felt a deep sense of gratitude for that kilometer, for how it made me feel and for the effects it had on my life. Hope had returned to my life.
In this moment of deep "unmotivated" crisis, where everything had "been taken away from me", I started to question all the choices I have ever made. But even more than the choices, I was wondering the reasons why of many things and basically if everything that we usually take for granted, that we think enriches us and improves our lives, was true in my case. If everything I thought to be an added value was not actually removing value from the essence of my life. “Breakthrough - Time to take action”
“In every crisis lies a breakthrough” Then everything changed. From one day to the next, I found myself in prey to crazy pain through my whole body, I couldn't even walk or work anymore, let alone ride a bike or run! I had to lie down for 12 months, alone, confined to the house, I was diagnosed with one neurological syndrome called fibromyalgia. And the cure? Here comes
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I managed to defeat and put this syndrome into remission entirely with my forces, changing nutrition, moving every day and totally eliminating external stress that had a weight on my life. Doing these simple things, constantly, has helped me to recover from a syndrome that according to the medical community has no cure. In the crisis I had looked myself in the eyes and I had been confronted exactly with myself from my previous life. I had taken a break from the frenzy, and had savored a life without external stress.
what makes us feel good, without compromising. Authenticity because it is here that what is most precious for our life, for our personal improvement, is hidden. If we are authentic, we can start an authentic life. Very often what happens to us in life does not really belong to us, it is the result of a chain of causes that do not depend 100% on us. I started to feel a deep sense of gratitude towards the people who had been close to me during this crisis. To my girlfriend, who saw me in great pain every days, but that has never given up. I made it my priority to spend much more time with her. Going through this together has made us incredibly stronger and more intimate. Run after run, one thing seemed increasingly clear to me: she is the woman of my life, I had to ask her to marry me. But before I asked her, I wanted to give her a clear signal that we would have never go back to the starting point, that the gloomy past had definitely disappeared.
In the healing phase, I kept repeating myself: “We are never going back to how life was before. If you could design your life, down to the very last detail, what would it look like? What are my dreams? In my ideal world, what would my awakening be like in the morning? Who would I interact with during the day? What would my goals be?" The answer for me after this crisis was clear: health, freedom and authenticity. Health immediately jumped to the first place. Without our health we have nothing. I started to live according to this, always putting first the foods I chose to eat, keeping my body active and vital with sport and training. Health cannot be bought. And we realize how important it is, only when we no longer have it.
For this reason, without saying anything, I signed up for an Ironman 70.3, with the idea of asking her to marry me after the finish line. A clear sign that not only had I healed, but I had become a much more better person than she could have ever imagined. I felt the same sense of gratitude for incredibly simple things that before went unnoticed, buried by the frenzy of life. The warm rays of the
Freedom because when we are free, we can really focus on
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sun, the silence of the streets early in the morning. Only the fact that I could walk without pain for me was enough to give me a huge sense of gratitude that I had never felt before. I have given priority to self love gestures that benefited me. I started been consistent in workouts, devoting time to myself, especially to running, given the new goal I had in mind. I decided to devote more time and energy cultivating this connection between mind, body and intentions that I found in running. While running, I freed myself with each stride, with each accelerated heartbeat, of a past that no longer belonged to me. With every kilometer I left behind what was not essential for the future, revealing new sides and peculiarities of my person that I had never known in 28 years. With each step I discovered new potential, buried over the years in conformity and in social narratives. New ambitions, new answers. And in the middle of all of this, a voice that was growing louder inside me kept repeating me: "if you really want it, you can do what you want". “The more things you own, the more they own you” Simple, unprocessed, authentic. Food and lifestyle. And all its components. I started traveling only with a backpack, with all the essentials inside and nothing more. Every travel I reduced its content, until I realized that even at home I used to live with the same 5/10 things. I didn't need anything more than what was in my backpack. I started to think in terms of working hours: I no longer applied a price to things to buy, but a cost in hours of life: “how much do I have to work to afford this? Is it worth? Is it essential for my life?”. Half measures no longer existed: the answer was simply yes or no. I made a list with the cardinal things I needed in various areas of my life and I realized one thing. I needed more time, not money.
what I needed to make my life rich. My answer was that the only thing you really need is to maintain physical and mental well-being as a daily lifestyle. Our body and our mind together form a formidable machine, that has to be recognized and not taken for granted even for a second. This is a gift that is given to us, fo that I feel an incredible gratitude. It is our duty to honor it and maintain it, allowing it to reach its maximum potential.
I sold 90% of what I owned, I went from having more than 30 pair of shoes to having just 3, and I did the same for the rest of my stuff. I dedicated the necessary time to work, trying to choose interesting and motivating projects, but I didn't let the job take over. I was driven by a desire for autonomy. These pictures are important because they represent the training done up to 30 days before my Ironman debut. I shared intense preparation with my girlfriend while exploring together Bali and Lombok, dedicating myself to this enormous goal in secret, without her knowing it. We got lost in the rice fields, we shared moments in incredible places. I wanted to make her part of this huge change, of what travel and exploration can create, and at the same time thank her for everything she had done for me when I needed the most. I can happily say that she is now my wife.
Health immediately jumped to the first place. Without our health we have nothing. I started to live according to this, always putting first the foods I chose to eat, keeping my body active and vital with sport and training. Health cannot be bought. And we realize how important it is, only when we no longer have it.
The more you grow, the more responsibilities you have, but why? Throughout this journey, I really asked myself
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Caucasus
wild herbs, street dogs and untouched mountains. TEXT BY KIERAN CREEVY P H OTO S BY L I SA PA A RV I O
Lisa Paarvio and Kieran Creevy are respectively a professional photographer and an expedition chef and mountain instructor. Working as a creative team, they have travelled across mountain environments on three continents; on foot, snowshoe and ski. They teamed up due to a mutual love of wild places, exploration, and storytelling. Their mountain and wilderness journeys combine cultural stories, action sport, adventure and local food.
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igh in the Kazbegi Caucasus, Lisa and I have packs loaded with food, equipment and camera gear for a multi-day snowshoe and wild camping adventure. A few days earlier, we met Vasil, our driver, by chance. One of those unexpected meetings that expands your knowledge and alters your world view. We get a detailed primer to decades of hard won local information. Info on which market to find the best pickles, fresh vegetables, strained yoghurt, and local Georgian specialties like dried sour plums and walnuts. One such market gave us pause, from the outside, the ramshackle, faded facade speaks of a store long past its heyday. However, it’s dimly lit interior reveals a trove of wonders; fruit leather with a mouth puckering sourness, tangy cheeses, wild herb medleys, delicate beetroots and pungent onions with a green/white hue. That evening, the ritual of sorting gear begins. Just enough clothing to keep us warm and dry, with spares for those “in case” moments. Winter sleeping bags have expanded in the house, which now have to be tightly stuffed back into dry bags. Lisa agonises over which lenses to pack and if we will have the possibility of seeing the Milky Way. We won’t be eating freeze dried meals on this trip, only Georgian inspired dinners and breakfasts. Morning comes too early. We briefly question our respective career paths, but the magnetic pull of new mountains is all the incentive we need to get out the door. One wild ride up a twisting mountain road and we’re alone! Shafts of gold break the horizon and we pause for morning tea and fresh bread. We head deeper into the hills on worn goat trails. Our snowshoes and ice axes still packed. Thought we’re almost at 3,000 metres and it’s minus twenty, the snow is sparse and patchy, with drifting on spurs and piling in mounds on some Northern slopes. We encounter the first signs of long habitation in this wild corner
of Georgia. A ruin of a shrine, its stones worn smooth with centuries of age. Late in the day, we chance upon a perfect spot for our first camp. In the midst of setting up camp my stomach growls, time to make dinner. Our winter adventure in this mountain fastness speeds by all too fast. Days pass in a kaleidoscope of sensory wonders; the smell of snow on the wind, moonlight glinting of shards of ice as though the ground is carpeted in diamonds, a dense forest hiding a stone fortress, hot spiced soup, and the joy of travelling in the wilderness with a close and trusted friend. Finally, we near our home, the hillside showing small signs of traffic - a slight widening in the trail. However, we don’t want to break the spell of the wilds and return straight to civilisation. Our last mountain lunch is suddenly interrupted by a wild street dog. Whether it caught scent of our meal or it’s in search of company we don’t know. It approaches camp, relaxed and at ease. Lying down, it seems content, but with the expectant air of one hoping for some food in the future. After lunch, as though loath to let us escape its enchantment, the Kazbegi Caucasus throws us a last curve ball.
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The track we were on disappears with no warning. Far ahead we can see the continuation of the track, and a kilometre away our home. Between us and it however is a wide river. Backtracking will take us a few hours. We decide to scout the bank, hoping for stepping stones or a narrow stretch over which we can jump. No joy. Just as we’ve made the decision to turn back, Lisa spots a possible ford. Assessing the speed and depth of the flow, we’re in luck. It’s safe. Splashing our way across we emerge and almost immediately the hems of our trousers freeze into board like stiffness. The last kilometre flows swiftly under our sodden boots. Bone tired and wet we may be, but the enchantment has struck us hard. We’re in the thrall of this magnificent landscape and its people. Thank you Georgia.
LOBIO WITH MCHADI (RED BEAN, PEPPER, ONION AND HERB STEW WITH CORNBREAD)
INGREDIENTS: SERVES 2 LOBIO
2 cups dried red kidney beans soaked in water overnight. 1 white onion finely sliced 1 green pepper roughly diced 1 cup flat leaf parsley roughly chopped 1 vegetable stock cube crumbled 1 tsp white pepper 1/2 tsp dried fennel powder 1/2 tsp black cumin powder 1/2 tsp coriander powder Water Salt - to taste 1 tbsp butter or ghee.
MCHADI:
Cornflour, finely ground 2 eggs 2 tsp sea salt 1 tsp chili flakes 1 cup hard white cheese cut into fine cubes. 2 tbsp rapeseed or olive oil. Water Extra cornflour for dusting LOBIO METHOD:
Mix together the cornflour, spices, salt, eggs and oil. Then add in the cheese and a little water at a time. Knead until you have a smooth dough. Place the skillet on the stove, reduce the heat to medium/high. Break off a golf ball size lump of dough, roll in between your hands until smooth and flatten. Dust with a little cornflour and place in the skillet. There is space in the skillet for 2-4 breads, depending on size. Dry fry for a few minutes on both sides until cooked through and the cheese starts to ooze out. MCHADI METHOD:
Light the stove. Add the butter/ghee and when gently sizzling add the onion, pepper and spices. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the bean mix, stir well and enough water to cover completely. Increase the heat to full, cover with the pot lid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly, cook for 20 minutes or until the beans are soft, adding more water if necessary. Serve the bean stew in an insulated container with some bread.
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There really is no planet B BY FILIPPO TOMMASINI
There are few people who do not get excited in the middle of nature, there are many who are shocked when they see nature dying and unfortunately there are still few who decide to do something real to help the environment.
When we talk about human damage to the environment we "trivially" think about the plastic island in the middle of the ocean, about open-air landfills or arson. There are also often deeper damage, linked to less striking, almost invisible things, which, however, cause the breakdown of the balance of the ecosystem and that trigger harmful and irreversible effects.
Pollution is a problem that needs to be addressed globally, and the governments of all states are the ones that primarily need to intervene in order to change this situation.
I recently decided to dig deeper on the various issues related to environmental sustainability, pollution and global warming. So I focused on the relationship between man and nature and on the consequences of the damage caused by men.
I think, however, that everyone of us can still help the planet. I think of simple reflections that each of us should have facing the destruction of nature by ourselves. We must "convert" those who have not yet realized the problem, we must raise awareness, we must inform and share the problem in the best way.
I was looking for a case to tell that could make Mother Nature's strength clear: so beautiful, so strong and so capable of rebelling if it is not respected.
In addition to having a green approach to life, I personally try to bring respect towards nature even in small daily gestures, I practice one of what I have called "physical actions", that is meeting with friends to collect the waste thrown in the woods of our Apennines.
I wanted to find an example of the "Man/ Nature dimension", something that could demonstrate how small and powerless we actually appear in front of the force of nature. The spruce-fir forests epidemics in different parts of Europe, especially in Italy, caught my attention. I investigated the death of these trees and discovered yet another damage indirectly caused to nature by us humans.
I have a deep bond with nature, since childhood I’ve always found something magical in it, something that involves me and that causes me feelings, positive emotions, it is something that purifies me and that for a moment makes me fall into another dimension and that allows me to leave out all the tensions and problems of life.
What I discovered is that due to the change in the ecosystem because of global warming,
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a small insect has become able to destroy an entire forest.
nia, and its presence is permanent and will remain also in the future as long as the spruce will be part of both our mountain forests and the ones of Northern Europe.
The increased pollution, the consequent global warming and the greater frequency of climate changes have caused significant damage to the ecosystem.
When colonizing the trees, the male insects penetrate the bark by digging tunnels that prevent the lymph from rising towards the branches of the plant, causing their death. The progress of these galleries can follow very elaborate designs, which are brought to light when the dried bark detaches itself from the trunk.
One of these is precisely the disproportionate reproduction of the insect called European spruce bark beetle, capable of attacking spruce weakened by frequent climate changes. The small insect is not actually the direct culprit of the phenomenon, it is the consequence of damage caused by human activities.
The male of the spruce bark beetle welcomes the females inside a small cavity dug in the fir trunk after having recalled them with a particular pheromone (the insects's reproductive smell). The characteristics of the galleries are two or three main branches according to the number of females inserted in the male's wedding chamber.
Those grey spots in the spruce-fir forests can also be seen from afar. They are made up of hundreds of dead spruces, dramatically visible among other trees, still green and healthy, which cover the slopes of the Apennines and the Alps.
Newspapers, sites, interviews: everything today speaks of the environment and eco-sustainability. We are forgetting about ourselves and what surrounds us, neglecting even the smallest attention to nature.
Many hikers who pass through these places believe that the damage is caused by a fire, but in reality those skeletal fir trees are the victim of a small insect that is not very visible.
I love nature in all its forms, especially the mountains and the way they make me feel. Nature in the mountains pulls you by the sleeve, asks you to look at it, to study it, to be present.
In a natural ecosystem, characterized by a certain structural and physiological complexity, the presence of this insect can be considered a factor of balance and biodiversity. This insect of the beetles family has never moved away from the spruce-fir forests, being a permanent host for several millen-
And we must be present, because there’s really no planet B.
The spruce-fir forests epidemics in different parts of Europe, especially in Italy, caught my attention. I investigated the death of these trees and discovered yet another damage indirectly caused to nature by us humans. What I discovered is that due to the change in the ecosystem because of global warming, a small insect has become able to destroy an entire forest.
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Anna Stöhr Evolution, Never Give Up. A mindset, an attitude. INTERVIEW BY MARTA MANZONI POWERED BY SALEWA
Anna Stöhr was born on April 25th, 1988 in Innsbruck, Austria. She started climbing as a child with her sister and parents, both climbers. At eight, things got more serious and she started taking part in competitions. Since then she has accomplished numerous first female bouldering climbs in every part of the planet. In 2007 she won the gold medal in bouldering at the World Championship and in 2008 the World Cup always in the same category. In 2011 she won the two main bouldering titles, winning the gold medal both at the World Championship and during the World Cup. In the 2012 season she won her third World Cup, and in 2013 she got the fourth one. In 2017 she stopped competing in the World Cup circuit. Nowadays she’s trying to raise the bar of her own limits on rock, exploring climbing in all its forms.
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You’ve been an international bouldering champion, then moved on to rope climbing on single pitches and finally to multi-pitch climbing. You look like the personification of the concept of evolution. How do you interpret this concept? I believe that evolution means not being rigid, but curious, mentally open to new possibilities and willing to move forward. How did your “journey” as an athlete between these extremes develop? What pushed you towards these choices? Have your motivations changed? I’ve been part of the Austrian national team for fourteen years, and this somehow defined me as a person. It was very difficult to decide to step back when I realized that I would no longer be able to compete in the bouldering category at the level I was used to. It was a tough choice, but I think climbing is a unique sport also because it offers infinite possibilities: bouldering, multi-pitch routes, ice climbing, indoor, outdoor. It was enough for me to widen my view, change perspective and discover this new dimension of my sport. You went from a discipline where competitions are important to an activity in the mountains where there are no competitions. What challenges did you have to win? What are the differences between the technical skills needed for bouldering and rock climbing? Has your way of training changed? I had to train for endurance, which is essential for multi-pitch routes, because it happens to stay on the wall for ten hours. There is only one way to improve on the rock: climb, climb and climb! In bouldering, however, you have to be explosive for a few seconds, and therefore strength matters a lot. Nowadays I go to the gym very little. Then I had to overcome the fear: I went from climbing with a few meters below me to very high walls. What is the strategy that you have adopted during your career? Go ahead and never give up. If you really want something, go get it! Previously your focus was on indo-
or competitions while now you have entered a new perspective, closer to nature and its rhythm, which dimension is the best for you? I have always climbed outdoor and nature has always been a source of motivation for me, I used to do competitions indoor so I have always felt the desire to climb on real rock. I used to train in the gym even on great sunny days, now luckily that doesn't happen anymore! Now I have the opportunity to appreciate more the ability of outdoor activities to put me in a good mood. Multi-pitch climbing is much closer to mountaineering, do you like high altitude? I don't see myself as a mountaineer, and I am also aware that I don't have the right skills. I will certainly never climb an eight-thousander! The routes I choose are all very well protected, it is important for me to feel safe. Have you ever thought about free soloing? No! Never. The risk is too high for me and it’s not something I want to do. What do you think of those who practice it? People can do what they want, I can only speak for myself. You climbed a lot in the Alps and around the world, what are the differences? Where do you prefer to climb? I guess the best thing about being an athlete is having the opportunity to travel the world and meet people from all over the planet. I was happy to meet different cultures. Now, however, I am just as happy while climbing my home mountains: I realized that I never took the time to appreciate the places nearby, where there are many wonderful routes. You are the protagonist of the Salewa spring summer campaign. Yes, it is a real honor for me to be part of the team! I feel close to the values of the brand, for example I think about their commitment to protect the environment but also about the choice made during the pandemic, when they decided to import masks and produce lab coats for healthcare personnel. In addition, the company's headquarters in Bolzano is close to Innsbruck and therefore it is easy to
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have personal relationships with the rest of the team. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics have been postponed to 2021. We will have to wait another year to see the debut of climbing as an Olympic discipline. What is your opinion? Postponing was the only possible choice. The downside of the climbing debut is the decision to combine different disciplines, such as bouldering, lead and speed, in a single gold medal, for which different physical and technical skills are needed, and rightly the athletes are not thrilled with this choice. For now it has been a compromise, the hope is that in the future there may be three or four different gold medals for each different discipline. I think this debut will be positive for the sport itself, because it will get more visibility and therefore more people will be able to love it. However, media coverage should be accompanied by education, explaining that indoor and outdoor climbing are different, and that nature has rules that we must respect. What was the most difficult route you climbed? Alibaba, 8b+, one of the most difficult routes in France. I saw some photos long ago and I immediately fell in love with it. The rock there is wonderful! Next project? I would like to live more the present moment and continue to explore climbing in all its forms. Then I would like to climb in Morocco, in a magical place, “Taghia Gorge”.
"When I was young I was often the only woman in the gym, while now women are 50% of the total. At the moment there are fewer women on multi-pitches routes, but I think this situation will change."
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The Running Pastor BY SABINA COMI POWERED BY MERREL
Pastor of a religious community and passionate runner. We’re not talking about two different and antipodal people, but two aspects that coexist in the same body. The Running Pastor tells an unusual story about running, seen as a way to work through your own personal conflicts, but also to lighten those of others.
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eing a pastor in the sheep islands seems almost a destiny already written. Yet, there are different types of shepherds who dedicate their lives to looking for the direction to better lead their flock and, through this path, also find themselves, together with their own strength.
Sverri tells about his childhood as a son of a shepherd, he used to run on the slopes to take back the newly born lambs and rebuilding the herd. His vocation, indeed his vocations, must have been born there. Because this evangelical pastor is also a passionate runner who can’t live without this discipline, for him running represents the sum of those moments that he carves out to be able to work through the problems of others, which he often takes charge of and that he is forced to keep secret.
The protagonist of The Running Pastor, one of the ten new films presented by the Banff Center Mountain Film Festival World Tour, is Sverri Steinholm, a Lutheran pastor of a small community located in the remote Faroe islands. Fær in the Norse language means “sheep”, while Øer would be a plural form of ø, “island” and he is the spiritual guide of those who live in the village of one of the eighteen islands that form the archipelago located in a stretch of ocean between Iceland and Norway.
Because “people need to talk to someone who stay silent”, he says during the movie. So he takes his running shoes and starts running, better if that day the weather is a bit adverse, better if the conditions are harsh, because it is in those moments that he feels the strength standing out and he can better focus on what he has always known.
Wild, harsh and beautiful places, where the number of sheep exceeds the one of the inhabitants and where nature is a protagonist of the people lives and deeply marks them.
“We are small human beings who move on a land that can do whatever it wants to us” and the alternating images of the island
“People need to talk to someone who stay silent”
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“We are small human beings who move on a land that can do whatever it wants to us”
want to remind us of this, while taking us up and down the rugged exposed slopes of the Faroe Islands.
ars exactly like the function clothes and his Merrell running shoes, two suits of the same person. The same person that listens and stores stories when is in front of his people and then he lets go through laughs, cries when it is in front of nature. A forty kilometers round trip, on an island in the middle of the deep north.Having everything while not having much, in a simple life where the rhythm is marked by the steps of every run and where happiness does not come at a high price, it is within everyone's reach if you can take what you get. And then, as every happiness requires, Sverri also sings while running. What? Psalms. “Now they come also in the Black Metal version”, he says.
While running Sverri Steinholm finds spiritual comfort and refuge from his personal conflicts and his priesthood burdens, but at the same time finds the peace that only nature can transmit. And so he runs and faces climbs; his run is compulsive, he can't help it, it’s like a nourishment for body, soul and mind, he says. It becomes a sort of race and every time he is assailed by doubts: “Why am I so stupid to do this?". And like all runners he repeats: “I will never do it again”. Then of course this doesn't happen: he ties his shoes again and does it again. And again.
And intones a Hamferð song, “Harra Guð, títt dýra navn og æra”, which in English means “God the Lord, Your Precious Name and Honour”, the same one that he has in his thoughts as he runs on the crests of that plateau which is what remains of the erosion of storm and sea. Where the wind beats strongly and the fog is the constant companion of every day. Where the sky is almost always overcast and the sun is a luxury of a few hours a year. Where you feel the force of nature that can hit you at every moment and where you must accept to be part of this game to really understand who you are.
A need, a nourishment for body and soul, a domineering desire that comes back to knock at his door every time the head gets in the way, as an instinct to go up. When he looks at this need with rationality, he refers to running as an “hobby”, fun and, again, a way to stay in shape, but he knows that it is not only that. In the same way that Sverri Steinholm is not only himself, he is not only a man, but he becomes a guide, a pastor, a point of reference in the hospital, in prison, he becomes the confessor, the one to trust with secrets, sufferings, the innermost thoughts. An indissoluble duo that he we-
"Where the wind beats strongly and the fog is the constant companion of every day. Where the sky is almost always overcast and the sun is a luxury of a few hours a year. Where you feel the force of nature that can hit you at every moment and where you must accept to be part of this game to really understand who you are."
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Faroe Islands TEXT BY PIETRO IENCA PHOTOS BY LUIGI CHIURCHI TRIP IN YOUR SHOES
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The Faroe archipelago is an autonomous Danish territory with a population of about 50,000 inhabitants. It could also be addressed as the “land of shepherds and breathtaking landscapes”. Approaching its islands means getting in touch with a world of its own. Landscapes, people, the ecosystem, all coexist in an amazing balance that makes these lands unique. Tripinyourshoes is an organization aimed at promoting a new and innovative type of slow tourism, not concerning only the simple visit of a territory, but also its real discovery and understanding. That’s why we decided to specialize in the production of very high quality video and photo material in order to best convey the emotions that each single territory can transmit, in the hope of spreading a greater awareness of how important it is to preserve these places. The Faroe Islands are famous for their breathtaking landscapes, but among those mountains overlooking the sea people live in close contact with the island's endemic systems and it’s interesting to study how, over the centuries, they have established binding relationships with them in order to to survive. It is exciting to be able to observe ancient traditions and new customs get in touch in so little space, even if the consequences are not always positive. These places, like many others in the world, have become tourist attractions, mainly thanks to their unspoiled nature. Unfortunately, this also hides many negative aspects, especially when tourism concentrates massively during certain periods of the year, creating serious imbalances. Precisely for this reason we decided to observe the Faroe islands in their most authentic and “wild” form, far from the tourist season, with the intention of reporting what the true potential of this territory is.
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Globalization’s influence has also touched the coasts of this archipelago, causing an important change in the natural rhythms of the inhabitants: the islanders have based sustenance and economy on livestock farms and products of animal origin, especially in the fish sector. Obviously today the diet of these inhabitants has changed, influenced by global rhythms. Most of the products consumed by Faroese come from international markets and this has caused the abandonment of some traditions and customs related to the territories. But not all is lost: in response to this “crumbling”, a community linked to the world of Slow Food has committed itself to safeguarding and preserving the products of the islands. At the same time, the inhabitants are testing some innovative agricultural methods, followed by a project, the Veltan Project, which could guarantee an important step forward for the inhabitants of these islands up to reaching independence and the return of some ancient balances. Sunduroy is the southernmost among the 18 islands of the archipelago. It is probably the island that struck us the most: it has a “milder” climate thanks to its position and greater wealth, especially regarding the gastronomic culture. In Sunduroy we had the opportunity to go hiking on a trail that crosses the island from north to south which gave us the opportunity to appreciate that land in all its beauty. In the northern islands the climate becomes more rigid and is characterized by strong cold winds that can cause sudden climatic changes, an aspect to take into consideration especially if you’re hiking.
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"[...] the inhabitants are testing some innovative agricultural methods, followed by a project, the Veltan Project, which could guarantee an important step forward for the inhabitants of these islands up to reaching independence and the return of some ancient balances."
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There we explored Slaeteranditur, the highest mountain in the archipelago, with its 900m high, from which we could see the typical Nordic landscapes of these areas that always hide a certain magic, especially from this point of view. Still in this area, we climbed another mountain, Tjornuvik-Saksun, 500600m high; there we visited one of the rare rustic and ancient villages of these islands. In this area, we were accompanied by a local guide, Johannush of Vagar, a 30 year old guy who works for the tourism development of the Faroe islands. We embarked with him on a journey through the traditions of the place, starting from the famous flocks of Faroese sheep. These sheep are mainly used for their meat and wool. During our excursions, we had the opportunity to help finding a mutton that had been freed for the period of reproduction, pushing it with our drone to return to the valley and with the rest of the flock, avoiding the mutton to get lost and die because of the cold. Another important tradition, now less practiced, is the capture of the Fulgur, a type of bird of the albatross family that nests on the coasts of the islands. This particular technique involves the use of a large screen, a particular speed and a certain ability to stay in balance. The Faroese coasts, as well as the hinterland, are home to a large number of bird species, making the islands an excellent destination for ornithology enthusiasts. We will never forget how rich in nature such a limited space can be. The emotions and experiences lived on the Faroe islands were unique, also thanks to its inhabitants, who although at first they may seem a little cold, over time reveal a strong convivial spirit fueled by a great love for the land they live in.
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"In this area, we were accompanied by a local guide, Johannush of Vagar, a 30 year old guy who works for the tourism development of the Faroe islands. We embarked with him on a journey through the traditions of the place, starting from the famous flocks of Faroese sheep."
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Down the Lhotse Couloir TEXT BY GIAN LUCA GASCA PHOTOS BY NICO KALISZ POWERED BY BANFF
If we were to label it, 2018 could be remembered as the year of skiing at very high altitudes thanks to two unique expeditions.
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••• On July 22nd, the first descent of K2 by the Polish Andrzej Bargiel, a challenge deemed almost impossible. On September 30th, then, the first full descent of the Lhotse (8516m, Himalaya), the fourth highest mountain on earth, by the Americans Hilaree Nelson and Jim Morrison.
among them, in fact he has reached 9 times the 8848 meters of Everest. The first part of the expedition therefore went by quickly between mountain preparation and altitude acclimatization. After about a month it was finally time to attempt the climb. “I have read about this mountain since I was a child and I have dreamed of it for years” commented Morrison recalling those moments.
They descended from the top following the Lhotse Couloir (about 800 meters long), which perfectly divides the wall in two, and then continued along the mountain to reach the base camp. Many extreme skiers have tried to face the Couloir over the years, including Nelson herself in 2012, but no one had ever accomplished it before.
On the day of the climb the sky was clear and there was practically no wind. They climbed quietly reaching 8300 meters high where they chose to wear masks and use oxygen cylinders. There were still about two hundred meters to the top, which they reached in broad daylight. But that was not the end, but just the beginning.
Hilaree Nelson and Jim Morrison. Two strong and determined climbers, who are partners not only where the air becomes thinner but also in real life. They’ve already conquered several 8000m peaks and extreme trails, even at very high altitudes. They chose to leave in September, immediately after the end of the monsoon, to enjoy some excellent snow before the cold winter winds blow it all away from the mountain. A careful but yet difficult decision.
After celebrating the climb and a short rest, it was time to put the skis on and start the descent, the most delicate part of the whole expedition. They began to trace the first corners by jumping between crust and inconsistent snow until they were exhausted. The high altitude consumes energy and lucidity, but they knew that they cannot lose control. They continued to go down along the Couloir, which became increasingly narrow and hanging, but they felt great, as if they were in the right place at the right time.
In autumn the expeditions on Lhotse and on the nearby Everest, that shares with the first one the base camp and a part of the ascent route, are definitely less. There is therefore greater peace of mind and freedom of movement, but this also means having to work harder to prepare the climb. There are no icefall doctors to manage the difficult seracs that separates the base camp from the first camp with ladders and ropes.
“I will never have again such an opportunity and I want to enjoy the moment” Morrison thought while turning on that perfect snow that you rarely have on the Himalayas. The descent took about 17 hours from the summit to camp 2 (6400 m). “What have we done?” Hilaree asked. “We skied down the Couloir and the Lhotse wall” Jim replied. “A dream I've worked on my whole life.” “The best moment of my ski mountaineering career” said Hilaree.
On their side, however, they had an exceptional team of Sherpas to support them and help them preparing the climb: people who already reached several eight-thousanders peaks in the past. Tashi Sherpa stands out
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Patagonia. Into the unknown. BY LUCA SCHIERA
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There is a balance in the world: every action produces a consequence to restore it. Newton explained it with his principles of dynamics but I believe that this concept can be extended much more: you get back what you gave, sooner or later.
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ummarizing, it can be said that after things have been going well for you for a while, good luck will end. It is a very simple and fatalistic way of thinking, but even planning everything down to the smallest details will not give you the ability to predict everything that will happen. Taking advantage of the unexpected is often the right key. This time the unknown part was much more than the known one, that’s why, when everything was going exactly according to plan, I began to be suspicious: everything was going too well.
have been that until we had reached that place we wouldn’t have known if the whole project would have been possible or not, but if we had stayed home we would have certainly never found out. With few certainties and a lot of hope we decided to try. We first needed to find out where to access the glacier, there seemed to be various options but in the end the only possibility looked like sailing by boat from Caleta Tortel, the last inhabited village, then enter the right fjord, go up the river with a motorboat and start our trail a few kilometers from the Steffen glacier.
On February 17th, Paolo Marazzi, Giacomo Mauri and I left Italy and flew to Patagonia. Over the years I have spent long hours on the computer scanning tens of square kilometers of satellite images of that area. I was looking for beautiful mountains to climb, I didn’t always find good images but sometimes a shadow or an irregularity was enough to sense the presence of a wall. One day, to my amazement, I came across what looked like a 800m high granite tower on the Hielo Norte, in an area that was completely unexplored and difficult to access.
We started to imagine various possible scenarios and what kind of terrain we could have encountered, we didn’t have any other information except the ones given by our assumptions. Then we faced the first real obstacle: we had no idea who could accompany us. A "virtual" friend came to my help, Camilo who knows Hielo very well and being Chilean has many contacts in the area. He gave me he number of Paulo who lives in Tortel and organizes boat tours. Paulo came to pick us up at the airport, we got some supplies that would last for a month and we left. As soon as we arrived in Tortel we sailed.
For some time that idea had remained there, on the long list of projects. It did not appear on the maps, I had no photos nor know anyone who ever passed through those areas.
Everything was going smoothly, on March 18th a rare window of good weather that should have lasted 3/4 days appeared. It would have been a tough challenge but the more everything ran smoothly, the more a little voice inside started telling me that our luck would have ended soon. After a couple of hours of rafting we arrived in a lake with some icebergs indicating the beginning of the glacier. Paulo said goodbye and left us alone in the valley.
Then a photo from the English expedition led by Eric Shipton in 1964 came out. By pure chance, on the background of the pic taken during the crossing of the glacier you could see a beautiful granite tower, with snow at the summit and a large ice mushroom top: it was definitely it. The risk would
This time the unknown part was much more than the known one, that’s why, when everything was going exactly according to plan, I began to be suspicious: everything was going too well.
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I was still dizzy from the journey, only a little while ago I was at home in Italy and now we were alone in the middle of an uninhabited valley without having had time to adapt to the new situation; we made a few jokes about the fact that maybe Paolo wouldn’t come back anymore and we should have survive the winter and then we decided to explore the place. After two hours and a short distance walked we got back, went to sleep a little discouraged but happy to finally be able to lie down.
The first day we would have had to reach the same place that the previous time had taken two days, from there we would have had to go on walking on the glacier avoiding the most insidious areas up to the mountain, on the third day we would have had to climb and then think about how to go back based on what would have seemed better. Day 1 went well, the glacier was very demanding but after 10 hours we got on a rocky island which was excellent for bivouacking. The second day was not that good, tied in a rope we met ever increasing difficulties. Crevasses were hidden under the snow and we began to walk zigzagging while looking for the less visible parts of ice and avoiding the longer snow bridges. After a few hours with increasingly poor visibility, a simple flat white area appeared in front of us and we stopped.
When we woke up the sun was rising. With a great effort we reached the beginning of the glacier and arrived in the afternoon on the last flat ground before climbing on the ice. At the end of the day, consulting the map, we noticed that in a whole day we only had covered just eight of the forty kilometers that separated us from the wall. We still had two days of good weather remaining, that meant that the following day we would have had to climb and the day after we should have come back: impossible, we had to give up. We decided to take advantage of those two remaining days to understand what would be the best access to the mountain, this preventive tour would also have been essential.
Some holes and slight undulations on the surface made us notice huge crevasses. We made some timid attempts but in all directions snow bridges collapsed under our weight, from there on we would have gone on with the risk of falling together in the same crevasse. We stopped for a second to think. We couldn’t see any possible alternative, we had already invested a lot of energy to get there and we were now close to the wall, we didn’t know if we would have had another opportunity to come back but the risk was truly incalculable. In the end we decided to go back, it started snowing and that facilitated our decision.
We climbed a long rocky ridge that rose for a few hundred meters just above the Hielo in order to get an excellent aerial view of the entire trail that we would have to followed. Only after passing the last peak we could see the wall for the first time, it was really beautiful even if we couldn’t see its highest side. It seemed possible to reach it but we would have needed five days of good weather to get there, climb and come back.
On the evening of the next day we were back at the hut. We had no alternatives, we called Paulo to pick us up and we spent a good part of the following day with our ears ready to hear the hum of the boat that never came, he had forgotten.
In the following days we set up a large wooden hut where to sleep, collected wood for the fire and worked out a bit. Then our chance arrived. We had been uncertain until the end, once again taking a decision was not easy, but then we decided to try, if it had worked we would have made the right choice, if it hadn’t we would have had to go back as soon as possible because then we would no longer have had food.
The following day everything went as planned and we set off again on our journey to southern Patagonia, until the epidemic also reached South America. The upside of the whole story is that if we had stayed in the valley for the further two weeks that we had planned we would actually have had to go back walking, Paulo had been put in quarantine.
On the evening of the next day we were back at the hut. We had no alternatives, we called Paulo to pick us up and we spent a good part of the following day with our ears ready to hear the hum of the boat that never came, he had forgotten.
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Va’ Sentiero TEXT BY YURI BASILICÒ PHOTOS BY SARA FURLANETTO
From Friuli-Venezia Giulia to Marche to tell and promote the longest hiking trail in the world: the story of the first 3.548 km of the Va’ Sentiero expedition.
THE EXPEDITION WILL SOON START AGAIN FROM MARCHE TO SARDINIA . FOR MORE INFO ON THE PROJECT AND THE STOPS, VISIT THE WEBSITE VASENTIERO.ORG
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I had heard about the GR20, a 15-day hike that runs through the mountainous ridge of Corsica. It was a period full of doubts and worries, that trail seemed challenging enough to satisfy my hunger for adventure and to help me stay away from ny thoughts. At the end of September 2016, I landed in Bastia. After a few days I found myself surrounded by a dense sudden fog,a I was crossing a vast plateau just north of Monte Cinto and got completely lost. Wandering to find the trail again, I came across three Swedish guys. They were traveling the GR in the opposite direction and got lost like me. We found the trail together and, before leaving, they asked me: “since you are Italian, do you know the Sentiero Italia?�. I had to admit it was the first time I’ve ever heard about it. A few months later, on a cold night in the plain, that episode came to my mind and I went to look for it on Google. I found little information but that was enough for me: a 7,000 km trail along all the Italian mountains, for years now forgotten. It didn't take me long to start fantasizing about an expedition discovering this great mysterious trail. I still didn't know it, but that evening a new chapter of my life was about to begin.
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MAY 15TH 2019. GEMONA DEL FRIULI. 232 KM
Today is my birthday. It’s getting dark outside and it started to rain again. I am at the Gemona’s ER, a small village at the foot of the Julian Prealps that I knew only because of the 1976 earthquake. This afternoon, while I was going down among the pastures towards the village of Prossenicco, a fat tick slipped into my calf: I managed to extract it completely, but I had a great infection and we thought it would have been better to go to the hospital. We thought: the guys and I. We left two weeks ago from Muggia, on the Trieste Gulf, the starting point of Sentiero Italia. We are five: a photographer, a videomaker, a logistic manager, a clerk and I. Va’ Sentiero: that’s the name of the expedition. We hit the road on May 1st, northwards, along the border with Slovenia. The first few days we crossed the Karst woods, unfortunately the sun left us almost immediately and the rain returned. Finally, with almost a sense of relief, we started going up in the Natisone Valleys. It was cold and it started to snow a lot above 1,500 m: exactly where we were going. Together with bad weather, the first tendinitis, the first normal aches, had come up: we were not very well trained yet. And swarms of ticks. Of course, it was still early to go down in the damps, but there was some discontent and every now and then it came up.
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J U LY 18 T H 2 0 1 9 . V A LT E L L I N A , U P P E R L O M B A R D Y. 1 . 2 7 2 K M
Two days ago we hit the Sentiero Roma, the semi-mountaineering trail that, from Valmalenco extends towards the end of Lake Como, above the Val Masino. Probably the most difficult part of our entire trip, with 8 high altitude passes, one after the other.
Summer finally arrived. After the first difficult months, between the meters of dirt snow at high altitude and the destroyed forests in the Triveneto, things were now going well. In the past few weeks the mountains seemed to have drastically changed proportions: Gran ZebrĂš, Bernina, Disgrazia. The Dolomites seemed so little to me, in comparison. After going around the Bernina we headed towards the Disgrazia. We stopped at the foot of the immense eastern wall, at the Ventina refuge. The first manager of the refuge, Oreste Lenatti, in 1956 accompanied Bonatti for a while during the legendary winter crossing of the Alps. After a great dinner, I laid down on the bank of the stream that flowed noisily from the Vedretta; the scene traced the images I created in my head when as I child I was reading The Call of the Wild.
Yesterday, going down from the Bocchetta Roma, we almost risked losing our photographer Sara. She was descending from a fixed rope, suspended on a twenty meter jump; a stone broke away from the wall and bounced off her face. She dodged it naturally, we got very scared. At the base of the wall there was a snowfield in poor condition and having no crampons with us it took us more than two hours to cross that kilometer that separated us from the Bivacco Kima. Luckily, we found some playing cards in the bivouac to relieve the tension.
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SEPTEMBER 1ST 2019. C O U R M A Y E U R , A O S T A V A L L E Y. 2 . 0 4 4 K M
Yesterday morning we passed the crossing of Col del Malatrà and we found ourselves in front of the wall of the Grandes Jorasses. We climbed the Testa Bernarda, a perfect balcony over the entire Mont Blanc massif, right in front of the pyramid of Punta Walker. Stefano, a Touring Club journalist who then became a friend, was with us. He had binoculars with exceptional lenses with him and we spent a lot of time studying all the peaks, the crests, the glaciers, the pinnacles. Wherever I looked, I found trails opened by the greatest mountaineers ever: Cassin, Whymper, Gervasutti. And Bonatti, of course. While I was looking for the Freney Pilone Centrale, the one of the '61 tragedy, I noticed small dark spots in the field of view of the binoculars. At the beginning I thought it was my retina, due to the dazzling reflection of the surrounding glaciers; then I realized they were wings moving and approaching. I called out to the others and, without even having time to realize it, we had twelve birds of prey circling above our heads. They were griffins, absolutely unusual for the area: the body was short and stocky, the neck long and thin, like a vulture. It looked like the enormous outstretched wings almost never move, just only the tip to adjust the trajectory just like equilibrists on an invisible thread.
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OCTOBER 5TH 2019. M O N G I O I E R E F U G E , L O W E R P I E D M O N T. 2 . 5 9 5 K M
Yesterday I decided to leave the others and made a long detour, I wanted to walk a little alone. I got lost several times, I missed doing that. Looking at the map, I discovered that I was at the foot of such a Mount Jurin and, since my name is Yuri I could only climb to the top. I could see the whole western alpine arc from there. It is no wonder that the Romans considered Monviso to be the highest in the Alps: it is absolutely the mountain that stands out above the others. Later, as I approached the Garelli Refuge, I felt the sun's rays on the back of my neck and I realized that the sun was setting behind me. Suddenly I realized that the expedition changed direction: after walking north from the Gulf of Trieste to Tarvisio, then west to Mont Blanc, then south to the Maritime Alps, we were now moving to the east. The last direction that was missing from the Va’ Sentiero collection. We left the Garelli before sunrise, a cold wind blew and made everything crystal clear. We went up the north face of the Marguareis, the highest of the Ligurian Mountains. From the summit, for the first time since departure and after 5 months of mountains, we saw the sea again. I had a strange feeling, it felt like coming home. I didn’t know why.
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NOVEMBER 11TH 2019. E R E M O D E I T O S C H I , T U S C A N Y. 3 . 2 4 0 K M
The bucolic autumn tale ended shortly and we had to deal with plunging temperatures and strong winds from the north: in the previous week only there have been two weather warnings. Our faces began to betray tiredness. A few days before, on the ridge towards Lake Scaffaiolo, we found ourselves in a blizzard with gusts of the north wind whipping strong enough to shift our weights. You couldn’t seen anything from a meter afar and we had to put on our sunglasses to be able to keep our eyes open. I was a little afraid, I had never experienced whiteout (snow fog and very freezing wind) and I never expected to face it on the Apennines, it was the most extreme situation we have faced so far. With us there was a young girl who had joined the group for a few days; I had no idea what experience she had and I feared she would lose her mind, in such situations it is not difficult. Instead she stayed focus, concentrated, doing very well what she was told; it struck me. In the evening I seemed to know her for a lifetime.
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DECEMBER 1ST 2019. HALFTIME.
Visso is a small village at the foot of the Sibillini Mountains. In addition to being halfway through the Va’ Sentiero trail (3,548 km out of the almost 7,000), it has been devastated by the 2016 earthquake: almost all buildings are unusable, especially in the historic center. That’s why we decide to stop the first part of the expedition in Visso: it seemed nice to end the first half of the trip there and then start again, symbolically, when spring would come.
gigantic caravan. A girl asked me how I felt at the idea of having almost reached that first goal after walking for 7 months; I realized that I hadn't had the time or the foresight to prepare for that moment at all. Then we passed through the first half-destroyed houses, it looked like a bombed village. During the expedition we saw several of the old towns destroyed or abandoned, but there it was different: the houses seemed inhabited until a moment before. A poster of Bob Marley could be seen on the wall of a bedroom. We the town band started playing in our honor, the people in the distance sang merrily.
Our arrival, in its own way, has been an event. On the last day the sun magically came back, as if to reward us: a clean sky, without compromise, as at the beginning of the expedition. There were many people who came to walk with us on that day, a
It seemed surreal to me, but it was only a moment.
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El Chatèn, where respect for the mountains comes first.
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TEXT AND PHOTOS BY ROMINA MANASSERO E SIMONE MONDINO
We have been dreaming of it for many years and after more than twenty hours of flight and three layovers here we are, just landed in El Calafate, in the heart of northern Patagonia.
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s soon as the airport doors open, we are pushed back by a crazy wind. We look at ourselves astonished by this somewhat unusual "welcome", we get in the car and we leave for El Chaltèn, a place defined in recent years as the “National Hiking Capital City of Argentina”.
and talking about their past adventures or upcoming excursions. A large family of climbers, hikers or simply outdoor enthusiasts. Our hope for the weather to become better disappears after a few minutes because the sky gets darker. The desire to discover is great however, so we drive to the El Pilar area. The further we go, the more snow showers approach and then reach us. With immense amazement, in a few seconds, we find ourselves under a snowstorm. The appointment with Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre is to be postponed but since the forecasts foresees a sudden weather improvement around 2 am we decide to set the alarm clock at 4 am to try to capture a breathtaking sunrise.
We slowly cross the eastern side of Lake Argentino, with its amazing colors and quickly enter into symbiosis with the surrounding landscape in total absence of plants, animals and houses but so beautiful to leave us breathless. Time runs fast, the sun starts to go down as we drive along the famous Route 40. The weather forecasts says it will snow in the evening, the sky is quickly darkening, and timid snow showers start to peep. Early that evening we arrive in El Chaltèn and as expected Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre are completely hidden by the clouds.
The alarm rings and after ten minutes we are already outside, backpack and camera ready, we move towards the edge of the park to enjoy a breathtaking vision of the entire mountains chain. There is no living soul around and the temperature has dropped below zero. The silence is something incredible, exactly as our amazement when we see no clouds on the horizon. Cerro Torre and Fitz Roy are there, mo
We are in late November, there are many hours of light and we take advantage of that to visit the village. Less than two thousand inhabitants, colorful houses and some buildings still in construction. Here you can meet real mountain enthusiasts drinking a beer
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tionless, unique, breathtaking. And the silence that reigns in these moments is something magical and surreal.
vancing at the same pace. We look at each other and smile. Here comes the long-awaited final wall.
After an endless series of shots, we decide to go back home to prepare the rest of the equipment and set off on our first expedition that will bring us closer to the Cerro Torre.
We reach the top and in front of us there is a white sea of snow: the lagoon is still frozen and the recent snowfalls make the landscape decidedly more wintry while, behind us, in the valley, it is already spring.
The hike to Laguna Torre is simple but very crowded. The trail begins with an overhanging wall that then flattens. After a few kilometers, the only real protagonist of the scene remains the Cerro Torre. We are literally amazed by the beauty that we have in front us. Facing such majesty we feel so small and insignificant and we further understand the importance of respecting nature every day. After a couple of hours in paradise we go back to the valley and as expected the wind returns and the sky gets dark. Nothing to do, it will rain tonight.
We choose a somewhat secluded place and we settle down to enjoy the view in absolute silence. Once again we cannot help but observe how small we are in front of mother nature and this thing makes us reflect more and more. The following morning the weather is still very gloomy, we scour the area and in the late afternoon we decide to take an old non-tourist trail that takes us right above the village of El Chaltèn. Once on the summit we find the Fitz Roy and Cerro Torre in front of us. We
We reach the top and in front of us there is a white sea of snow: the lagoon is still frozen and the recent snowfalls make the landscape decidedly more wintry while, behind us, in the valley, it is already spring.
Waking up everything seems fine, the sky is still partially cloudy but during the day some clearing ups are expected. We walk towards the Laguna de Los Tres, a simple hike for the first ten kilometers of the path but that has a difficult four hundred meters vertical part in the last section. The trail begins by crossing the river, the vegetation, rising in altitude, thins out and even the clouds leave room for a shy sun that begins to illuminate the Fitz Roy and the Piedras Blancas glacier. The trail is a “fake plateau� and as we get to the tenth kilometer we see many small ants in the distance ad-
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The intense snow suddenly ceases, the fog rises and the Laguna Torre appears just below us, the clouds run away quickly and some peaks emerge, including the Fitz Roy. It is an indescribable emotion. The cold is great but, the wonder we feel, forces us to stop a little longer.
take a look at the village from above: there are people walking on the streets, some sitting at the bar sipping a beer, the restaurants are starting to fill up. And what about us? We are up here, in the realm of silence and wonder. The clear blue sky unfortunately does not last long and everything gets instantly covered by clouds. We do not allow ourselves to be conditioned by negativity and we decide to stay there even just to enjoy the view from above. We wait for a long time and, like a lightning bolt in a clear sky, a timid ray of sunshine emerges to the west to ignite the clouds for a brief moment, making us smile. The following day we wake up finding a very strong wind and snow showers. Despite the not perfect weather conditions, we walk along the trail that leads to Loma del Pliegue Tumbado. As soon as we start to climb, it begins to snow, the weather continues to worsen and the idea of reaching the summit quickly disappears. We decide to continue for a few meters to reach at least the belvedere. The intense snow suddenly ceases, the fog rises and the Laguna Torre appears just below us, the clouds run away quickly and some peaks emerge, including the Fitz Roy. It is an indescribable emotion. The cold is great but, the wonder we feel, forces us to stop a little longer.
We reach the car, check the equipment and we are ready to leave: our journey will continue towards El Calafate, Perito Moreno, then reaching the Torres del Paine park in Chile and it will end in the extreme south, in Ushuaia. We look back one last time at the village of El Chaltèn. We feel sad. A romantic nostalgia. We really felt at home there. The atmosphere you breathe is unique in the world and as we turn on the car's engine, we look at each other and promise: it will be a goodbye and not a farewell.
"IT WILL BE A GOODBYE AND NOT A FAREWELL ."
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Wadden Sea Paradise Lost T E X T B Y L I A N VA N L E E U W E N @ S H I F T C YC L I N G C U LT U R E AND PHOTOS BY JELLE MUL
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There’s a lot to be said for type 2 fun. This wasn’t about that. Instead, we enjoyed three leisurely days of island hopping by bike in a pace that was solely determined by the catching of ferries and alternative water transport that took us to the next place in paradise. Our days were filled with easy trail rides, beachside BBQ’s, local beers, and without-a-bib dips in mellow ocean waves. Believe it or not: the Wadden islands, in the North of the Netherlands, offer up the best beaches you can find anywhere in the world. Endless, empty, undisturbed. White as the insides of your tan lines. No towering boulevards with corny tourist shops, no frantic wave lineups, no labyrinth of beach towels to navigate. Just infinite stretches of the finest sand marked by the faded greens of dune reeds and, in our case, perfect painted skies. I guess it’s a blessing our weather sucks about 315 days a year. The idea was to round the Northern part of the Netherlands, hopping from the mainland via three of the Wadden islands back to the starting point. Our first day took off as you would want any adventure on a bike to begin. One of us nearly missed the first ferry but got waved on board two minutes past departure time by a friendly boatsman and a supportive crowd of co-passengers. We celebrated with a beer. The rest of the days are an endless summer blur. Shoes filled up with sand, ocean spray marked our bike bags with salt stains while we traveled from one island to the next by yet another makeshift ferry. Silly inside jokes merged the group into a single-celled organism. And then that heat. It slows you down in a wonderful way. So do an abundance of local beers and burgers. We couldn’t have asked for more. The dark side of this best weekend on the bike ever creeped in afterwards. The Wadden are a gem. It’s not just us who think so. The Wadden Sea, an area that stretches out through The Netherlands, Denmark and Germany is on the UNESCO
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World Heritage list. It is the largest tidal flat system in the world, where natural processes proceed undisturbed throughout the area, accommodating a rich biodiversity of both aquatic and terrestrial species. The Wadden Islands hold a unique combination of cultural heritage and nature and part of them count as an official Dark Sky area. They are also likely to be gone in less than 100 years from now. We, as a nation, have made a name for ourselves when it comes to water management and protecting land from rising sea levels. But here’s a spoiler: our Dutch pride, the ‘Deltawerken’, is built to protect us from a maximum rise of 45 cm. With the current global CO2 emissions, Dutch sea levels are predicted to rise 2 to 3 meters in the next 100 years. We might be able to engineer our way out of that threat when it comes to protecting the mainland. But more vulnerable areas like the Wadden won’t be as fortunate. UNESCO acknowledges the Wadden for ‘the Outstanding Universal Value of the area and the progress made in protecting and managing it for more than a generation’. If we continue our current ways, this generation might well be the last to enjoy this little paradise, and many others like that. Those three days of eternal summer turned out to be part of one of the most extreme heatwaves Europe ever experienced, with temperatures rising up to 45.9C in France. The hottest June day ever recorded. It is these numbers that should make the hairs on the back of our necks stand up and kick us into action. Yes, by changing our own behavior. But even more so by directing our actions towards the 100 companies in the world that are responsible for 70% of our global emissions. And towards the governments that facilitate them. We did ride paradise for three glorious days. But one that might be lost even within the course of our generation if we don’t take action now.
If we love where we ride, let’s act accordingly.
W W W.WA D D E N S E A-WO R L D H E R I TAG E .O R G W W W. S H I F T C YC L I N G C U LT U R E . C O M
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It is the largest tidal flat system in the world, where natural processes proceed undisturbed throughout the area, accommodating a rich biodiversity of both aquatic and terrestrial species.
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Silence can be loud ITW BY LUCA ALBRISI PICS BY MAT TEO PAVANA MOUNTAINEERS SIMONE MORO, TAMARA LUNGER
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Who knows a bit about mountains, photography and follows The Pill will surely have already come across the name of Matteo Pavana, a photographer well known for his works dedicated to the world of sport climbing and who has been collaborating with our magazine for a long time.
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Matte0 also loves to break the mould and, above all, he loves adventure in its most diverse forms. For this reason, when he had the opportunity to take part in the last winter expedition of Simone Moro and Tamara Lunger, he immediately took the chance to live and tell an adventure that not only led him to face extraordinary environments but also put him in front of himself. Hi Matte, first of all, could you tell us a little bit about how the opportunity of this adventure was born and then explain in detail what was the goal of the expedition? They say that opportunities come in times of difficulty and for me it was the same. If it is common to say "turn the page", in my case I wanted to directly change the title of the book. I have dreamed of taking part in an expedition since I started taking pictures in the mountains, but it never happened for various reasons. At the end of last year, possibilities and availability aligned. Months before the departure I knew the destination and the mountaineering goal: the winter climb to Gasherbrum I and the possible climb to Gasherbrum II in Karakorum, Pakistan. Until the day before of the flight, however, I did not know the time and airport from which we would have left. Cool, isn’t it?! When you were asked to take part in it, what were the first emotions you felt? I was excited. I immediately started to learn about the mountains that I would have seen during the approach hike, but above all about the photographic and mountaineering equipment that I should have brought with me. Gradually, however, the feelings changed and the initial excitement left room for a sort of per-
formance anxiety. My expectation, and what I thought Simone and Tamara might have towards me, destabilized me a lot. I am not ashamed to admit that the days before my departure I was terrified of not living up to the expectations, but above all, I was terrified of the unknown. I could no longer distinguish between what had been created in my head and what really would have awaited me for the following 45 days. The feeling changed again as soon as Tamara came to pick me up in Trento: there is no better feeling than when fear melts into living experience. The moment I realized the journey was starting I felt I was in the right place and at the right time. How does it feel to be one of the few men to take part in such an adventure? I guess you are confusing me with the Apollo 11 cosmonauts, hahaha... Seriously, being able to directly document an ambitious mountaineering project for me was the realization of a dream that I had been pursuing for a long time. Ours was certainly not the only winter expedition and in fact there have been a considerable number of expeditions to the great mountains of the planet in recent months. But what I can honestly say is that living in such a vast and wild environment in its less crowded season was a beautiful personal challenge and a great privilege. Furthermore, Si-
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mone and Tamara's project was truly ambitious. Not only the climb to the GI would have been the first ascent in the meteorological winter - what Urubko identifies as "the real Himalayan winter" (beginning on December 1st and ending on February 28th) - but the possible climb also of the GII it would have been the first winter connection of two Eight-thousanders. What was your role exactly and how did you get involved in the group dynamics with the other expedition members? Matteo Zanga and I were the ones documenting the expedition. He took care of the video part while I worked on the photographic one (obviously nobody was forbidding the other guy to film or vice versa). I worked very well with Matteo and the professional exchange in this sense has helped me a lot. On the other hand, different dynamics have been established towards Simone and Tamara. If I had a good feeling with Tamara right away, I felt a strong suggestion towards Simone. I was intimidated by his fame. I pleasantly discovered a skilled person, always willing to sacrifice himself first, and to teach you something, which is not a common thing. Simone , Tamara and Matteo were already a well-coordinated team, while I was the outsider of the group (I liked to consider myself as the young kid even
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s if, as you say, I am no new to this sector). I tried to have an active and proactive role, in short I tried to insert myself as I would have done in any other group. I had in my mind the message that Simone had sent me before leaving “on the expedition there are no rights but only duties; the rights come automatically once the duties are fulfilled." So, in short, I tried to accomplish my duties to the best of my ability. It is easy to imagine how, especially in those conditions, the group's harmony is hanging by a thread and punctuated by delicate mechanisms that, if they jam, lead to conflicts that can transform the whole experience into hell. But this was not the case, confirming an expedition that worked well from start to finish. As often happens with this type of expeditions there may be some "hitches" on the way and we’ve seen that you had a few on the first part of your trip. What happened? Pakistan has all the bad aspects of a developing country. We have not been exactly lucky on the transport side: the flight that from Islamabad would take us to Skardu was canceled two or three times in a row. Tired of the unnecessary waste of time, we boarded a minibus and in two days we traveled the Karakorum Highway to Skardu. A journey of almost 700 km on a mostly dirt road. I wouldn’t like to remember all the back pain and leg cramps due to the fact that I couldn’t relax them. The inconvenience of the trip, however, was directly proportional to the wild beauty of the environment in which we were guests, in this case one of the pros of a developing country. I remember in particular the Nanga Parbat massif, in the distance we could see, without perceiving them, the more than 6000m difference in altitude.
Anyone interested, at least in part, in Himalayan issues and especially in winter expeditions knows that waiting and staying in "isolation" at the base camp is probably one of the aspects that most characterizes this type of expedition. What was your experience? Isolation and patience have always been the main reasons for me to go on such an expedition. I have never been a patient guy and I wanted to "redeem myself", even if temporarily, from my western lifestyle. I wanted to learn something new about myself, something I didn't know. Before leaving I thought that I would spend all the nights crying in the tent for the cold. It happened that I cried, but for the happiness of living that experience in that place. Again, I felt in the right place at the right time, I felt I was being myself. The truth is that the real problem in this type of expeditions is the constant cold, during night or day. The question that many friends asked me when I got back was: "How cold was it?". There were two or three nights in particular where I couldn’t sleep a second at the base camp. It was those clear days that brought the temperature between -30°C and -40°C (at 5000m high). Instead on days of overcast skies the temperature could fluctuate between -10°C and -20°C and at those temperatures I slept like a baby. It's amazing how the body gets used to altitude, but I find it even more extraordinary how you get used to certain temperatures at the same time. The cold was and remains the crudest component of the entire expedition, an indelible memory. Tell us about your daily routine. We arrived at the base camp after 8 days and 120 km of mobile camp that we set up every evening and that we disas-
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sembled the following day. At the base camp, it wasn't the sun that woke me up, but the cold. The sleeping bag was always covered with frost and it happened that I got up without feeling the tip of my toes. I could also wear two pairs of socks and the booties but in any case the cold bit my feet every morning. I went out of the tent and took refuge in the breakfast room, immediately warmed up with the gas heater and drank something hot. It should be noted that initially Matteo and I hoped to arrive at least at Camp I to document the climb, but when we saw the icefall that separated the base camp from Camp I, we started having serious doubts about it: a labyrinth of covered crevasses and dangerous seracs.
Isolation and patience have always been the main reasons for me to go on such an expedition. I have never been a patient guy and I wanted to "redeem myself", even if temporarily, from my western lifestyle. I wanted to learn something new about myself, something I didn't know.
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One day I followed Simone and Tamara to trace and take some pictures, but I didn't feel comfortable at all. The presence of nature was so strong and powerful that I immediately understood that people really die there. After that day I decided that I would never arrive to Camp I. It was a too unpredictable and dangerous environment which I was unable to measure.
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One day I followed Simone and Tamara to trace and take some pictures, but I didn't feel comfortable at all. The presence of nature was so strong and powerful that I immediately understood that people really die there. After that day I decided that I would never arrive to Camp I. It was a too unpredictable and dangerous environment which I was unable to measure. For this reason the following days Matteo and I documented remotely, I shot with a telephoto lens and Matteo used the drone. There were days when we were stood still for four or five hours on a hill at the beginning of the icefall while Simone and Tamara were looking for the safest route to reach Camp I. In seven or eight hours of work Simone and Tamara were going up only a few hundred linear meters. When the cold was unbearable Matteo and I used to go back to the tent to recharge the batteries for the next day and to view the material of the day for updates in real time. In the meantime Simone and Tamara usually came back and we all had dinner together. Just enough time to play some card games and take a sip of genepì and it was already time to go to sleep. Summarized in this way, our days could seemed like a big pain in the ass, but in reality we had fun during the whole expedition. Can you tell us about the day of the accident and how it "broke" the mould and how it characterized your life from that moment on? I remember it was a beautiful high pressure day. It must have been -25 Celsius degrees at noon, a cold that you can hardly forget. I had just got back with Matteo to base camp. We tried to recover the sensitivity to the feet lost in the hours of stalking for remote filming and photography. The window of good weather could allow Simone and Tamara to set up Camp I on the same day and perhaps even reach Camp II in the following ones. We agreed with them that we would have communicate via radio the following morning. The accident was a matter of seconds. Simone called us frightened and told us that he had fallen into a crevasse.
Together with Matteo, the cook, the assistant cook, the liaison officer and the agency manager, we waited for Simone and Tamara at the beginning of the icefall until late in the evening, in the dark, during a light snowfall. Not even the time to realize it and the next day they were taking us away by helicopter to Skardu: end of the expedition. It was the strangest moment of the whole trip, truly surreal. The clear detachment that marks the transition from the execution to the end of the expedition was an aspect that I had never imagined in my head. I was sorry that the dream of this experience stopped suddenly but, I must admit, that the hot shower that followed was a dream of intensity almost equal to the expedition itself. As I said before the cold at base camp was really bad. After a month and a half of expedition, you got back home but, shortly after your return, you found yourself - like all of us - in a new type of isolation. In your opinion, what are the differences between the type of solitude you experienced and the one you’re living now? The isolation in Pakistan was wanted and we were in one of the most beautiful mountain ranges on the planet, while the isolation that I am experiencing now while answering these questions is not wanted directly by me and, above all, is limited within the walls of my little flat. In Pakistan we were isolated, but I never felt alone. Within these four walls I felt much more alone than in a tent on the Karakorum at night at -35°C. I am living this new experience as if it were a real expedition, an inner search process rather than on top of the mountains. Overall, what did you get from this experience for your human and professional future? If you asked me: "would you do a similar experience again?", My answer would be "it depends". I would be willing to follow again an expedition to a remote place in its coldest season, but I'm not sure that the Himalayan mountaineering on the 8000m peaks fully reflects my search for adventure. I know
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The accident was a matter of seconds. Simone called us frightened and told us that he had fallen into a crevasse. We waited for Simone and Tamara at the beginning of the icefall until late in the evening, in the dark, during a light snowfall.
I am a climber but not a Himalayan. The risk component that I perceived during this experience was too high for me. But I can say that in the approach hike I was able to admire an expanse of untouched peaks where, in my humble opinion, the mix between the objective component of risk and my subjective ability to perceive it, was acceptable. I can therefore say that in the future I will try to participate in other international expeditions, but I don’t know if they will be expeditions similar to this one just ended. The expedition proved to be useful because I also had time to think about what I would like to do in the future: I undertook a change of course on some aspects of my professional and personal life. As for my job, I would like to focus on longer-term projects that allow me to live a full experience and not the usual "hit and run" that I usually live between one project and the other. I would like to improve my style of photography, direction and writing and direct them towards documentary projects. I would like to broaden my horizons and give my work an even greater value and a more human value as well.
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MILANTI SPORT SALEWA OUTLET ENNA SALEWA OUTLET PALMANOVA PEAK LAND ALAGNA OUTDOOR BORDINO FRANCO MOUNTAIN HOME SPORTLER ALBIGNASEGO ARCO SPORT SPORTRAGE C.ELLE SPORT SPORT HUB ALMENNO ALPSTATION ANDALO FOTO SPORT BANAL ALPSTATION AOSTA MEINARDI SPORT SALEWA AOSTA EVIVA SPORT LARINO ALBINO ALPSTATION ARCO CLIMBING VILLAGE FERRINO STORE ARCO LA SPORTIVA ARCO MABB.90 TRENTO RED POINT 1 RED POINT 2 ROCK & ICE ARCO SALEWA ARCO SALEWA ARCO GOBBI SPORT MABB.90 ARCO VERTICAL SPORT THE NORTH FACE ARESE ALPSTATION AREZZO VIAGGIANDO MASTER SPORT PESAVENTO MOUNTAIN STORE SPORTLAND ASOLA RRTREK GRAN SASSO MATIS SPORT ALPSTATION LAVAREDO DEGNI SPORT BSHOP AVIGLIANA TREKKING SPORT SALEWA OUTLET MANTOVA AFFARI & SPORT BALLABIO TONINO SPORT CARAVELLA SCOUT LA SORGENTE MAROCCO SPORT ALPSTATION BASSANO DF SPORT SPECIALIST MAZZARONA SPORT ROBI SPORT DIEMME SPORT SPORTLAND ANTEGNATE DF SPORT SPECIALIST BEVERA FRANCO SPORT IL GALLO NUOVI ORIZZONTI BOLOGNA PATAGONIA BOLOGNA THE NORTH FACE BOLOGNA VILLA 1928 CMP BOLZANO MONTURA BOLZANO MOUNTAINSPIRIT SALEWA WORLD BOLZANO SPORTLER BOLZANO THE NORTH FACE BOLZANO CAVALLO CENTRO SPORT MASSI SPORT GULLIVER BORGO TEMPO LIBERO CRAZY STORE BORMIO MOUNTAIN & RUNNING PATAGONIA BORMIO BLOCCO MENTALE CISALFA SPORT BRESCIA GIALDINI ROMEO SPORT SPORTLAND BRESCIA SPORTLER BRESSANONE BERTHOD SPORT ALPSTATION BRUNICO SPORT MODE SCHOENHUBER SPORTLER BRUNICO THOMASER THOMASER TRAIL MARKET SALEWA OUTLET BUSSOLENGO STILE ALPINO SPORTLER CALALZO VERTICAL OUTLET NENCINI SPORT SPORT TUBRIS AMPLATZ SPORT SPORT AMPLATZ RADAELLI SPORT NUOVI ORIZZONTI CARPI THE NORTH FACE CARUGATE UNDER ARMOUR CAROSELLO CAMPO BASE BERGAMO MANCINI SPORTLAND GOFFREDO ALPSTATION BISMANTOVA CRAZY STORE CASTIONE OLGA SPORT LA SPORTIVA STORE CAVALESE MAXI SPORT CERNUSCO PASSSPORT CESIOMAGGIORE DELFINO SPORT MARISPORT X-TREME SPORTLAND CHIARI L'ARTE DI SALIRE IN ALTO ASPORT’S MOUNTAIN CHIES MAIUK SPORT SALEWA SONDRIO CPR FREE SPORT SCARPE & SPORT MOLINARI SPORT ALPSTATION CLES SALEWA CLES SPORT EVOLUTION MONTURA COGNE CASEROTTI SPORT BETTINESCHI SPORT SPORT PESCOSTA SPORT POSCH PRANTNER MAURIZIO SPORT ASPORT’S CORDENONS VISONÀ SPORT SPORTMARKET THE NORTH FACE CORTINA SALEWA CORTINA LA COOPERATIVA DI CORTINA MOROTTO SPORTS EQUIPMENT QUOTA 1224 PATAGONIA CORTINA ROCK & ICE CORTINA SPORT ALFREDO 4810 SPORT ARDI SPORT LES PYRAMIDES PATAGONIA COURMAYEUR THE NORTH FACE ALPSTATION CUNEO OUTDOOR SALEWA CUNEO THE NORTH FACE CUNEO
ABETONE AGIRA AIELLO DEL FRIULI ALA DI STURA ALAGNA VALSESIA ALBA ALBA ALBIGNASEGO ALESSANDRIA ALESSANDRIA ALLEGHE ALMENNO SAN SALVATORE ANDALO ANDALO AOSTA AOSTA AOSTA APPIANO SULLA STRADA DEL VINO APRICA ARCO ARCO ARCO ARCO ARCO ARCO ARCO ARCO ARCO ARCO ARCO ARCO ARCO ARESE AREZZO AREZZO ASCOLI PICENO ASIAGO ASOLA ASSERGI ATINA AURONZO DI CADORE AVEZZANO AVIGLIANA AVIGLIANA BAGNOLO SAN VITO BALLABIO BALME BARI BARZIO BARZIO BASSANO DEL GRAPPA BELLINZAGO LOMBARDO BELLUNO BELLUNO BERGAMO BERGAMO BEVERA DI SIRTORI BIELLA BOLOGNA BOLOGNA BOLOGNA BOLOGNA BOLOGNA BOLZANO BOLZANO BOLZANO BOLZANO BOLZANO BOLZANO BORGO SAN DALMAZZO BORGO SAN DALMAZZO BORGO SAN LORENZO BORGOSESIA BORMIO BORMIO BORMIO BRESCIA BRESCIA BRESCIA BRESCIA BRESCIA BRESSANONE BREUIL CERVINIA BRUNICO BRUNICO BRUNICO BRUNICO BRUNICO BUSANO BUSSOLENGO CAGLIARI CALALZO CALAVINO CALENZANO CAMPO TURES CANAZEI CANAZEI CANZO CARPI CARUGATE CARUGATE CARVICO CASTEL DI SANGRO CASTEL GOFFREDO CASTELNOVO NE’ MONTI CASTIONE ANDEVENNO CATANIA CAVALESE CERNUSCO LOMBARDONE CESIOMAGGIORE CETO CHAMPOLUC CHAMPOLUC CHIARI CHIAVARI CHIES D'ALPAGO CHIESA VALMALENCO CHIURO CISANO SUL NEVA CITTA' DI CASTELLO CIVEZZANO CLES CLES CLUSONE COGNE COGOLO COLERE COLFOSCO COLFOSCO IN BADIA COLLALBO CONDINO CORDENONS CORNEDO CORNUDA CORTINA CORTINA CORTINA D'AMPEZZO CORTINA D'AMPEZZO CORTINA D'AMPEZZO CORTINA D’AMPEZZO CORTINA D’AMPEZZO CORVARA COURMAYEUR COURMAYEUR COURMAYEUR COURMAYEUR COURMAYEUR CUNEO CUNEO CUNEO CUNEO
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VIALE CALZATURE FALETTI MOUNTAIN STORE DF SPORT SPECIALIST OUTSIDER KRALER SPORT SALEWA DOBBIACO ALPSTATION BRIANZA MOSONI SPORT POSSA SPORT SPORT EXTREME ERCOLE OUTDOOR & TREKKING OUTDOOR AND TREKKING ACTIVITY PEOPLE HOLIDAY SPORT SPIT SPORT OUTDOOR TRAILMARKET.COM LINEA VERTICALE PENNENTE OUTDOOR ALPMANIA CRAZY STORE FINALE LA SPORTIVA FINALE LIGURE MONTURA FINALBORGO OUTPOST MONTAINEERING RIDE & RUN CRAZY STORE ROCKSTORE SALEWA FINALE LIGURE CLIMB PESCI CAMPING STORE SPORT CLUB THE NORTH FACE FIRENZE OBIETTIVO MONTAGNA BALANTE SPORT CAPO NORD GIMELLI 3.30 RUNNING STORE SPORTIFICATION BIG WALL BM SPORT BONI SPORT BONI SPORT BONI SPORT CENTRO CANOA HOBBY SPORT SALEWA GENOVA REPETTO SPORT MONTAGNARD SPORT SONEGO RUNNING LIFE SPORTWAY GRAVELLONA 099 OUTDOOR SPORTLAND GUSSAGO GRAZIA SPORT ISEO ALPSTATION ISERA ALTA QUOTA ISERNIA 38° PARALLELO BSHOP IVREA PAGLIUGHI SPORT MOUNTAINWORLD SALEWA AQUILA SPORT 203 SPORT TONY IMPULS SPORT AFFARI & SPORT LECCO SPORT HUB LECCO BOTTERO SKI DF SPORT SPECIALIST MAXI SPORT LISSONE CENTRO HOBBY SPORT CRAZY STORE LIVIGNO I’M SPORT MOUNTAIN PLANET PUNTO SPORT SILENE SPORT SPORT EXTREME THE NORTH FACE LIVIGNO SALEWA OUTLET MILANO SPORTLAND LONATO SALEWA LONGARONE IL CAMPIONE LUCCA VIVISPORT OLIMPIONICO SPORT MUD AND SNOW CINQUE TERRE TREKKING PEIRANO SPORT JANE SPORT MOUNTAIN STORE THE REVIVE CLUB HUTTER SPORT SPORTLER ALPIN MERANO SPORTLER MERANO MAXI SPORT MERATE ESSETRE SPORT NARDELLI SPORT ALPSTATION MILANO CANADA GOOSE MILANO CARTON DF SPORT SPECIALIST KIM FORNITURE SCOUT LA MONTAGNA SPORT PATAGONIA MILANO RUNAWAY SALEWA MILANO THE NORTH FACE MILANO UNDER ARMOUR MILANO UNDER ARMOUR MILANO VERDE PISELLO VIBRAM MILANO NUOVI ORIZZONTI MODENA THE NORTH FACE MODENA LIVIO SPORT SPORTMAN SPORTLAND MONIGA PATAGONIA MONTEBELLUNA SALEWA MONTEBELLUNA VIBRAM MONTEBELLUNA PURE NATURE CRAZY STORE MORBEGNO PATAGONIA MORBEGNO SPORT HUB MORI MICARELLI STORE ARBITER UNTERHOLZNER GRANDE GRIMPE PERICO SPORT SPORTLAND TORINO ETNA WALL SERVOLARE 17 RUNWAY SPORT SPORT LAURIN DF SPORT SPECIALIST DF SPORT SPECIALIST ORIO SALEWA ORIO CENTER THE NORTH FACE ORIO UNDER ARMOUR ORIO MAMMUT ORTISEI SPORT GARDENA SPORT SCHMALZ SPORTLAND ORZINUOVI FREE TIME STORE SPORTLAND OSPITALETTO LA COCCINELLA ACTIVE CREMA SPORT SALEWA PADOVA SPORTLAND PALAZZOLO PIRCHER GUNTHER ALPSTATION PARMA FREE SPORT SEVEN SUMMITS FERRARI SPORT SPORTWAY NOVARA UKU PACHA MONDO VERTICALE SPAZIOUTDOOR ALTA QUOTA PESCARA KING LINE
142
CUNEO DARFO BOARIO TERME DESENZANO DEL GARDA DIMARO FOLGARIDA DOBBIACO DOBBIACO DOLZAGO DOMODOSSOLA DOMODOSSOLA DOMODOSSOLA DUEVILLE FAENZA FAENZA FAI DELLA PAGANELLA FALCADE FANO FAVRIA FELTRE FERMO FERRARA FINALE LIGURE FINALE LIGURE FINALE LIGURE FINALE LIGURE FINALE LIGURE FINALE LIGURE FINALE LIGURE FIRENZE FIRENZE FIRENZE FIRENZE FIRENZE FIUMALBO FORLÌ FORLÌ FORMIGINE FOSSANO FOSSATO DI VICO GENOVA GENOVA GENOVA GENOVA GENOVA GENOVA GENOVA GENOVA PRA' GIAVENO GODEGA S. URBANO GRADISCA D’ISONZO GRAVELLONA TOCE GROSSETO GUSSAGO ISEO ISERA ISERNIA IVREA IVREA IVREA L'AQUILA L’AQUILA LA VALLE AGORDINA LA VILLA LANA LECCO LECCO LIMONE PIEMONTE LISSONE LISSONE LIVIGNO LIVIGNO LIVIGNO LIVIGNO LIVIGNO LIVIGNO LIVIGNO LIVIGNO LOCATE DI TRIULZI LONATO LONGARONE LUCCA LUCCA MADONNA DI CAMPIGLIO MANARO SUL PANARO MANAROLA MANTA MANTOVA MATELICA MEOLO MERANO MERANO MERANO MERATE MESTRE MEZZOLOMBARDO MILANO MILANO MILANO MILANO MILANO MILANO MILANO MILANO MILANO MILANO MILANO MILANO MILANO MILANO MODENA MODENA MOENA MONDOVÌ MONIGA MONTEBELLUNA MONTEBELLUNA MONTEBELLUNA MONTESILVANO MORBEGNO MORBEGNO MORI MUCCIA NAPOLI NATURNO NEMBRO NEMBRO NICHELINO NICOLOSI NICOLOSI NOICATTARO NOVA LEVANTE OLGIATE OLONA ORIO AL SERIO ORIO AL SERIO ORIO AL SERIO ORIO AL SERIO ORTISEI ORTISEI ORTISEI ORZINUOVI OSIMO OSPITALETTO OVINDOLI PADOVA PADOVA PADOVA PALAZZOLO SULL’OGLIO PARCINES PARMA PARMA PAVULLO NEL FRIGNANO PERGINE VALSUGANA PERNATE PERTOSA PERUGIA PERUGIA PESCARA PESCARA
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RRTREK PESCASSEROLI DF SPORT SPECIALIST PIACENZA L'ALTROSPORT OUTLANDERS SPORT IN MONTAGNA VERTICAL SPORT PIANETA SPORT ASPORTSTATION STIMM ZAMBERLAN ARIAPERTA M.C.RUNNING ONBOARD EUROSPORT SPORT HUB PINZOLO SPORTLAND PISOGNE SELMI VALLEE SPORT AMORINI OUTDOOR KAPPAEMME SPORT SPORTLER PORDENONE TOFFOLI SPORT MIVAL SPORT LA SPORTIVA POZZA DI FASSA BLOSSOM SKI IL CAMPIONE PRATO SURF SHOP SALEWA PREDAZZO OVERLANDER OUTDOOR RAVENNA REGGIO GAS GINETTO SPORT MONTAGNA DIMENSIONE THE NORTH FACE RIMINI PERTINGER SPORT NATURA ALTA QUOTA ROMA BOTTIGLIERIA CAMPO BASE ROMA CLIMBER STORE GEOSTA LBM SPORT MONTURA ROMA MOUNTAIN AFFAIR ROMA MOUNTAIN AFFAIR ROMA ONERACE PATAGONIA ROMA RRTREK ROMA THE NORTH FACE THE NORTH FACE ROMA THE NORTH FACE ROMA OMNIA SPORT SPORTLAND RONCADELLE SHERPA ATLANTE MONTELLO CABAS SPORT MAKALU' SPORT MONTURA ROVERETO SPORTLIFEE MACIACONI ALPSTATION AOSTA PAPIN SPORT SPORT HOLZER LAGAZOI SPORT SPORT HUB CHIAVENNA DF SPORT SPECIALIST SPORTLAND SAN LEONARDO SPORTLER SAN MARTINO SAN MARTINO SPORT SLALOM CLASSIC SLALOM DONNA SLALOM SPORT PARETI WEGER UNICO SPORT ALPSTATION BRESCIA NEW VIAGGIANDO GIUGLAR ALPSTATION SARZANA 3.30 RUNNING STORE BESSON SPORT MOUNTAIN EXPERIENCE ALPSTATION SCHIO MAX SPORT VALLI SPORT PIANETA CICLO BRUNO SPORT ACTIV SPORT CABOT COVE OUTDOOR CAFÈ SALEWA OUTLET SERRAVALLE KINIGER SPORTMODE MAXI SPORT SESTO S.G. XL MOUNTAIN IL MARATONETA SPORT RONDIRO PASSSPORT SIGNORESSA SPORTLER SILEA ALTERNATIVA SPORT ALPIN SPORTS K&K SPORTS ROCK & ICE SOLDA SALEWA OUTLET VERONA CENTRO SPORT FIORELLI SPORT SONDRIO SPORTLAND SONICO CAMPO BASE SPILAMBERTO BERGER SCHUKE SPORTLAND STEZZANO SPORTLAND SUZZARA ALPSTATION TARVISIO SPORTLER TAVAGNACCO ZANI SPORT PIÙ SPORT IOCORRO! VERTIGINI SPORT SPORT VENTURA SU E GIU' SPORT CRAZY STORE TIRANO TECNICAL SKI ALPSTATION TORINO BSHOP RAVINA BSHOP TORINO CUORE DA SPORTIVO FERRINO STORE TORINO FRESH STORE GRASSI SPORT TORINO JOLLY SPORT JOLLY SPORT MONTURA TORINO PASSION SPORT RONCO ALPINISMO SALEWA TORINO THE NORTH FACE TORINO WILLY SPORT GULLIVER TORRE PELLICE SPORTLER VICENZA LA SPORTIVA TRENTO MONTURA TRENTO ROCK & ICE TRENTO SHERPA3 PATAGONIA SPORTLER ALPIN TRENTO SPORTLER TRENTO TECNOSCI VERTICAL SPORT TRENTO LE BLOC SHOP ALPSTATION TRIESTE AVVENTURA DUE SPORTLER TRIESTE FIASCARIS SPORT CENTER SPORT CORONES SPORT MODE MARIA FIORELLI SPORT VALMASINO SALEWA OUTLET VALMONTONE BASE CAMP VERNAZZA SPORT CAMPO BASE VERONA
PESCASSEROLI PIACENZA PIACENZA PIACENZA PIANCOGNO PIETRAMURATA PIETRASANTA PIEVE D’ALPAGO PIEVE DI SOLIGO PIEVE DI TORREBELVICINO PINEROLO PINEROLO PINEROLO PINZOLO PINZOLO PISOGNE PISTOIA PONT SAINT MARTIN PONTE FELCINO PONTE SELVA DI PARRE PORDENONE PORDENONE POVE DEL GRAPPA POZZA DI FASSA PRATA CAMPORTACCIO PRATO PRATO NEVOSO PREDAZZO RAVENNA RAVENNA REGGIO EMILIA REGGIO EMILIA RIETI RIMINI RIO DI PUSTERIA ROCCA DI MEZZO ROMA ROMA ROMA ROMA ROMA ROMA ROMA ROMA ROMA ROMA ROMA ROMA ROMA ROMA ROMA ROMAGNANO SESIA RONCADELLE RONCO BRIANTINO RORETO DI CHERASCO ROVERETO ROVERETO ROVERETO RUFFRE' - MENDOLA S. CRISTINA SAINT CHRISTOPHE SAN CANDIDO SAN CANDIDO SAN CASSIANO SAN CASSIANO SAN GIULIANO MILANESE SAN LEONARDO IN PASSIRIA SAN MARTINO BUON ALBERGO SAN MARTINO DI CASTROZZA SAN MARTINO DI CASTROZZA SAN MARTINO DI CASTROZZA SAN MARTINO DI CASTROZZA SAN PANCRAZIO SAN PAOLO SAN VENDEMIANO SAN ZENO NAVIGLIO SANSEPOLCRO SANT'AMBROGIO SARZANA SASSUOLO SAUZE D’OULX SAVIGNANO SUL RUBICONE SCHIO SCHIO SCHIO SCOPPITO SELVA GARDENA SELVA VAL GARDENA SENIGALLIA SERAVALLE SCRIVIA SESTO SESTO SAN GIOVANNI SETTIMO VITTONE SIENA SIENA SIGNORESSA SILEA SISTIANA SIUSI SIUSI SOLDA SONA SONDRIO SONDRIO SONICO SPILAMBERTO ST. NIKOLAUS ULTEN STEZZANO SUZZARA TARVISIO TAVAGNACCO TEMU TERAMO TERNI TERNI TESERO TEZZE SUL BRENTA TIRANO TOLMEZZO TORINO TORINO TORINO TORINO TORINO TORINO TORINO TORINO TORINO TORINO TORINO TORINO TORINO TORINO TORINO TORRE PELLICE TORRI DI QUARTESOLO TRENTO TRENTO TRENTO TRENTO TRENTO TRENTO TRENTO TRENTO TREVISO TRIESTE TRIESTE TRIESTE UDINE VAL DI VIZZE 19 VALDAORA VALLES VALMASINO VALMONTONE VALSESIA VERNAZZA VERONA
466. 467. 468. 469. 470. 471. 472. 473. 474. 475. 476. 477. 478. 479. 480. 481. 482.
MONTURA VERONA THE NORTH FACE VERONA CONTROCORRENTE MARATONANDO OLIUNID VICENZA GILIOLI SPORT MONDO MONTAGNA VERTICAL NO LIMIT DHO SPORT ROSSI SPORTLAND VILLANUOVA AFFARI & SPORT VILLASANTA ZABLE SPORT BAROLI SPORT HERBERT PLANK SPORT LA SPORTIVA TABIA SPORT
VERONA VERONA VIADANA VIAREGGIO VICENZA VIGNOLA VIGNOLA VILLAIR-AMERIQUE VILLANOVA MONDOVI VILLANOVA MONDOVI VILLANUOVA SUL CLISI VILLASANTA VILLATORA DI SAONARA VILLENEUVE VIPITENO ZIANO DI FIEMME ZOLDO ALTO
Germany 483. 484. 485. 486. 487. 488. 489. 490. 491. 492. 493. 494. 495. 496. 497. 498. 499. 500. 501. 502. 503. 504. 505. 506. 507. 508. 509. 510. 511. 512. 513. 514. 515. 516. 517. 518. 519. 520. 521. 522. 523. 524. 525. 526. 527. 528. 529. 530. 531. 532. 533. 534. 535. 536. 537. 538. 539. 540. 541. 542. 543. 544. 545. 546. 547. 548. 549. 550. 551. 552. 553. 554. 555. 556. 557. 558. 559. 560. 561. 562. 563. 564. 565. 566. 567. 568. 569. 570. 571. 572. 573. 574. 575. 576. 577. 578. 579. 580. 581. 582.
MOUNTAIN-SPORTS ROHRMEIER OUTDOOR CONDITION STEIGENBERGER BERGSPORTHÜTTE RIAP SPORT STADT LAND FLUSS BERGSPORT GEISTALLER CAMP 4 GLOBETROTTER BERLIN MONT K PATAGONIA BERLIN THE NORTH FACE BERLIN UNTERWEGS BIELEFELD KRENN MODE UND SPORT GLOBETROTTER BONN UNTERWEGS BONN UNTERWEGS BREMEN UNTERWEGS CELLE DER SKANDINAVIER MAGIC MOUNT ALLES GLOBETROTTER DRESDEN UNTERWEGS DUISBURG GLOBETROTTER DÜSSELDORF SACK & PACK UNTERWEGS ERFURT FREILAUF BERGSPORT MÜHLBAUER UNTERWEGS FLENSBURG GLOBETROTTER FRANKFURT SALEWA STORE FREIBURG SPORT BOHNY SPORT KIEFER DOOROUT.COM NORDWAND SPORTS ALPINSPORT BASIS BERGSPORT WN ALPIN SPORT CONRAD GARMISCH BERGZEIT GLOBETROTTER HAMBURG GLOBETROTTER HAMBURG UNTERWEGS HAMM BSZ BERGSPORTZENTRALE ADVENTURE COMPANY SPORT NENNER BERGZEIT UNTERWEGS HÖXTER SPORT CONRAD IFFELDORF UNTERWEGS JEVER BASISLAGER SPORT HANDELS SCENIC SPORTS BERGSPORT MAXI UNTERWEGS KIEL GLOBETROTTER AUSRÜSTUNG GLOBETROTTER KÖLN SPORT GRUNER ALPINSPORTZENTRALE ALPEN STRAND THE NORTH FACE LEIPZIG UNTERWEGS LEIPZIG BIWAK EISELIN SPORT ALPIN OUTDOOR LADEN ENGELHORN SPORTS OUTDOORTRENDS MAGIC MOUNT GLOBETROTTER MÜNCHEN KELLER SPORTS KELLER SPORTS PATAGONIA MÜNCHEN RUMRICH STONE PROJECTS SCHUSTER SPORTHAUS THE NORTH FACE MUNICH UNTERWEGS MÜNSTER SPORT CONRAD MURNAU SPORTHAUS SCHÖNHERR TRAVEL & TREK BASTIAN SALEWA STORE OBERSTDORF SCHRATT 1803 UNTERWEGS OLDENBURG DER OUTDOORLADEN DENK SPORT CONRAD PENZBERG E-XPLOSION GIPFELSTÜRMER LAUF UND BERG KÖNIG SALEWA STORE REGENSBURG MONTAGNE-SPORT BERGWERKER STUTTGART GLOBETROTTER STUTTGART GLOBETROTTER HARZ SCHNEIDER RAD+SPORT VIKING ADVENTURES BIWAKSCHACHTEL GLOBETROTTER ULM SALEWA OUTLET WERTHEIM UNTERWEGS WESEL SPORT CONRAD WIELENBACH UNTERWEGS WILHELMSHAVEN BASISLAGER WÜRZBURG SALEWA ZWEIBRÜCKEN
ANSBACH ASCHAFFENBURG ASCHAU AUGSBURG BAD REICHENHALL BAD TÖLZ BERCHTESGADEN BERLIN BERLIN BERLIN BERLIN BERLIN BIELEFELD BISCHOFSWIESEN BONN BONN BREMEN CELLE COBURG DORTMUND DRESDEN DUISBURG DÜSSELDORF DÜSSELDORF ERFURT ERLANGEN FELDKIRCHEN WESTERHAM FLENSBURG FRANKFURT AM MAIN FREIBURG FREIBURG FREIBURG FULDA FÜSSEN GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN GMUND-MOOSRAIN HAMBURG HAMBURG HAMM HANNOVER HEILBRONN HINTERTUX HOLZKIRCHEN / GROSSHARTPENNING HÖXTER IFFELDORF JEVER KARLSRUHE KAUFBEUREN KEMPTEN KIEL KÖLN KÖLN KONSTANZ LANDSBERG AM LECH LANDSHUT LEIPZIG LEIPZIG LIMBURG LÖRRACH MAINZ MANNHEIM MARKTOBERDORF MENDEN MÜNCHEN MÜNCHEN MÜNCHEN MÜNCHEN MÜNCHEN MÜNCHEN MUNICH MÜNSTER MURNAU NEUSTIFT NÜRNBERG OBERSTDORF OBERSTDORF OLDENBURG PADERBORN PASSAU PENZBERG PFORZHEIM RAVENSBURG REGENSBURG REGENSBURG ROSENHEIM STUTTGART STUTTGART TORFHAUS (HARZ) TRAUNSTEIN TRIER TÜBINGEN ULM WERTHEIM WESEL WIELENBACH WILHELMSHAVEN WÜRZBURG ZWEIBRÜCKEN
583. 584. 585. 586. 587. 588. 589. 590.
SALEWA STORE SALZBURG SPORTLER ALPIN LOACKER ALPIN LOACKER BERGFUCHS ALPSTATION INNSBRUCK SPORTLER WITTING THE NORTH FACE INNSBRUCK
BERGHEIM SALZBURG BLUDENZ GÖTZIS GÖTZIS GRAZ INNSBRUCK INNSBRUCK INNSBRUCK
Austria
591. 592. 593. 594. 595. 596. 597. 598. 599. 600. 601. 602. 603. 604. 605. 606. 607. 608. 609. 610. 611.
PATAGONIA INNSBRUCK ROCKNROLL MOUNTAIN ROCKNROLL MOUNTAIN SPORTLER BERGSPORT ZIMML ALPINAUSSTATTER SALEWA STORE LINZ SALEWA STORE HÖRHAGER SPORT HILBRAND SALEWA OUTLET PARNDORF SALEWA STORE SAALFELDEN SALEWA STORE SCHLADMING SPORT4YOU PETE SPORT PETE SPORT KAMAX BOOTS BERGWERK SALEWA STORE WIEN STEPPENWOLF HIGH LIFE HANDELS ONSIGHT BERGSPORT
INNSBRUCK KIRCHDORF IN TIROL KIRCHDORF IN TIROL KUFSTEIN LIENZ LIENZ LINZ MAYRHOFEN MITTELBERG PARNDORF SAALFELDEN SCHLADMING SÖLDEN ST. ANTON AM ARLBER ST. ANTON AM ARLBERG ST. ANTON ARLBERG STEYR WIEN WIEN WÖRTHERSEE ZAMS
Switzerland 612. 613. 614. 615. 616. 617. 618. 619. 620. 621. 622. 623. 624. 625. 626. 627. 628. 629.
TRANSA BASEL TRANSA BERN BÄCHLI BERGSPORT STILE ALPINO LUGANO PLANET ENDURANCE TRANSA LUCERNE DF SPORT SPECIALIST LUGANO SALEWA STORE PONTRESINA STILE ALPINO SAMEDAN BOOSPORT TRANSA ST. GALLEN MONTAIN-AIR BAYARD SPORT SALEWA STORE ZERMATT THE NORTH FACE ZERMATT THE NORTH FACE ZURICH TRANSA ZURICH BÄCHLI BERGSPORT
BASEL BERN BERN-BREITENRAIN CANOBBIO ECUBLENS LUCERNE LUGANO PONTRESINA SAMEDAN SIERRE ST. GALLEN VERBIER ZERMATT ZERMATT ZERMATT ZURICH ZURICH ZURICH-OERLIKON
France 630. 631. 632. 633. 634. 635. 636. 637. 638. 639. 640. 641. 642. 643. 644. 645. 646. 647. 648. 649. 650. 651. 652. 653. 654. 655. 656. 657. 658. 659. 660. 661. 662. 663. 664. 665. 666. 667. 668. 669. 670. 671. 672. 673. 674. 675. 676. 677. 678. 679. 680. 681.
AU VIEUX CAMPEUR CYRIL'S SPORT SNOWLEADER ANNECY PICTURE THE NORTH FACE ANNECY CHULLANKA ANTIBES PEYTAVIN SPORT SPORTS AVENTURE AU VIEUX CAMPEUR EKOSPORT PATAGONIA CHAMONIX THE NORTH FACE CHAMONIX SNOWLEADER CHAMONIX ARC’TERYX CHAMONIX SNELL SPORTS COQUOZ SPORTS SNELL SPORT SNOWLEADER D'AVENTURE EN AVENTURE ENDURANCE SHOP EPINAL LE SHOP TWINNER S'CAPE FONTAINEBLEAU APPROACH GAP ALTITUDE SPORT OUTDOOR AU VIEUX CAMPEUR MONTAZ AU VIEUX CAMPEUR LABÈGE ESPACE MONTAGNE SNOWLEADER LYON AU VIEUX CAMPEUR LYON THE NORTH FACE LYON AU VIEUX CAMPEUR MARSEILLE CAP RUNNING CHULLANKA THE NORTH FACE NANTES ALTICOOP AU VIEUX CAMPEUR PARIS THE NORTH FACE PARIS THE NORTH FACE PARIS OPERA THE NORTH FACE PARIS ALPY'RANDO ENDURANCE MONTANIA SPORT TWINNER SAINT GERVAIS ESPACE MONTAGNE AU VIEUX CAMPEUR AU VIEUX CAMPEUR THE NORTH FACE STRASBOURG AU VIEUX CAMPEUR THONON CHULLANKA TOULOUSE TERRE DE MONTAGNE
ALBERTVILLE ALPE-D'HUEZ ANNECY ANNECY ANNECY ANTIBES BAYONNE BORDEAUX CHAMBÉRY CHAMBÉRY CHAMONIX CHAMONIX CHAMONIX MONT BLANC CHAMONIX MONT BLANC CHAMONIX MONT BLANC CHAMONIX MT-BLANC CHAMONIX-MONT-BLANC CHAVANOD CLERMONT FERRAND EPINAL FONT ROMEU FONT ROMEU FONTAINEBLEAU GAP GERARDMER GRENOBLE LA RAVOIR LABÈGE LE GRAND EPAGNY LYON LYON LYON MARSEILLE MARSEILLE MERIGNAC NANTES NICE PARIS PARIS PARIS PARIS PAU RODEZ SAINT ALBAN LEYSSE SAINT GERVAIS SAINT MARTIN D'HERES SALLANCHES STRASBOURG STRASBOURG THONON LES BAINS TOULOUSE VILLE LA GRAND
Spain 682. 683. 684. 685. 686. 687. 688. 689. 690. 691. 692. 693. 694. 695. 696. 697. 698. 699. 700. 701. 702. 703. 704. 705. 706. 707.
TRAILXTREM ALCOBENDAS EL REFUGIO DEPORTES DIAGONAL ALMERIA VILADOMAT ALP SPORTS CAMP BASE INTERPERIE CAMP BASE NUS CUYLÁS BARCELONA EQUIPA'T GROWOLD MONTANYÀ SALEWA STORE BARCELONA SHARMA CLIMBING THE NORTH FACE BARCELONA VÈRTIC BARCELONA BARRABÉS RÍOS RUNNING BERGA SERAC SPORT HAMAIKA MOUNTAIN THE NORTH FACE BILBAO ARMERIA Y AVENTURA DEL SUMMIT MOUNTAIN ESPORTS ROC VERTICAL AL COXINILLO MACHAPUCHARE ARISTARUN
ALCOBENDAS ALICANTE ALMERÍA ANDORRA LA VELLA BARCELONA BARCELONA BARCELONA BARCELONA BARCELONA BARCELONA BARCELONA BARCELONA BARCELONA BARCELONA BARCELONA BENASQUE BERGA BETXÍ BILBAO BILBAO BULLAS BURGOS CANILLO CHULLILA COLLADO VILLALBA CÓRDOBA
14 3
708. 709. 710. 711. 712. 713. 714. 715. 716. 717. 718. 719. 720. 721. 722. 723. 724. 725. 726. 727. 728. 729. 730. 731. 732. 733. 734. 735. 736. 737. 738. 739. 740. 741. 742.
GOMA 2 TECNIC ESPORTS ANDORRA TRAMUNTANA ESPORTS ESPORTS NABES DEPORTES SHERPA GRANADA ILLA SPORTS DEPORTES CHARLI JACA BLACKISARD MOUNTAIN K2 PLANET CUYLÁS MADRID DEPORTES KOALA OUTDOOR SIN LÍMITE THE NORTH FACE MADRID DEPORTES LA TRUCHA RÍOS RUNNING MANRESA VÈRTIC SABADELL VÈRTIC MANRESA EVORUNNER FACTOR 2 CARVING ESPORTS CAMP BASE C17 LA SPORTIVA RODELLAR CAMP BASE SANT CUGAT AGOSTI XTREME SPORT PEREGRINOTECA.COM DEPORTEMANIA TANGOSENLAROCA.COM DEPORTES AITANA L’AVENTURA THE NORTH FACE VALENCIA DEPORTES ALVARADO TERRA DEPORTE AVENTURA SALEWA OUTLET VILADECANS CAMP BASE VITORIA DEPORTES GAIKAR KIROLAK
CORNUDELLA DE MONTSANT ENCAMP GANDIA GIRANA GRANADA GRANOLLERS JACA LA BISBAL D'EMPORDÀ LEÓN MADRID MADRID MADRID MADRID MÁLAGA MANRESA MANRESA MANRESA MORALZARZAL MURCIA ORDINO PARETS DEL VALLÈ RODELLAR SANT CUGAT DEL VALLÈS SANTANDER SARRIA SEVILLA UTIEL VALENCIA VALENCIA VALENCIA VALÈNCIA VIGO VILADECANS VITORIA-GASTEIZ VITORIA-GASTEIZ
743. 744. 745. 746. 747. 748. 749. 750. 751. 752. 753. 754. 755. 756. 757. 758. 759. 760. 761. 762. 763. 764. 765. 766. 767. 768. 769. 770. 771. 772. 773. 774. 775. 776. 777. 778. 779. 780.
BEVER ALMERE BEVER AMERSFOORT BEHIND THE PINES BEVER AMSTERDAM BEVER AMSTERDAM CARL DENIG KATHMANDU AMSTERDAM MONK AMSTERDAM THE NORTH FACE BEVER APELDOORN BEVER ARNHEM BEVER ASSEN BEVER BREDA BEVER DEN HAAG BEVER DEN HAAG HUNA OUTDOOR SHOP BEVER DEVENTER BEVER DOETINCHEM BEVER EINDHOVEN MONK EINDHOVEN BEVER ENSCHEDE RENÉ VOS OUTDOOR BEVER GRONINGEN SOELLAART BEVER HENGELO BEVER HILVERSUM BEVER HOUTEN BEVER NIJMEGEN KATHMANDU NIJMEGEN OUTDOOR & TRAVEL BEVER ROTTERDAM BEVER S-HERTOGENBOSCH BEVER STEENWIJK BEVER TILBURG BEVER UTRECHT KATHMANDU UTRECHT THE NORTH FACE UTRECHT ZWERFKEI OUTDOOR
ALMERE AMERSFOORT AMSTERDAM AMSTERDAM AMSTERDAM AMSTERDAM AMSTERDAM AMSTERDAM AMSTERDAM APELDOORN ARNHEM ASSEN BREDA DEN HAAG DEN HAAG DEN HAAG DEVENTER DOETINCHEM EINDHOVEN EINDHOVEN ENSCHEDE GORSSEL GRONINGEN HAARLEM HENGELO HILVERSUM HOUTEN NIJMEGEN NIJMEGEN ROOSENDAAL ROTTERDAM S-HERTOGENBOSCH STEENWIJK TILBURG UTRECHT UTRECHT UTRECHT WOERDEN
Netherlands
England UK 781. 782. 783. 784. 785. 786. 787. 788. 789. 790. 791. 792. 793. 794. 795. 796. 797. 798. 799. 800. 801. 802. 803. 804. 805. 806. 807. 808. 809. 810. 811. 812. 813.
SNOW+ROCK BIRMINGHAM SNOW+ROCK BRIGHTON THE NORTH FACE BRISTOL SNOW+ROCK CHERTSEY SNOW+ROCK DARTFORD SNOW+ROCK DIDSBURY SNOW+ROCK WIRRAL THE NORTH FACE EDINBURGH SNOW+ROCK EXETER SNOW+ROCK BRISTOL SNOW+ROCK GATESHEAD THE NORTH FACE GLASGOW THE NORTH FACE GUILDFORD SNOW+ROCK HEMEL SNOW+ROCK KENSINGTON NEEDLE SPORTS SNOW+ROCK LONDON SNOW+ROCK LEEDS THE NORTH FACE COVENT THE NORTH FACE LONDON COTSWOLD OUTDOOR ELLIS BRIGHAM MOUNTAIN COTSWOLD OUTDOOR SNOW+ROCK LONDON SNOW+ROCK LONDON SNOW+ROCK LONDON THE NORTH FACE VICTORIA SNOW+ROCK LONDON SNOW+ROCK MANCHESTER PATAGONIA MANCHESTER SNOW+ROCK PORT SOLENT SNOW+ROCK ROMFORD THE NORTH FACE
BIRMINGHAM BRIGHTON BRISTOL CHERTSEY DARTFORD DIDSBURY EASTHAM EDINBURGH EXETER FILTON GATESHEAD GLASGOW GUILDFORD HEMEL KENSINGTON KESWICK KNIGHTSBRIDGE LEEDS LONDON LONDON LONDON LONDON LONDON LONDON LONDON LONDON LONDON LONDON MANCHESTER MANCHESTER PORTSMOUTH ROMFORD SHEFFIELD
Belgium 814. 815.
HAVEN DE ZWERVER
ANTWERPEN HERENTALS
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LAST WORD BY
D AV I D E F I O R A S O
“I think that I cannot preserve my health and spirits, unless I spend four hours a day at least sauntering through the woods and over the hills and fields, absolutely free from all worldly engagements.”
of the moral insensibility, of my neighbors who confine themselves to shops and offices the whole day for weeks and months, aye, and years almost together”
Today, that we walk because we can, our whole humanity is born again.
“I, who cannot stay in my chamber for a single day without acquiring some rust, and when sometimes I have stolen forth for a walk at the eleventh hour, or four o’clock in the afternoon […] have felt as if I had committed some sin to be atoned for, I confess that I am astonished at the power of endurance, to say nothing
“It surprises me that nowadays [...] there is no general explosion on the streets that disperses a multitude of stale ideas and fantasies cultivated within four walls to finally get a breath of fresh air.”
14 4
P H OTO BY M AT T EO PAVA N A
Today more than ever, more than a century and a half after these words, we have found ourselves experiencing on our skin the condition of being imprisoned. Without nature being able to enter our routine, we rediscovered intimate contact with its simplest and most banal aspects. What always strikes about Thoreau is his relevance. Not only because it proposes themes that have become urgent today, but because it does that far away from simplifications and naivete, with a precise idea which is radically different from the naive distortions of the modern ecology.
For Henry David Thoreau, the simplest and most immediate solution to implement Emerson's ecological lessons was only one: to walk. Walking not in a metaphorical way, but in a real sense. Physically move away from the village, from people, from business. Leaving the cultivated fields behind and entering the uncontaminated world of forests, disappearing among trees and rocks like a lone wolf. Walking, for Thoreau, meant opening his eyes, realizing the danger that mankind was going through in the name of development and progress.
MONS TEAM RIDERS CONOR MACFARLANE & PHOEBE COERS
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