There is a moment, when you leave the valley behind you and the ascents begin, when words are lost, time slows down and the gaze hurries in search of the peaks.
We’ve all had this feeling. That sense of anticipation before reaching the mountain that leaves you speechless, filled with silence and the determination to reach the top, to see those giants of rock.
Enjoy every moment, savour every breath. You need only to lend an ear and hear it. The voice of the mountain.
Going into the woods is a mystical fairy-tale experience. The anthropic dimension is brought down to zero, nature reigns. You slowly enter a whirlwind of sensations: the intense scent of wild mugo pine, fresh moss, so strong that you can taste it on your lips. The soft undergrowth beneath your feet. And then shades of green, brown, yellow, grey... Rustling amongst the fronds, the call of the cuckoo, a woodpecker in the distance. If you know how to experience it, the forest embraces you completely.
And when your objective gets closer and the mountain welcomes you, you feel the wind on your skin and take the challenge head on. You are testing yourself, in search of your own limits... Whatever your goal, with each step it gets closer, and with every step you make your mark. And here it is finally, that long-awaited feeling.
Once outside the woods, the peaks return as protagonists. The taste of a light fog. Here the mountain welcomes you in its simplicity. Everything is here, without expecting anything else from the mountain. No need for adrenaline or to extreme sports. When you're inside it, the only thing that really matters is to enjoy the mountain to the fullest, in every respect.
A fire that burns and warmth is regained ... Yet the mountain is always there, ready and waiting for you. At night it is even more beautiful, displaying its hidden wonders. The echo of a cave, the wind over the mountaintops, the silence of the stars.
True magic is being in front of a crackling fire, where the cold subsides and emotions remain. Exhaustion leads to rebirth, the mind unwinds, the soul is replenished. And suddenly you want to go out again, to go snowshoeing beneath the stars. Perhaps the night’s darkness will reveal hidden aspects of the mountain.
Can you hear its call now? It is never too early to answer.
And you’re off again, towards new objectives, higher and higher. Certain experiences cannot wait, you must wake up early to fully experience them. And at every step feel the consistency of the snow changing, dry, granular, then newer, powdery, sugary, as if to sweeten the climb.
When you are one step away from the top there is no fatigue, only determination. You don't think about the step before, only the one after. It is the mountain that compels you.
Finally you are there. Getting to the top is not what matters. The top belongs to everyone; where you decide to stop is your place, only yours. The mountain knows this and rewards you with the view. Words are useless to describe it.
The descent, full, immense, regal. It rewards your every effort, gratifying the spirit. And then you get there, above and beyond the effort, beyond all limits and you feel it: the majesty of the mountain breathing in unison with your sense of freedom.
In the descent the point of view turns over and you follow along the road seeing how the mountain looks at the valley. With the ascent you find that bond with the mountain, with the descent you celebrate it. Adrenaline, delight, fulfilment. A few infinite minutes.
You have come full circle, now you understand, that reverent silence, all in anticipation of this moment. The experience of the mountain, which makes its mark, until the next adventure.
