I spent a month engaged on a farm in Switzerland, and the volunteering made for one of the best sustainable trip

We stuffed our weekends with exploring nature close by, together with the tallest mountain I’ve ever hiked.

On our first free weekend in Switzerland, we determined to hike to the summit of Säntis, a mountain topping out at 8,209 toes. It will be by far the toughest hike I might achieved, however my roommate and I nonetheless felt assured we may do it.

We first tried to comply with a path map for the hike that we might picked up from the customer heart, however as soon as we noticed different hikers we ditched the map and adopted of their footsteps. As we made it farther up the mountain, although, my confidence started to shake. Seeing snow and having to carry on to ropes for security wasn’t one thing both of us had skilled on a hike earlier than. 

The elevation additionally took us abruptly, particularly since I used to be carrying a 50-pound backpack full of digicam tools.

The hike up Säntis often takes about two hours and 44 minutes, in line with All Trails, but it surely took us practically 4 hours as a result of we stopped to movie content material for my channel.

One hiker who handed by tell us that the final tram bringing hikers down the mountain would depart the summit at 6 p.m. — and that if we did not make it, we might be left to hike down on our personal. That was the inspiration we would have liked to hurry up and proceed trekking by means of the snow and clouds.

Lastly reaching the summit was such a rewarding feeling, and I believed the unimaginable view made the hike greater than value it. Having powered by means of emotions of discouragement, we knew we may do it once more. Journey mode kicked in.