My Swisstainable Journey: Ivano Künzli. On a journey of the mind in the Alpstein region.
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Intro
Ivano could walk forever. He has already crossed the Alps twice on foot. And precisely because nature gives him so much, Ivano tries to live as sustainably as possible. Again and again, he reaches his limits, as we all do.
Ivano Künzli. The cautious one.
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Groundhog Day
As wonderful as life is – everyday life can sometime be quite overwhelming. Ever more expectations are placed on us and it can feel like societal pressure is constantly rising. We have to have a successful career, be social circus acrobats, digital natives, passionate bakers of banana bread…yet always sustainably.
Ivano knows this whirlwind of thoughts all too well. He finds moments of peace in the Swiss nature. “I don’t always have to go to the mountains. Even a walk through a village or forest helps me to switch off from my daily worries.”
Hiking as a miracle cure?
For Ivano, there is something primal about being out and about on foot. You can start wherever and whenever you want. Very little equipment is needed. “For me it is a luxury to be out moving at my own pace for a long period of time.”
He didn’t think twice about tackling his first Alpine crossing. A formative experience. What did he learn by doing this? Thorough planning is a must, flexibility is essential. “A change in the weather in the mountains can be really scary!” It is a good idea to listen to the hut warden.
Apart from that, you need remarkably little when you are out. Particularly if you have to walk over 550km with a heavy backpack. “I sent things home when I was en route and never missed them.”
The thing about nature in Switzerland is that I can be in a completely different world within a few hours. So two days of hiking are like a whole week of holiday for me.
Wild cities, wild mountains
Ivano grew up in Thurgau and now lives in Olten. He works for Mountain Wilderness, an organisation dedicated to protecting the Swiss Alps. When he is not hiking in the mountains, Ivano enjoys the hustle and bustle of Swiss cities.
I’m sure you’ll have heard the saying: you haven’t really been somewhere unless you’ve been there on foot.
Sustainably in the mountains.
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Hiking at one with nature
For Ivano, giving something back to nature is a matter close to his heart. If we want to protect our beautiful countryside for future generations, we all have to take responsibility.
Ivano's rule of thumb for a sustainable hiking trip:
- Go on fewer, but longer trips
- Take advantage of regional and local offers
- Switzerland has the best public transport network in the world – use it!
- You can borrow or rent good equipment, or buy it second-hand
- Keep to the local rules. In other words: stay on the paths, do not leave any rubbish and respect protected areas
The argument ‘you cannot save the world on your own’ is not a good one for me. I am at least doing my bit to bring about a change.
Mystical world of Alpstein.
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On Ivano’s trail
Coming from East Switzerland, Ivano knows the Alpstein area like the back of his hand. And the region is also very popular with international visitors because of its raw natural beauty.