I grew up in a mountain village, in the Kanton of Glarus, in the Swiss Alps, in a family where mountaineering and skiing is "what you do". On weekends and during the summer holidays my family packed the packs with food and clothing and off we went, the destination a small hut in the high mountains.

It was naturally for me to spend time in the mountains, ski race, ski touring, hiking or climbing. It took me a few years until I realized how lucky I am, growing up in the mountains and having parents who have shown me what an amazing life the mountains give us, "we just have to recognize it". Already at the age of 15 I realized that steeper and more challenging mountains mean a lot to me. Hard alpine rock routes and mixed alpine faces became my playground. I was 22 years of age when I received the "Bergfuehrerpatent" (Mountain Guide Certification) by the Swiss and International Mountain Guide Association. My dreams became reality, guiding people on great alpine routes and amazing ski-tours and in addition I got paid. How much better can life really be.

In 1980 I immigrated to Canada and promoted European style ski-mountaineering in the Canadian Rockies and the Northern Selkirk Mountains, something which was at the time definitely not known in the USA and in Canada. It was a tough journey and required a lot of education of skiers about "my" style of guiding ski mountaineering. In addition, in 1985 I founded Selkirk Mountain Experience and built the Durrand Glacier Chalet, a remote alpine lodge in the heart of the Northern Selkirk Mountains. Finally, in the late eighties it all paid off. Guiding ski-mountaineering in Canada reached big success and became worldwide highly regarded. European style ski-mountaineering became accepted in Canada.

I can definitely say that I have the best life. Living with my wife Nicoline and the two daughters Charlotte and Florina at the remote Durrand Glacier Chalet. Guiding guests on great ski tours with endless powder and guiding climbing guests on long alpine rock routes... in an area where there is really nobody else except me and my guests. Every year, when the ski season comes to an end at Canada's Durrand Glacier I then fly to the European Alps and guide the Haute Route, Mont Blanc, Monte Rosa and great tours and peaks in many other areas of the Alps where the deep mountain culture is readable on every rock and mountain slope.

I think my biggest achievement is that I am able to have a deep passion toward the mountains and my profession, guide people in the most incredible ski terrain and take them on harder and easier alpine routes. For me it is not about all the extreme ski descents I have done, guide ski-tours year after year well over one million vertical feet while breaking trail in deep powder, that I have pioneered many ski traverses in Canada, managed numerous expeditions to high altitude peaks and achieved over 250 first ascents in Canada and the European Alps; all these activities is just what I do in my life. However, for me life is all about being able to share something with my ski and climbing guests, which means everything to me. Being in the mountains and life live "every day is the best day".

Professional Credentials:

• I.F.M.G.A. Certified Mountain Guide, Canadian Mountain Guide Association (A.C.M.G) and Swiss Mountain Guide Association (S.B.V.)
• Canadian Avalanche Association (CAA) Avalanche Operations Level 3 (applied avalanche risk management)
• OEC Outdoor Emergency Care Technician

Professional member:

• Swiss Mountain Guide Association S.B.V. since 1975
• Canadian Mountain Guide Association A.C.M.G. since 1982
• Canadian Avalanche Association C.A.A. since late eighties
• International Mountain Guide Association I.F.M.G.A. since summer 1977

Background

Growing up: Linthal and Mollis, in the valley of Glarus, Swiss Alps

Started Skiing: Age 2 in Linthal, Swiss Alps

Family life-style as child: Mountain hiking, skiing, ski-mountaineering, summer mountaineering

My heros: Everybody who has a deep passion for the mountains and most of all my guests I get to guide in winter and summer.

First summer mountaineering tour: Gross Charpf 2794 m, Switzerland, age 5 with my father (some rock scrambling and overnight in a mountain hut, the Legler Huette).

First ski-mountaineering tour: Schilt 2300 m, Switzerland, age 6, with my father.

Youth Organization of Swiss Alpine Club: At age 14 joined the Youth Organization of the Swiss Alpine Club. At age 16 started to climb more challenging alpine routes across the Swiss Alps. Swiss Mountain Guide Association: at age 20 entered the training program to become a Mountain Guide. Passed the winter and summer Assistant Guide (Aspirant) courses in 1975. In 1977 passed all Full Guide courses and exams in St. Moritz, Switzerland. Became fully certified by the Swiss Mountain Guide Association (SVB) and the International Mountain Guide Association IFMGA.

1980: Immigrated to Canada on June 5th 1980.

1980: Level 2 professional avalanche certificate, CAA.

1981 to 1990: Two years full time and 6 years part time heliski-guiding in the Canadian Selkirk Mountains and Monashee Mountains. Also kept guiding in the Swiss Alps.

1985: Founded Selkirk Mountain Experience on June 14th 1985. Same year built the Durrand Glacier Chalet 1945 m.el, started guiding clients at Durrand Glacier in late November of the same year.

1986 to 1991: Instructor and examiner on Ski Guide and Mountain Guide courses with the Canadian Mountain Guide association ACMG.

1988: Built a second high alpine hut, the Mt. Moloch Chalet 2205 m. elevation, 8 km northeast of the Durrand Glacier Chalet.

1994: After 4 years negotiating with the Government of British Columbia, Selkirk Mountain Experience received from the Government of British Columbia all exclusive rights to the entire Durrand Glacier area. Helicopter skiing companies were no longer allowed to ski any parts of the Durrand Glacier area and also were no longer allowed to over-fly the area for heliskiing reasons. The Durrand Glacier area is the only ski-touring area in Western Canada which ever has received such exclusive privileges. The exclusive tenured area is 96.4 square kilometres or 23,821 acres in size.

2011: CAA Avalanche Operations Level 3 course.

Skiing

• 180 to 200 days of guiding ski-mountaineering and powder-snow skiing each season.
• Complete number of days guiding clients since 1975 on worldwide ski-mountaineering trips: 7045 days.
• Reached the seasonal 1 million vertical foot-mark while guiding ski-mountaineering 21 times (counting up-hill only). Last time 2015 (1.15 million vertical feet). Record year 1.35 million vertical feet in ski-season 2002.
• Repeated and pioneered numerous steep-skiing adventures, mostly Rodger's Pass BC and Mt.Moloch - Durrand Glacier area, Northern Selkirk Mountains BC
• Pioneered 10 ski-traverses in Western Canada Selkirk Mountains and Monashee Range)
• Guided the West Alp's Haute Route 63 times, different variations.
• Guided 10 ski-expeditions to the high altitude peaks of the Wrangle - St.Elias Range (Canada and Alaska)

Mountaineering

• Complete number of days guiding clients on technical mountaineering and ice / rock-climbing: 2965 days
• 251 first ascents (mixed alpine ice and rock, alpine rock routes, sport climbing, ice climbing)
• 4 high altitude mountaineering expeditions (Nepal, Alaska, South America)

Films

• LET IT RIDE: Locomotion Films – snowboarded in film
• AN DER INDIANERKUESTE: Suddeutsches Fernsehen – rock climbing in film
• LET IT RIDE: by Stephen Greenberg – documentary (skiing) film

Books

• Author: Revelstoke Rock, first rock-guide to Revelstoke rock climbing. ISBN 0-9733035-2-2
• Author & publisher: Revelstoke Rocks, second rock-guide to Revelstoke rock climbing. ISBN 978-0-9865009-0-9
• Author & publisher: The Hidden Alpine Gem, guide book to Canada’s most secret alpine paradise, the Durrand Glacier - Mt. Moloch Area. 294 Alpine Rock / Ice Routes, 384 pages

YouTube Videos

Skiing and climbing videos – cinematography and production by Ruedi Beglinger.