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On a completely ordinary Saturday afternoon a friend messaged the Canadian Intern Crew™ at work, asking if we wanted to go see the mountains in Quarten - a city in the canton of St. Gallen, Switzerland. The original plan was to take a boat North across the lake Walensee, camp in the mountains, then train back to Zürich in the morning. When Louis and I were waiting for the boat in Quarten, we watched it sail past the dock we stood at. We promptly realized the boat was to be booked in advance. So much for the mountains.

But wait, there's more.

By the time we inadvertently avoided crossing the lake, the sky was jet black. At least, we thought it was until we looked slightly further up, and realize what we were looking at a seemingly jet black mountain, not the sky. We did what any responsible adults would do, and traveled South instead, having no idea where we were going. We found some trails that seemed to be leading up, so we followed them until about 2am, when it started raining. We scrambled to set up our tents under part of a shed roof near a large pond. In retrospect, we probably scrambled too much. Louis and I mutually thought the other fastened his end of the main tent pole, and by some miracle we simultaneously let go of the pole from both ends. Of course, it sprung right into the freezing cold pond. After dumbfoundedly standing in the rain for a few moments, we discussed what we should do. In the end we decided the best thing to do is drink a Chopfab and set up only one tent.

So we ended up staying in a 2 person tent, that was of course not intended for 2 people. After a sleepless night from the hail and freezing cold, we awoke to a stunning view of the mountains. We couldn’t see anything but the path in front of us the night before, so it was a wondrous surprise! The nighttime rain was a blessing in disguise - the vegetation was extremely vibrant, and it didn’t rain at all the following day.

In the morning, we planned to hike around the area for an hour or two, then head back down the mountain. But one thing led to another, and we ended up hiking to the top of a waterfall instead. That led to yet another thing, and we ended up hiking up to where we saw snow. By this point, we traveled so far, so we decided to hike to the mountain peak. Whoops, that wasn’t the mountain peak. Too late now! So we hiked for another 2 hours or so to the real mountain peak.

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As shown above, we ended up hiking about 2.5km up, with completely inappropriate equipment for hiking about 2.5km up. By the time we reached the peak, it was about 6pm. On our way down, we bought some Alpkäse from a local farmer. What an incredible hiking/camping experience!

{{< gallery >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170923_215757.jpg” caption=“When we arrived, it was pitch black. This photo was with the flash - but you can still barely see anything.” >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170923_220834.jpg” caption=“Geological alp history.” >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170923_221342.jpg” caption=“A cow, that I probably half blinded when taking this photo.” >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170923_222119.jpg” caption=“Louis, on the line.” >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170923_222251.jpg” caption=“Me, on the line (I’m not sure why I thought it was a good idea to zipline with a backpack.. Maybe it was the Chopfab).” >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_090813_HDR.jpg” caption=“View after waking up” alt=“This was my view after opening the tent. Absolutely stunning! Recall, it was completely black outside when we set up the tent, so I had no idea we had such a remarkable view of the mountains.” >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_091200.jpg” caption=“It hailed that night… yet it wasn’t extraordinarily cold. >insert thermodynamics babble here<” >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_092244.jpg” caption=“Le tent.” >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_093211_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_093327.jpg” caption=“This is the lake where we lost my a tent pole. Curses!” >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_093352_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_093519.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_093602_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_093718_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_094108.jpg” caption=“All the vegetation was extremely vibrant - the obligatory bright side of it having rained the night prior.” >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_094128.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_094201.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_094447.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_094646.jpg” caption=“Some caves - what’s living inside?” >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_094811.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_094824.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_100349.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_100445_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_100646_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_101114.jpg” caption=“This pond you see is where our tent pole now resides. The hike to this point was definitely worth the view!” >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_101349_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_101529_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_102848.jpg” caption=“This is the top of a gondola. It looked pretty sketchy, so we assume it’s used for farm supplies (yes, farmers live all over the alps).” >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_102912.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_104539.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_105513_HDR.jpg” caption=“A farmhouse, from one of the said farmers. Apparently, the farmers seasonally migrate their cows up and down the alps.” >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_105612_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_110358.jpg” caption=“Water seemed anxious to rush down this crevice. I’m not sure where it led exactly - maybe an underground river leading to one of the waterfalls.” >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_110611.jpg” caption=“Me, drinking what I hoped to be clean-enough water.” >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_111724_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_111728_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_111817.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_111926_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_112953_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_114810_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_120312.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_120403_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_120840_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_121956_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_122007_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_122509_HDR.jpg” caption=“Alpine friends.” >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_122730_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_122911_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_122927_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_123537.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_130321.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_130326_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_131712.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_131749_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_132002_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_134742_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_134748_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_135656_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_135700_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_135706_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_140446.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_140452.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_141147.jpg” caption=“Ponds were interspersed among the snow at this latitude. Higher up, only snow was to be found.” >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_142912_HDR.jpg” caption=“Daunting hike.” alt=“It may not seem daunting, but climbing this terrain with nothing more than casual hiking shoes, a sweater, and a jacket, was not an easy task!” >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_143607.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_144522.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_153633_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_153743.jpg” caption=“Mountain peak.” alt=“This is at the peak of the mountain, finally! We also realize it was a tri-junction between 3 cantons - a stone with each canton was inscribed with their emblems (which I forgot to take a picture of, doh!).” >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_154426.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_155243.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_155419.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_161124_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_161229.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_161344.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_171315_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_171745_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_173235.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_173301_HDR.jpg” caption="" >}} {{< figure src=“/images/alp-camping/20170924_212033_HDR.jpg” caption=“At the end of our trek, we found a farmer selling alp-cheese. Quite tasty!” >}} {{</ gallery >}}