It was quite an experience, as I’m sure the PCT will be ☺️

So glad you enjoyed it ☺️ can’t wait for more adventures!

Happy you enjoyed it! Seven days on the trail we’re definitely exciting and eventful

I love that I get to relive the mountains when I edit the videos ☺️ I am glad you enjoy and appreciate them too.

Glad to hear you enjoyed it ☺️ the scenery was definitely showing off haha

It’s definitely worth a visit, although hiking in Norway is incredible! It has such a special place in our hearts 🇳🇴

Really happy you enjoy it ☺️ You’re always the first to watch any new video!

It really was beautiful! So happy to have done this hike ☺️

@@InWilderPlaces and your video quality is top notch!

Hi! Many questions I see :) it really was a wonderful experience. I’ll try answer your questions as best I can. 1. I’ve done a number of day hikes in Switzerland but longed for a more grand adventure where I see more of the country, but on foot. I find hiking to be a great way to connect with a place because you’re travelling slowly and you can really interact with people and the environment. As a new resident in Switzerland - I thought it was perfect! 2. For preparation, I hiked the first few stages over weekends. This helped me build up my fitness and mental stamina. I also started with hut stays so my backpack was a bit lighter. This ultimately built up to an 8 day hike in August with mostly wild camping. I would also say hiking higher altitudes a few times the year before helped me prepare. 3. Highlights between Engelberg and Griesalp would include the first night and morning - the moon on the horizon and the sun rise with coffee in the morning. Our night in view of the glacier near Wengen was also beautiful! I don’t know how many opportunities I will have in my life to wake up and fall asleep next to a glacier again ☺️ but the most special in these sections was being able to share the adventure with my close friend. 4. The Via Alpina offers a diverse look into Swiss culture. You pass through popular towns, to quiet ones and along farms, huts and restaurants in the mountains. You can really see life at different places and how people react to it. One of my favourite times was my first hut stay when the owner sat with me at dinner and told me about local life and struggles. 5. Wild camping is a grey area in Switzerland: only above the tree-line (1800m), not on nature reserves, not within 100m near water and leave no trace at all times. You can also ask a farmer for permission if you’re on their land - they’re usually understanding :) 6. Starting to hike this year was tough. The Via Alpina was such a grand adventure and it took up my whole summer last year. Any hike I wanted to do this year felt small by comparison. But I went on my first hike and overnight hut stay last weekend and I’m excited to do more. I also hope to spend a week trekking in Norway this august 🇳🇴 Thank you for your questions - they really made me think. Now one for you: Are you planning on hiking the Via Alpina some time?

@@InWilderPlaces Will I hike the Via Alpina this summer? Probably not. As an enthusiastic hiker and producer of adventure content, I wanted to reach out and express my appreciation for the videos you share. Through your KZfaq channel, you have successfully brought the world closer to people like me who are passionate about hiking and exploring nature. I must admit that I have learned a great deal from watching your videos, particularly when it comes to packing equipment. Your recommendations have been invaluable, and I have even purchased the Katadyn bottle Befree based on your review. I can confidently say that I absolutely love it and it has become an essential part of my hiking gear. I completely agree with your suggestion of going on probing hikes to ensure we have the right equipment. It's a wise approach that allows us to test and refine our gear before embarking on more challenging adventures. Your insights have been instrumental in helping me prepare for my hikes. When it comes to camping, I couldn't agree more with your recommendations. I have also found great camping spots using the map and filters s.geo.admin.ch/a0314af5f9. It's an excellent resource that ensures I can enjoy peaceful nights under the stars and not interfering with the law. I am also an enthusiast hammock camper. It’s essential to have the right equipment to protect the trees. There's something magical about swaying gently in a hammock amidst nature's embrace. Your experience of sitting down with the owner at dinner and learning about local life and struggles during your hike was truly special. It's these authentic connections that make our adventures even more memorable. It seems the Swiss are experts at lamenting about life's hardships, a cultural trait. I can relate to that but it’s always on a high level. As for my summer plans, I intend to hike on and off throughout Switzerland. The picturesque landscapes and breathtaking views offer endless opportunities for exploration. Your idea of visiting Norway sounds wonderful, especially with the maximum daylight hours. Although I must admit, I'm a bit hesitant about the food there, based on my own experience. haha Thank you once again for sharing your knowledge, experiences, and passion through your videos. Your dedication to bringing the world closer and helping fellow hikers is truly admirable. I wish you safe and exciting adventures ahead, both on and off the trails. Happy hiking!

It was lovely! I still think about it often ☺️ Thank you for your kind words - I’m glad the videos helped to motivate you. Are you hiking the Via Alpina this year?

I plan Picos de Europa in May, Iceland Laugavegur in summer and Alta Via1 Seprember/October. Via Alpina is my plan for short hike in summertime with my 9 years old son Leo... More serious hike in 2025 🙂 Are you hiking there this year?

@@Thomas_relaxation the Via Alpina in Switzerland or elsewhere? I hope to do some more weekend overnight hikes this year :) and also a few days in Norway again. Maybe Jotunheimen

Yes, in Switzerland. I made a few options. From Lauterbrunen or Engelberg. Hikes with wildecamping are most tempting🍀💚 so I perfectly understand😏🌌 Norway is on my list too. Lofotes Islands as example... I'd like to hike there in summer next year and maybe more also in Sweden like Kungsleden. But Jotunheimen sounds perfect to me. I would be glad to meet you somewhere on the trail...Jotunheimen or wherever😊

We camped in the area just south of the lake, to keep the 100m distance from water required from wild camping ☺️ that’s very exciting! Be careful since the passes still have snow on them. Take care!

This section was in the middle of August :)

That’s exciting! We spent a week hiking in August from 13th - 21st. The rest of stages I did in June and September. Usually September is the safest season to hike as Switzerland can get violent storms in August. However, this year August was calm and we had storms in June and July. So our august hike turned out great 😊

@@InWilderPlaces thanks for the info!

@@InWilderPlaces May I bother you with another question? How late is it safe, in terms of weather, to start the three week hike of the Green Trail to minimize the chances of being in snow and avoiding the violent storms of August?

It’s a bit of a tricky one at this stage. This year June and July was full of the vomited violent storms we usually get in August. With climate change, it gets a bit harder to predict. The safer time would be end of August and beginning of September - based on when many people are hiking now ☺️

@@InWilderPlaces Thanks! Happy trails!

That sounds lovely! I can’t comment on backpackers specifically, but I spent much time in mountain huts. Those varied from 40 CHF per night to 80 CHF. These can be expensive since they are located higher in the mountains where it’s more tricky to get resources. It could be that backpackers in the towns are more reasonable for a 20 - day trek. There are also lots of camping spots in town that have lower prices. Good luck ☺️

Hi, that sounds very exciting that you’re doing the Via Alpina ☺️ regarding the map, you get large ones that cover the whole route and therefore the whole of Switzerland. Due to that scale, you can’t see much and is probably not a sufficient backup. It would be better to buy smaller maps for 5/6 different sections. I’ve also seen someone on the Via Alpina print and laminate their own maps to cover 2/3 sections at a time for better navigation. With that being said, I’m fairly certain Vaduz tourism will have a map - but maybe check ahead to see if the scale works. To answer your second question: in Switzerland you get the Via Alpina Pass Book to stamp in every town once you’ve completed a stage. Its a fun gimmick and there’s even space to add notes about the different sections you’ve hiked. You can order them from the website here: www.myswitzerland.com/en-ch/experiences/summer-autumn/hiking/via-alpina/via-alpina-hiking-passbook/ The stamp locations are in accessible places in every town you pass through, but not easy to find without this map here: map.schweizmobil.ch/?lang=en&land=wanderland&route=1&bgLayer=pk&logo=yes&season=summer&resolution=100&E=2658673&N=1182311&photos=yes&detours=yes&layers=Wanderland&trackId=5256029 Happy hiking! ☺️