Being Inspired by Mountains - One Journey

No secret, we are surrounded by Mountains in Luzern. Some of our team dream to do a little trip to the top of the Pilatus summit by hiking! Even though it's not 8000 m above the see but already challenging even to think of it. Our Campus place is also remarkable and inspiring - we are surrounded by mountains glory and beauty every day - just by looking through the window.

So, when we watched 14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible - we give a big shout out to brave and inspiring Nirmal Purja.

Nirmal Purja, who goes by Nims for short, wanted to climb 14 of the world’s highest peaks, and all within seven months. It’s a feat that was achieved in a world record of seven years, set by the alpine legend Reinhold Messner. But Nims trained like a beast and got cracking with his team of sherpas!

'NIMS' PURJA WITH HIS GANG OF SHERPAS OUT TO DO THE SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE WITHIN SEVEN MONTHS. IMAGE COURTESY: NETFLIX / @VICE

Congrats with a such inspiring journey, never give up your dreams and trust your team no matter what.!

But what about our Switzerland mountains?! We chose top 5!

1. Mount San Salvatore - 912m

Mount San Salvatore is part of the Lepontine Alps, which are located in the northwestern part of the Alps. It is situated in the canton of Ticino, overlooking the city of Lugano. The lake of Lugano divides this mountain and the state of Italy.

Mount San Salvatore is the ideal destination for people who want to spend a day away from frantic city life and enjoy the stunning nature of this place. It offers visitors a panoramic view of the city of Lugano, the lake, and the Italian side of the land. For hiking enthusiasts, it provides the opportunity to climb the Via Ferrata which is a climbing route used to explore the mountain. If you want to climb the peak of the mountain, you have to use the funicular. At the peak, you can enjoy a 360° view of the place.

2. Mount Rigi - 1798m - OUR MOUNTAIN :)

Mount Rigi, known by the locals as the Queen of the Mountains, is a breathtaking mountain massif in the Alps. It is located in the center of Switzerland near the cities of Zurich and Luzern. You can visit this destination any time you want as it offers the best conditions to its visitors in every season. However, if you are going to visit it, the morning would be the best time. It tends to get covered by clouds around noon.

One of the options to get to the top of the mountain is the cogwheel train. For hiking enthusiasts, this mountain provides 120 km long trails.

3. Mount Pilatus - 2128m

The magnificent Pilatus, or as it is referred to, Mount Pilatus, is a pretty mountain massif. It is located in the center of Switzerland. Its central position makes this mountain part of three cantons: Obwalden, Nidwalden, and Luzern. The highest peaks of this mountain area are situated on the border between Obwalden and Nidwalden.

It is easily reached in all directions. The interested tourists can reach the top of the mountain through Pilatus Railway, in a 30 minutes trip with the steepest cogwheel ever known. Pilatus Railway offers its services from May to November. One other vehicle used to go up the mountain is gondola. It takes only 30 minutes to arrive at Fräkmüntegg, where the cable car, which is known as Dragon Ride, takes you to the summit. Throughout those trips, you can enjoy the magnificent views this mountain has to offer throughout seasons.

4. Mount Eiger - 3970m

Eiger has to be one of the most famous mountains in the world. Not only because of Clint Eastwood and the movie he shot there but also because of its unique beauty, and the ill fame its northern side got over the years. Eiger is part of the Bernese Alps in the canton of Berne. It offers a great view of the villages of Grindelwald and Lauterbrunnen.

What makes this mountain one of the most known and talked about is its infamous northern side, otherwise known as Mordwand. This part of the mountain is mostly covered by rock and ice. Too many people have tried for years to climb it. Many succeeded and many have lost their lives on their journey to the top. Due to its elevation, weather conditions, and steep trails, the north side of Eiger is safer to climb on by professional hikers.

For the non-professional climbers, Eiger offers other routes to climb it, the South Ridge and the Western Flank. Even though they are considered as safer routes compared to Mordwand, you still have to prepare months before this climb.

5. Mount Piz Bernina - 4049m

Piz Bernina is one of the highest mountains and peaks in the eastern Alps. It’s also known as the “Mount Everest” of the Engadin. It’s located within the Engadin region of the Graubünden canton.

This mountain is considered to be a pretty tricky and exhausting climb. In case you want to join the alpinists on the journey to reach the summit, you have to prepare yourself a few months prior to the climb. There are a few routes that lead to the summit of Piz Bernina. One starts at Pontresina village, and the other is “Bianco Grat,” which is more challenging than the other.

Inspired by #StudyInSwitzerland