Above the clouds

"Good morning Lanin volcano. After a rather cool night in the bivouac, the day greeted us with an impressive vista. For the first time in a week there is a clear view to the summit. We discuss the various options for the ascent and the descent in hushed tones." - McFly -

Andre's bus "Bondi"

"At over 40 years, it's the eldest member of the crew. Our home on 4 wheels "El Bondi" carries us along at its own pace. And it has the typical South American mentality: "tranquillo."  
We slept, read, and breakfasted, always on the move. Our host Andre maintained tight control of his bus even in precarious situations." -McFly-

Origins

"Lost in your thoughts, you look through crystal clear water at the bed of an untouched river and see each individual twig of a tree which fell down decades, or perhaps centuries ago. You lose all feeling for time. This is one of those moments which draw me back again and again to this part of our planet."  - McFly -

On the Ascent

"A sudden change for the worse in weather conditions can turn a mountain into your deadliest opponent. A severe windstorm on the ascent to the bivouac at Lanin volcano made the going very difficult. We proceeded very slowly and again and again the severe gusts brought us to a standstill as we struggled to keep our balance." -McFly-

"Boundless opportunities open out once you veer off the beaten track. You climb all alone on the mountain, thinking through all the different descent routes." -McFly-

"We reached the bivouac hut at 1,400 metres. Although it was only halfway, we felt as though we were already at the summit. The mountains around us seemed so infinitely small and distant. There was total silence on this volcano in the border region between Chile and Argentina." -McFly-

"The final 100 metres of ascent on the volcano felt as though we were climbing through a field of wild flowers to the summit. But flowers made of ice. The wind, altitude and extreme temperatures have sculpted the ice into amazing formations, the like of which are not found anywhere else. If you step on these crystal formations they shatter underfoot. It's like a coral reef at 4,000 metres of altitude." -Max Zipser-

"At moments like this my mind is blank. My head is free and all my attention is on what I am doing right now - a bold curve across an undisturbed slope. I am moving not in the past and not in the future but solely in the here and now." -Björn Heregger-

Surreal:

"The molten rock of Villarica volcano seethes below us as we make our way along the hardened bed of an immense lava flow towards the fiery red snow cap. Real and yet surreal. - McFly -

"We came across the following inscription on the way to the drop-in. Our guide translated for us:

"When you smile your mind perceives the world in a different way."

And so we continued on our way, smiling." -Eva Walkner-

"I have a few moments of peace to enjoy the wide vista from Mount Apharwat to Nanga Parbat before we resume the ascent. I have never been in the Himalayas before. I have never felt so small in the presence of such grandeur. And I have never seen anything more beautiful." -Eva Walkner-

"Down and onwards to Shark's Fin! At an altitude of 4,000 metres, we are struck once again by the indescribable beauty of the Himalayan landscape. Conditions are perfect and we all have a feeling of boundless freedom." -Eva Walkner-

"At the beginning of our descent through 2,000 metres, we carved a line among the famous "paper trees" (Himalayan birch) but further down we encountered perfect tree run skiing." -Eva Walkner-

"Three days of constant snowing, two metres of fresh snow. It's a dream for every skier. On this day we can carve out beautiful "big mountain" lines across untouched slopes." -Eva Walkner-

"Change of scene: down from the mountain, onto the city streets. Srinagar is a city of approximately 900,000 inhabitants. Many of them earn a living from businesses which operate from moored boats, or cabins constructed over the water. We are on our way to a boathouse, where we have been invited for tea." -Eva Walkner-

 

"Think Snow! And your day on the mountain will be perfect!" -Glen Plake-

"After many years as a professional skier I’ve made my choice: Glen Plake’s choice! The best for extreme conditions!" -Glen Plake-