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– Tell us about your experience in the mountains, which walks got you stuck the most?
– I remember when in winter, during a ski vacation with the family, I thought of one to go for a walk. I would stay a few days after the kids learned to ski, and on the last day I decided to dedicate myself. I chose the forest path marked on the map, which leads to the tourist mountain refuge, more precisely, to Tery’s hut In the Slovak High Tatras.
As the altitude increased, the forest was gradually replaced by small pine trees and mosses. Tired, I stumbled through snow-covered mountain valleys up a fairly steep incline. Due to the fog, I only saw my way under my feet. A few more difficult steps, I lift my eyes and smoke like there isn’t. As a child, I looked around with enthusiasm, my eyes drenched with joy, with a greatness that I had never seen before. I was surrounded by the pointed peaks of the mountains, and under my feet, a sea of clouds never seen before. He was delighted, stunned, completely confused. Similar experiences that they have suffered in life are only the birth of children.
Photo from personal archive / Andrius Andrulevičius in the mountains
When I could think rationally, the first thoughts I visited were that I could not enjoy so much beauty, idyll and greatness alone. The joy that drowns the words in your throat must also be experienced by others. He was sure he would come back here, but not alone. Thus began the “Mountains and Forests” path.
I returned to the same place with several friends about a month later. Interestingly, identical conditions emerged. There was so much snow that in places the feet sank to the knees. Trees and river rocks, with metric snow hats, and again we managed to “get out” of the mist above the clouds. Friends of the view were also impressed. Now that road is like a country road that is familiar to me, like a house.
– In one of your posts you mentioned that mountains also teach the things you need in your daily life: concentration, perseverance, need for control. Tell me, how have mountains changed your own life?
– In order to live “more freely” I worked in more than one job, I did many activities. I wanted to have more, so it was kind of a race with those around. This creates running, stress, one thought gives grass to another. Wherever you are, there is another action on your mind, another place. Yes moments and well goes unnoticed. And when the expected future arrives, he is no longer happy: he has new wishes and goals in mind. I realized that no one would be happy with such a philosophy. You had to learn to stop and admire the present.
And the highest degree of concentration in the present moment and even in myself, for me, is climbing, climbing a mountain. Every moment, every stone, foot or hand is very important here, it can cost a life. This is where I learn to make slow, responsible, well-thought decisions, to notice the present. To saturate the feeling of happiness and fulfillment, so much is needed on earth. And in the mountains, all your joy and fulfillment is a backpack with dry clothes, warm socks and a friend nearby. I would not say that today I am enlightened, the recalculation of values and needs is a gradual process. However, if you already feel like running, you can understand that you are not completely calm with yourself.
In the mountains, all your joy and fulfillment is a backpack with dry clothes, warm socks and a friend nearby.
Yes, 12-14 mountain walks a year require time to dedicate to your family, but a happy person can give more than an unhappy but constant one.
– You mentioned that conditions in the mountains force people to show their true selves. What are the situations?
Photo from personal archive / Andrius Andrulevičius in the mountains
– The most difficult thing is that when you spend more time in the mountains, people begin to abandon their forces in a different way. Uncertainty begins, fear of one kind or another. There are also “panic” attacks, when for some questions like “we won’t die here”, “will everything be really okay” are honestly resolved? It happened that a girl could not go any further almost to the top, but did not panic, did not ask to stop the whole group and accompany her alone. We agreed to dress and tie ourselves firmly to the mountain to wait for our return for about 2 hours. When we return, we fasten it and continue our journey.
Some become useful in difficulties, help others: slow down and accompany the weakest, motivate them, talk or just be around, lend their dry and warm clothes. Others, on the contrary, focus only on their desires, convenience, begin to dictate their conditions, where to stop, how to go fast, where to turn around, forgetting the group as a whole.
To avoid misunderstandings, I provide some details of the hikes in the descriptions. For example, there are people who ask themselves (I call it tourist questions): “will it be possible to stretch your legs when traveling”, “will the beds be comfortable and sleep well? give away items if it will be difficult? “
Photo from personal archive / Andrius Andrulevičius in the mountains
In a word, I try to avoid these types of people, not because they are bad, but because those low-budget (200-400 euros) trips to the top simply cannot have VIP services and tourist facilities. The trip usually lasts 2-3 days, everything is fast, intense, little sleep, rest too. Such a presentation allows the formation of a walking format, when instead of pampered tourists gather a group of active, “free” like-minded people, who are not lacking in enthusiasm and optimism.
– What can you expect from your walks? What hiking trails that don’t require special preparation would you recommend choosing for a mountain trip?
– There are several levels of hiking: from easy trails through mountain trails to peak storms and raging blizzards in the face. A snowstorm in the Slovenian mountains last May dumped about 1.5 meters of fresh snow overnight. It was necessary to return as soon as possible for him and while he was blowing the new one. It was difficult, but with the help of others, we returned safely. Sometimes when you’re in action, in the middle of an event, you start to feel like you’re not climbing the mountains anymore. But sitting quietly by the fireplace, the memories of hardships, emotions, that sense of vitality carried the traction back to the mountains.
Photo from personal archive / Andrius Andrulevičius in the mountains
With our comrades, we have repeatedly reached the highest mountain peaks in four European countries: Poland Characteristics, Austria Grossglockner, Slovenia Triglav, Germany Zugspitze. In Italy, we have so far reached the highest height of 4030 m on the glacier, near Monte Rosa vertices. In Switzerland with close friends trying to climb to a height of 4 km Piz Bernina we hit a steep wall at the top, and we had no special equipment to do security checkpoints. In this way, we learned that the knowledge necessary to achieve a goal is not enough. Course after course, practice after practice and we plan to go back there to see what we have learned in two years. Man is condemned to make constant mistakes, and when he is wrong, to get up and correct again. This is the way in the mountains: raise your head again, take another step. So high.
In this way, we learned that the knowledge necessary to achieve a goal is not enough.
For those who want to hike in the mountains from the beginning, I would say better to go to the Tatras. In Strba tarn resort and the lake of the same name and Green lake areas of Slovakia, in the High Tatras. A place of special beauty and excellent trails without climbing to the peaks are the surroundings of Lake Bohinjsko in the Triglav National Park in Slovenia.
In Poland, some of the most beautiful lakes in the Tatras can be reached by walking about 9 km along the trail in the Valley of the Five Lakes, as well as popular trails near the largest lake in the Tatras. Morskie Oko. If anyone needs personal advice, ask, I’ll be happy to answer. However, it happens that people are asked to organize a trip from-to, and I am still misunderstood when I ask for a token reward for the time spent planning and preparing an individual proposal. This is a job that is already different from advice.
Photo from 123rf.com/Morskie Oko Lake
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