I chose this moment in the Bletterbach Gorge because I felt like it was an important team building experience. Being able to work together and summarize what we had learned on the Bletterbach hike (such as the different rock types, climates, and layers) was interesting and informative.

I found this piece very capturing when visiting the Messner Mountain Museum Firmian. I am not sure what it was intended to mean, but for me given the context of the museum, I was reminded of the lives lost in the mountains. How scary and alone many must have felt when running out of supplies, cold, hungry, or perhaps injured in the mountains. Of course it is a risk that mountaineers take when venturing out, but it is something I don’t think anyone could fully prepare themselves for.

I was taken aback by the beauty of the cattle who greeted us as we began the trek in the Latemar mountains. This cow especially struck me. Her pale fur against her big dark nose and eyelashes were capturing. It was not long before I was distracted by the big bell around her neck however. Loud and annoying, it is hard for me to imagine the cows wearing them constantly.

This picture, taken by Juri, was so cool to me. Seeing us all walk up the hill in a line, more or less in the same hiking position. I felt like a hermit crab hiking up the Latemar mountains, with my back hunched over and heavy pack on. I was pleased to see we all kind of looked like hermit crabs too.