WINTER 2012 - 4-Seasons.de
WINTER 2012 - 4-Seasons.de
WINTER 2012 - 4-Seasons.de
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1 Reise<br />
Customer Magazine Globetrotter Ausrüstung<br />
<strong>WINTER</strong> <strong>2012</strong><br />
Issue 36<br />
2,50 euros
INDEPEND ENT<br />
– OF THE<br />
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AT HOME OUTDOORS
4 Editorial<br />
»We like to do it differently«<br />
Discount markets, only online shops without branches, brand stores… Specialised<br />
shops are trying out many new things these days. Globetrotter Ausrüstung still focuses<br />
on knowhow, advice as well as product <strong>de</strong>pth and diversity. Why? We asked<br />
Globetrotter manager Thomas Lipke.<br />
Thomas, on www.globetrotter.<strong>de</strong> I can find more<br />
than 60,000 customer feedback reports on products:<br />
with such »swarm intelligence«, do I even need personal<br />
advice?<br />
Customers’ feedback is an excellent addition, that’s<br />
why we like to offer it. Somebody might love his<br />
sleeping bag <strong>de</strong>arly; however, there could be a better<br />
one for another customer. Only somebody who<br />
knows all the sleeping bags can really help.<br />
You mean the adviser in the store…<br />
Exactly, but he or she is not the only one. More than<br />
one hundred people already help to choose the assortment<br />
of goods initially: people from the purchasing<br />
<strong>de</strong>partment, the handbook editorial team and the<br />
different stores. We offer the biggest and the most<br />
diverse range in the industry. The products are basically<br />
competing for customers; our advisers help<br />
with <strong>de</strong>cision making by offering professional tips.<br />
Customers’ feedback has influence on the adviser<br />
and thus on the choice of the assortment of goods as<br />
well. So the swarm becomes even more intelligent.<br />
But electronics stores or online shops in general<br />
don’t seem to need an adviser, do they?<br />
Those are lucrative business strategies. You sell<br />
mainstream products and pay sales personnel a<br />
commission. It’s a disadvantage for the customer:<br />
little choice, no exchange of experience, no possibility<br />
to compare three interesting tents or jackets at<br />
the same time and place. In brand stores, you might<br />
compare different products but they’re all from the<br />
same manufacturer. It’s not Globetrotter‘s strategy,<br />
we like to do things differently.<br />
Half of your customers or<strong>de</strong>r online. Can you still<br />
offer professional advice?<br />
We offer knowhow in many ways: via telephone hotline,<br />
handbooks, web shop, advisory film clips on<br />
4<strong>Seasons</strong>.tv and outdoor.<strong>de</strong> as well as reallife<br />
reports in 4<strong>Seasons</strong>. Nothing can beat the personal<br />
advice in the store though. And nobody has yet<br />
invented an online cold chamber where you can try<br />
out sleeping bags. We offer total choice – and our<br />
customers love to choose.<br />
<<br />
What is meant by product<br />
<strong>de</strong>pth? 23 different<br />
tent pegs for example;<br />
you would hardly find<br />
more different pegs on<br />
a washing line.<br />
Thomas Lipke<br />
KEEN.DRY waterproof,<br />
breathable membrane<br />
keeps feet dry in wet<br />
environments<br />
S3 support for<br />
all day comfort<br />
HOODOO HIGH LACE<br />
Original hybrid<br />
toe protection<br />
Multi-directional lugs<br />
for all-terrain traction<br />
TAMES SNOW BANKS AND COLD FRONTS<br />
KEENFOOTWEAR.COM
6<br />
10<br />
24<br />
40<br />
50<br />
54<br />
62<br />
66<br />
Contents<br />
94<br />
66<br />
Contents<br />
Winter <strong>2012</strong><br />
96<br />
Living the dream: Roadtrip with babies<br />
A Berliner family dared to do it.<br />
News<br />
News from the Globetrotter World.<br />
Projects: Skiing through Abruzzo<br />
Skandinavian feelings in Italy.<br />
Travel tip: Dreamlike trails in the Pfalz<br />
74 trails in the SaarHunsrück Natural Park.<br />
Travel: Volcanic island La Réunion<br />
Hiking between heaven and hell.<br />
Lucky cards<br />
Events for Globetrotter loyalty card hol<strong>de</strong>rs.<br />
Manufacturer: Woolpower<br />
Merino masters from Swe<strong>de</strong>n.<br />
1 Reise<br />
70<br />
72<br />
82<br />
84<br />
90<br />
94<br />
106<br />
40<br />
54<br />
Das Kun<strong>de</strong>nmagazin von Globetrotter Ausrüstung<br />
Winter <strong>2012</strong><br />
Ausgabe 36<br />
2,50 Euro<br />
4S_36_Titel_end.indd 1 17.09.12 14:36<br />
At the Fjällräven Polar<br />
in Lapland, Swe<strong>de</strong>n<br />
(from page 94). Cover<br />
photo: Håkan Wike.<br />
State of the art: Fischer E99 Crown .<br />
The ski offsi<strong>de</strong> the trails.<br />
Equipment advice: Backpacking<br />
What to put in your backpack for Thailand.<br />
Five stars<br />
Favourite products of Globetrotter’s customers.<br />
Winter worlds: Austria<br />
Seven snow pleasures, from ten<strong>de</strong>r to wild.<br />
Colleague: Sabine Zdunnek<br />
She turned Globetrotter into a team.<br />
Dream trip: Fjällräven Polar<br />
On a dog sled through Lapland.<br />
Getaway<br />
Globetrotter’s highlights in winter.<br />
4-SEASONS is the customer magazine<br />
of Globetrotter Ausrüstung.<br />
4-SEASONS is issued quarterly in the<br />
mid of the quarter year.<br />
4-SEASONS is <strong>de</strong>livered for free to<br />
active customers holding a Globetrotter<br />
Loyalty Card and is available at Globetrotter<br />
stores (while stock lasts).<br />
You can apply for the loyalty card<br />
(GlobetrotterCard) free of charge in<br />
every store and online:<br />
www.globetrotter.<strong>de</strong>/kun<strong>de</strong>nkarte<br />
ALL ISSUES OF 4-SEASONS are available<br />
on the iPad (Apple App Store) and<br />
as PDF: www.4<strong>Seasons</strong>.<strong>de</strong>/heftarchiv<br />
READER SERVICE<br />
Change of address, missing issue:<br />
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EDITOR<br />
Globetrotter Ausrüstung,<br />
Denart & Lechhart GmbH<br />
Bargkoppelstieg 10–14<br />
22145 Hamburg<br />
Germany<br />
RESPONSIBLE FOR CONTENT<br />
Torsten Fischer<br />
GERMAN ISSUE<br />
PRINT RUN<br />
Second quarter <strong>2012</strong><br />
412.358 copies<br />
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Stephan Glocker (Editor in Chief), Ingo<br />
Wilhelm, Ingo Hübner, Philip Baues,<br />
Michael Neumann, Julian Rohn, Cindy<br />
Ruch, Manuel Arnu, Michèle Knaup<br />
CONTRIBUTORS<br />
H. Wike, T. Lipke, A. Messerschmidt,<br />
H. Horelt, Dr. T. Jelinek, R. Lukas,<br />
A. Lindner, S. Rosenboom, H. Braun,<br />
D. Ketz, E. Bock, N. Glatter, S. Nink,<br />
F. M. Frei, S. Gelabert, S. Bachmaier,<br />
L. Kaiser, A. Stettner, Max Buttinger,<br />
R. Ganzert, D. Strunz, G. Weindl,<br />
S. Zdunnek, G. Kast, R. Bösch<br />
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Our printer and paper is FSC certified.
10 Living the dream Living the dream 11<br />
Around the world<br />
in nappies<br />
Interview: Ingo Wilhelm | Photos: Thomas Alboth<br />
Anna and Thomas Alboth always loved travelling.<br />
When the couple from Berlin became parents, they<br />
asked themselves: What next? The answer only took<br />
a second: keep on travelling.
12 Living the dream<br />
Living the dream 13<br />
A<br />
nna and Thomas, you went on a big adventure trip for<br />
many months in areas that aren’t known for being very<br />
safe. Your children were still in early infancy. Isn’t that<br />
irresponsible?<br />
Thomas: Many people criticised us for going on such<br />
an adventure with the kids. It’s no more dangerous for kids than<br />
being at home with an iron and windows they could fall out of.<br />
I mean, what does an eight month old baby need? Food, sleep,<br />
happy parents. And when we travel, we’re happy.<br />
Sounds a bit selfish.<br />
Thomas: It would have been selfish not to take the children on<br />
board. Some fathers climb Mt Everest and leave mother and children<br />
worrying home. A journey like we had gives babies much more<br />
than it takes away from them.<br />
Aren’t children overwhelmed with the constant change?<br />
Anna: The look out of the car window always changes but the teddy<br />
bear stays the same, as well as the songs in the car and the games<br />
in the mornings with the parents.<br />
How did your parents react when they heard about your travel plans?<br />
Anna: My parents even gave us the car to travel to the Caspian<br />
Sea. Of course they were sad because they wouldn’t be able to see<br />
Hanna for a while. It was one of the reasons we started our travel<br />
blog so the grandparents could take part in their grandchildren‘s<br />
journey. Very often, we were on Skype too: for Hanna, my mum<br />
became her »notebook granny«.<br />
Thomas: My parents were more worried, especially due to safety<br />
issues in countries like Georgia, even though the South Ossetia<br />
war en<strong>de</strong>d back in 2008. My dad’s reaction remin<strong>de</strong>d me of Globetrotter<br />
foun<strong>de</strong>r Klaus Denart when he went off to Africa with his<br />
little daughters and his dad warned him: »Make sure to bring the<br />
girls back home safe!«<br />
Fair enough. Your travels in<strong>de</strong>ed led you to areas of conflict with<br />
high criminality like Mexico!<br />
Anna: You hardly notice any past conflicts. For example, we<br />
weren’t sure if we should speak Russian in Georgia. The Georgians<br />
don’t have a problem with the Russians at all.<br />
Thomas: And we skipped the dangerous North of Mexico, as well<br />
as Chechnya and Dagestan.<br />
What did the children’s doctor say about your adventure plans?<br />
Anna: She went with us through the list of countries to find out if<br />
there were special dangers we had to be aware of. You cannot ><br />
»What does an eight month<br />
old baby need? Food, sleep,<br />
happy parents. And when<br />
we travel, we’re happy.«<br />
Family without bor<strong>de</strong>rs<br />
Some families go to a children‘s<br />
hotel, other families go on a road<br />
trip: Anna (28) and Thomas (24)<br />
Alboth went travelling by car twice<br />
for several months. In 2010, they<br />
travelled with eight-months-old<br />
Hanna from Berlin to the Caspian<br />
Sea and back; in 2011/<strong>2012</strong> they<br />
crossed Central America with Hanna<br />
and nine-month-old Mila. Anna is<br />
from Warsaw, Thomas from Saxony.<br />
Anna works as a journalist and has<br />
a master’s <strong>de</strong>gree in scientific information.<br />
Thomas is a photographer<br />
and partner of the web<strong>de</strong>sign agency<br />
undkonsorten. The family lives in a<br />
shared flat in Berlin Pankow. Their<br />
website thefamilywith outbor<strong>de</strong>rs.<br />
com was awar<strong>de</strong>d the title of »Best<br />
Traveler Blog Of The Year 2011« by<br />
National Geographic Poland.<br />
Photo show at Globetrotter Berlin<br />
The Alboth family will display their<br />
travel photos at the Globetrotter store<br />
in Berlin in March 2013. On 26 March<br />
they will be giving a presentation too.<br />
Infos: globetrotter-events.<strong>de</strong>.<br />
What a roaring sound<br />
over there. At the<br />
Chilascó waterfall in<br />
Guatemala.
14 Living the dream Living the dream 15<br />
had to go somewhere. So we used my parental leave and drove towards<br />
the rising sun. We also wanted to meet some people we<br />
knew in east Europe and the Middle East.<br />
Did you travel by car to make it easier for Hanna?<br />
Anna: We didn’t know if she would like travelling. If not we would<br />
have simply turned around and gone back home. Travelling by car<br />
has the advantage that you can follow the child’s rhythm: You<br />
drive while she sleeps, and you stop when she wakes up or when<br />
she is hungry.<br />
Thomas: We took the Renault from Anna’s dad for a service before<br />
we left. The mechanic reckoned the car wouldn’t make it back to<br />
Berlin. But we travelled almost 20,000 kilometres along some of<br />
the worst roads you can imagine.<br />
How did you turn the Renault Escape into a camping car?<br />
Thomas: We simply covered the luggage boxes with woo<strong>de</strong>n<br />
planks, so it didn’t take longer than ten minutes to get the beds<br />
ready at night.<br />
So you hit the road with a trunk full of nappies?<br />
Anna (laughs): Yes. Looking back, it wasn’t very clever. You get<br />
nappies everywhere. We also didn’t need to bring boxes full of<br />
baby food. Nestlé is everywhere.<br />
The trunk turns into a bedroom, the great outdoors is the children’s room – in Belize. Picnicking at Lago <strong>de</strong> Atitlán in Guatemala.<br />
»We didn’t need to fill up<br />
the trunk with nappies and<br />
baby food. You can buy<br />
these things everywhere in<br />
the world.«<br />
protect a baby more than with the common vaccinations.<br />
Thomas: She gave us pieces of advice for our life on the road, like<br />
taking electrolytes in case one of the children vomited. It wasn’t<br />
news to us though.<br />
Did you already know this having travelled before?<br />
Anna: Exactly, however, those backpacking trips never lasted longer<br />
than four weeks. We knew east Europe and the Middle East.<br />
Did you meet each other on one of your travels?<br />
Anna: No, we met in Brussels at a conference of the European<br />
Youth Press. I moved to Thomas in Berlin in 2008.<br />
Did you ever dream of becoming a normal family with a house<br />
and a gar<strong>de</strong>n?<br />
Anna: I always felt more at home in a shared flat with lots of<br />
people around.<br />
Thomas: We rather dreamed of travelling together, Anna as a<br />
journalist and me as a photographer. However, in the end it was<br />
the children who ma<strong>de</strong> us start travelling.<br />
How can two babies kick off such a family holiday?<br />
Anna: Both of the girls were premature babies and spent many<br />
months in the hospital.<br />
Thomas: Those were hard times, and afterwards we felt like we<br />
Did you cook your own meals?<br />
Anna: We often went out for dinner to local restaurants. It’s not too<br />
expensive, tastes very good and you meet new people.<br />
Tell me about a typical day of family Alboth on the road.<br />
Thomas: Wake up when the sun reaches the car or one of the girls<br />
starts babbling because a cow is looking through the window.<br />
Breakfast leisurely, mostly Muesli. Go to the creek to clean up,<br />
play with the children while Anna reads. In the morning maybe<br />
have a look at something nearby like a waterfall. When the kids<br />
tire around noon drive for two or three hours looking for a nice<br />
place for the night where we can park our car. Then play and >
16<br />
Living the dream<br />
»Hanna did not only<br />
open hearts but also<br />
gates and bor<strong>de</strong>rs.«<br />
explored the area. Off to bed as soon as it gets dark. In Central<br />
America, it was already dark at 6 pm…<br />
Isn’t it boring when you have to go to bed with the kids?<br />
Anna: Very often we wrote on our blog, organised our photos and<br />
reflected on our experiences. I really enjoyed these twilight hours.<br />
How did the locals react when you got out of your car with two<br />
blond girls?<br />
Anna: They always helped us to find a place for our car for the<br />
night when we asked them. Often they even offered us to stay in<br />
their gar<strong>de</strong>n. Hanna is the perfect door and heart opener: she<br />
walks straight up to people and says »Hi!« or »Hola!«.<br />
Thomas: When we were in Mexico, we also looked for a place to<br />
stay overnight. We stopped at a farm once and a man came towards<br />
us with a machete. When he saw Hanna in my arms, he<br />
opened the gate immediately so we could drive in. His wife and<br />
children ran towards us, our girls got a piece of melon and they<br />
invited us for dinner. Things like this happened to us all the time.<br />
Are you a fairy? Hanna experiences Georgian folklore.<br />
Did the girls also open bor<strong>de</strong>rs?<br />
Thomas: Bor<strong>de</strong>r crossings were usually complicated. We could<br />
write a book about all the formalities, especially because of the<br />
car. When there was no way forward anymore we played the baby<br />
trump. We were supposed to wait for an unknown time on the bor<strong>de</strong>r<br />
from Ukraine to Rumania because they were changing shifts .<br />
Anna went with Hanna to the customs officer and told him in a<br />
friendly way that the little one was tired and hungry. He just opened<br />
the gate for diplomats and waved us through.<br />
Which places were the most beautiful ones?<br />
Thomas: The most fascinating country on our first trip was Georgia.<br />
The Caucasus, the rivers… and no matter which village we visited,<br />
we always got invited in. Even in areas where they say it’s<br />
unsafe – like on the bor<strong>de</strong>r to Chechnya – we got along well. There<br />
is one thing you can’t do wrong: talk to people. »Hello, we are<br />
here; do you mind if we stay here overnight?«. We never received<br />
negative replies, on the contrary. We had once been sitting by a<br />
creek in Georgia for only three minutes, when sud<strong>de</strong>nly children<br />
came to us and brought nuts and fresh fish.<br />
What were the most memorable encounters on your trip to the<br />
East?<br />
Thomas: The Gipsy King of Soroca! We knew that a Roma tribe<br />
apparently lived in this city in Moldova with their king. Even on ><br />
Quintic – arcteryx.com
18<br />
Living the dream<br />
»No matter where we went, the girls were always<br />
warmly welcomed. Especially in Georgia.«<br />
approaching, we could see big houses with <strong>de</strong>corative faca<strong>de</strong>s and<br />
gol<strong>de</strong>n domes. The Roma are particularly proud of their houses:<br />
they have hardly any furniture insi<strong>de</strong>, but outsi<strong>de</strong> they are magnificent<br />
to kitschy. We were also invited to dinner. Sud<strong>de</strong>nly they all<br />
stood up and greeted a man with a long beard: Arthur Cherari, the<br />
Roma king of Moldova. He took Hanna in his arms and showed us<br />
through his house. Arthur was especially proud of his collection of<br />
porcelain. Hanna was fascinated by the Roma’s gol<strong>de</strong>n teeth.<br />
Was there a moment when you touched a low-point?<br />
Anna: It happened when we stood at the bor<strong>de</strong>r of Russia and Georgia<br />
and they told us that EU citizens weren’t allowed to cross the<br />
bor<strong>de</strong>r. This meant that we had to drive back 2,000 kilometres<br />
with a visa that wasn’t valid any more, take the ferry across the<br />
Black Sea and enter Georgia through Turkey.<br />
It must have been an impressive moment when you finally arrived<br />
at the Caspian Sea.<br />
Anna: We were rather excited about the drive back, because we<br />
still had a lot ahead of us with it being a round trip.<br />
Thomas: However, we only had three weeks‘ time for the way back<br />
so we rushed through Turkey, Bulgaria and Serbia where our car<br />
broke down.<br />
A broken car? What had happened?<br />
Thomas: The car was over-heating all the time. We had to stop<br />
every few kilometres and wait until the water cooled down. When<br />
we reached the last mountain just before Belgra<strong>de</strong> I didn’t care<br />
any more and just kept on driving across the city boundary with a<br />
smoking engine. After that the engine failed and we couldn’t start<br />
it again.<br />
How did you get home?<br />
Thomas: We got towed away and brought to a hotel. The next day,<br />
we took a flight back home – thanks to the breakdown recovery<br />
service of the ADAC (General German Automobile Association).<br />
What kind of insurance did you have for your travels?<br />
Thomas: Two insurance policies were essential: ADAC membership<br />
– which is only valid in Europe – and an overseas health insurance<br />
policy.<br />
This Russian policeman confirmed that Hanna was worth<br />
What was it like for Hanna to come back home?<br />
Anna: Exciting. She took her first steps in Belgra<strong>de</strong>. Once our car<br />
stopped, Hanna started walking. Then, a new adventure started<br />
many hugs. for her: Berlin on her own feet.<br />
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20<br />
Living the dream<br />
»When Mila got sick and a<br />
hurricane blew up, the family<br />
without bor<strong>de</strong>rs sud<strong>de</strong>nly<br />
reached the end of the road.«<br />
When did you get itchy feet again?<br />
Anna: When we came home from our first trip I was already<br />
pregnant again. The first ultrasound photos of Mila featured Georgian,<br />
Armenian and Turkish inscriptions.<br />
Celebrities like to name their children after places where they<br />
were conceived. How would your children be called?<br />
Anna: Mila would be called Balaclava (laughs). A beautiful bay in<br />
Crimea.<br />
Thomas: And Hanna’s name could be Austria – from our ski holidays…<br />
Why did you choose Central America?<br />
Thomas: On our trip to the East we enjoyed visiting many countries<br />
in a small area, meaning: many different cultures and people.<br />
The same concept is possible in Central America but without<br />
the visa problems. Our goal was roughly to go from Mexico to Belize,<br />
Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica and further<br />
Big animals were the greatest attraction for the girls.<br />
How did you get a car in Mexico?<br />
Thomas: Gran problema! We tried to talk to banks, car sales men<br />
and authorities, with almost no Spanish skills at all – those were<br />
two exhausting weeks. In the end we found a Chrysler but couldn’t<br />
register it in our names. Then Mila got sick and a hurricane swept<br />
across us…<br />
Did the family without bor<strong>de</strong>rs reach the end of the road at that<br />
time?<br />
Anna: Yes, I had doubts if we had done the right thing. For me, the<br />
trip really started when we drove to a Maya village in the Mexican<br />
jungle.<br />
What was the difference between the two trips?<br />
Thomas: The first trip meant total freedom. We just drove around<br />
and stopped somewhere we liked the look of.<br />
Anna: In Guatemala we approached families and asked them if we<br />
could stay overnight. Almost every man carries a gun in that area.<br />
One evening, men with pump guns ran around in front of our<br />
hostel and talked on the phone all the time. I was really scared. In<br />
the end, we went outsi<strong>de</strong> and asked them directly: »Are you dangerous?«<br />
They replied »Not for you and not here.«. All the more<br />
fascinating was our encounter with Mennonites in Belize. They are<br />
strict Protestants and live very isolated without any electricity, just<br />
as if you turned the clock back one hundred years .<br />
to Panama. ><br />
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22<br />
Living the dream<br />
Thomas: We drove into the centre of the town. I asked an old man if<br />
we could stay in front of their community centre for a night. It was<br />
sweet to observe how the women and children were torn between<br />
shyness and curiosity. During the evening, more and more candles<br />
started to appeared near our car because they just happened to<br />
have letters to <strong>de</strong>liver to their centre… So we started talking.<br />
Anna: They were pretty shocked when they realised that we<br />
weren’t married when Hanna was born.<br />
»Living on the road was<br />
much cheaper than a life<br />
in Berlin.«<br />
It’s a long and stony road to the Caspian Sea.<br />
Taking a local family on board.<br />
How did Hanna experience her second trip?<br />
Anna: She was even better at approaching people. However, she<br />
missed her friends from kin<strong>de</strong>rgarten. Something we un<strong>de</strong>restimated.<br />
Did Mila <strong>de</strong>velop in a similar way?<br />
Anna: Not really. Mila is very shy and always started crying when<br />
somebody wanted to hold her.<br />
How did you celebrate Christmas 2011?<br />
Thomas: It was a fiasco. On the 24th we wanted to be on an<br />
island off the coast of Belize. In the morning when we drove into<br />
the harbour city, the brakes broke down completely. Luckily it was<br />
a lonely and straight road, so I could just let the car run. In the<br />
next village, we screwed the brake cable back on. In the afternoon<br />
we arrived at Belize City and quickly had to get some presents<br />
from a junk shop. A ferry took us to the island.<br />
Anna: Our pre-booked hostel room had already been taken. And<br />
bed bugs in the next hostel. Finally we found a room. We went to<br />
the internet café to skype with my parents. The connection broke<br />
down after a few seconds. In another internet café they told us<br />
that the telecommunication company blocked skype so that people<br />
would talk more on the phone. The kids were hungry and tired<br />
– Merry Christmas…<br />
Did your Central America trip at least have a happy ending?<br />
Anna: On the contrary. We had just arrived in Honduras when I<br />
received an E-Mail that my father had passed away. The only possibility<br />
to go back home was to drive to Cancun. We travelled day and<br />
night, and had to contend with many problems at the bor<strong>de</strong>rs. The<br />
Mexican <strong>de</strong>aler in whose name the car was registered luckily gave<br />
us 4,000 euros for the car and drove us straight to the airport.<br />
Thomas: We wouldn’t have ma<strong>de</strong> it to Panama anyway. Instead of<br />
eight countries we saw four, which was impressive enough.<br />
Globetrotter supported your Central America trip with equipment.<br />
Could you use any of the things?<br />
Thomas: Oh yes. The most helpful thing was the Deuter kid carrier.<br />
I can recommend a kid carrier like this one to everybody who’s<br />
travelling with babies. You’re very flexible with it.<br />
So you did allow yourself some luxury. Isn’t a family holiday for<br />
half a year pretty expensive?<br />
Thomas: The insurance and the flights cost a pretty penny in<strong>de</strong>ed.<br />
But if you stay overnight in the car or in cheap hostels, life can be<br />
cheaper than in Germany. We also had some income from subletting<br />
our room in Berlin, child allowance and parental allowance.<br />
When is the next kid due?<br />
Anna: A Moldavian Roma woman has predicted we will have twenty<br />
children. I’m already busy with our two girls though.<br />
Don’t you want to go on a normal family holiday now? Maybe stay<br />
in an all-inclusive hotel with child care?<br />
Anna: What a crazy i<strong>de</strong>a!<br />
<<br />
From car to nappies: Anna and Thomas Alboth give the seven most<br />
important tips for travelling with small children: 4-seasons.<strong>de</strong>/family.<br />
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24 News News 25<br />
News<br />
Winter <strong>2012</strong><br />
Globetrotter Aca<strong>de</strong>my<br />
A meeting point for nature lovers, people hungry for adventurers and thirsty for knowledge, for groups, bon<br />
vivants, companies and families: the Globetrotter Aca<strong>de</strong>my in Schleswig-Holstein will be just that and inclu<strong>de</strong>s<br />
a hotel, restaurant and many more attractions.<br />
In August, Globetrotter manager Andreas<br />
Bartmann laid the foundation of the eight<br />
hector site in the municipality Ascheffel,<br />
at the foot of the 98.4 metre high Aschberg<br />
mountain. The almost »one-hundre<strong>de</strong>r«<br />
has always been a tourist attraction.<br />
You can see the Baltic Sea from the top on<br />
clear days.<br />
Located 105 kilometres north of the headquarters<br />
in Hamburg, Globetrotter is building<br />
an outdoor adventure aca<strong>de</strong>my at a<br />
cost of eleven million euros. Slated to open<br />
in summer 2013, it is not only a centre for<br />
employee training: Globetrotter‘s customers<br />
will also be able to attend courses.<br />
Next to the building with the course rooms,<br />
they are erecting a 28 metre high, watchtower<br />
which will be open to the public – with<br />
a climbing wall on the back.<br />
Companies will be able to stay in the adjoining<br />
30-room four-star »Aschberg Lodge«<br />
hotel and go sailing or climbing in the trees<br />
on a nearby high-rope course to strengthen<br />
company cohesion for example.<br />
Families will find many attractions in the<br />
surrounding area such as paddling, horseriding<br />
and cycling. Besi<strong>de</strong>s the aca<strong>de</strong>my in<br />
the new building <strong>de</strong>signed by Globetrotter‘s<br />
architect Holger Moths, there will also be a<br />
youth hostel for school classes.<br />
On the gastronomy si<strong>de</strong>, open for day visitors<br />
too, there will be a bistro with snacks as<br />
well as the restaurant »Campfire«. It offers<br />
top-quality local and seasonal specialities<br />
and can accommodate 80 people outsi<strong>de</strong>.<br />
The campfire and the Aschberg Lodge can<br />
also be a place for family celebrations – if<br />
Globetrotters want to get married… <<br />
Globetrotter manager Andreas Bartmann (left) laying the first stone.<br />
Photo: Achim Messerschmidt<br />
This computer simulation shows the adjoining hotel with its 30 rooms.<br />
It is not a new place for a watchtower: there had been one on the site up to 1918. The new one is part of the Globetrotter Aca<strong>de</strong>my.<br />
Computersimulationen: Prof. Moths Architekten
26<br />
News<br />
What you really need outdoors<br />
It belongs in everyone’s backpack. A first aid kit is not always what it should be though.<br />
An explanation of Tatonka’s first aid bags reveals what adventurers should be aware of.<br />
The Swabian company Tatonka sought<br />
advice from the Outdoorschule Süd<br />
e.V.. The association has been offering<br />
first aid courses for years, and one day,<br />
chairman René Kieselmann noticed: »No<br />
matter which company they come from,<br />
first aid kits are not put together in a reasonable<br />
medical way. So we got together with<br />
Tatonka to think about each piece and how<br />
we could optimise the kit for outdoor use.«<br />
After all, you need different remedies in<br />
the outdoors than in the house or car.<br />
For example, first aid kits from Tatonka<br />
inclu<strong>de</strong> stronger scissors. You will find<br />
more elements in the list to the right that<br />
distinguish a good outdoor set from a<br />
cheap bag or a kit for the home. Globetrotter<br />
offers Tatonka outdoor kits in four different<br />
sizes: Basic (29.95 €, also available<br />
waterproof), Compact (39.95 €), Complete<br />
(49.95 €) and Advanced (94.95 €).<br />
However, it is not only the field of application<br />
that makes the difference, explains<br />
René Kieselmann: »Whether I go hiking or<br />
cycling and I happen to fall – the first aid<br />
measures are the same.« All the Tatonka<br />
sets are complete and suitable for outsi<strong>de</strong>.<br />
The different sizes are merely equipped for<br />
different lengths of a tour and numbers of<br />
people in the group: The longer the tour<br />
Tatonka <strong>de</strong>veloped first aid kits<br />
especially for application outdoors.<br />
First aid kit for the outdoors Typical first aid kit<br />
• Sterile bandage packets ensure optimal<br />
wound treat.<br />
• The scissors easily cut through rough textile,<br />
e.g. when you have to cut trousers open to<br />
expose a wound.<br />
• The sport tape is good to prevent blisters and<br />
to secure bandaging material.<br />
• The triangular bandage ma<strong>de</strong> of tear-resistant<br />
material can be used to cool down burns<br />
and is suitable for use as a carrier ring to<br />
transport casualties.<br />
and the more people, more material has to<br />
be taken.<br />
Thanks to the transparent pockets,<br />
everything can be found quickly. In case<br />
your first aid course was a while ago,<br />
instructions provi<strong>de</strong> <strong>de</strong>tails of what to do in<br />
an emergency.<br />
<<br />
• Gauze bandages are unsuitable as the sterile<br />
wound dressing area is missing and often it is<br />
not elastic. It is more difficult to use correctly.<br />
• Little or cheap standard scissors, usually<br />
found in bandage boxes, are more or less<br />
useless for first aid.<br />
• Cheap plaster from the roll does not stick<br />
properly and often makes blisters worse.<br />
• Triangular bandage ma<strong>de</strong> of fleece hardly<br />
absorbs any water and rips apart when<br />
stressed.<br />
Film clips explain first aid kits on the website tatonka.com. More tips: 4-seasons.tv/film/erste-hilfe-outdoor.<br />
Photos: Tatonka<br />
explore mother nature<br />
born to explore finkid.<strong>de</strong><br />
finsi<strong>de</strong>.<strong>de</strong><br />
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wie Du selbst!
28<br />
News<br />
It’s all about Gore-Tex, isn’t it?<br />
Textile specialist Gore simplified the<br />
naming of its waterproof outdoor materials.<br />
Five categories turned into three.<br />
When the Active Shell 2011 was introduced to the outdoor<br />
and sports industry, there were already five different<br />
waterproof laminates around from the house of Gore:<br />
Gore Tex Soft Shell, the 2.5-layer Paclite Shell as well as<br />
the three-layer Laminate Performance Shell, Pro Shell<br />
and then also Active Shell. Now turn five into three; in<br />
future, Gore will only talk about the following product<br />
classes: »Gore-Tex Pro«, »Gore-Tex Active« and »Gore-<br />
Tex Products« (the basic line that wraps up the three<br />
shells). All three categories claim to be everlasting water<br />
and wind proof as well as breathable. The new names are<br />
inten<strong>de</strong>d to lead the customer to the fields of application:<br />
Active for light and fast activities like trail running;<br />
Pro for extreme material stress like ice climbing; and the<br />
Gore-Tex-Products for the average Joe going for a hike.<br />
Nothing else has changed with the water proof products<br />
from the house of Gore. Windstoppers are still called<br />
Windstoppers. <<br />
Less wrapping, more volume!<br />
Performance Shell<br />
Soft Shell<br />
Paclite Shell<br />
GORE-TEX ®<br />
Products<br />
e.g. Marmot Spire<br />
Jacket (369.95 €)<br />
The smallest Ozone mo<strong>de</strong>l easily makes its way through the airport as carry-on luggage.<br />
Photo: Osprey<br />
Pro Shell Active Shell<br />
GORE-TEX ®<br />
Pro Products<br />
e.g. Mountain<br />
Equipment Minaret<br />
Jacket (349.95 €)<br />
GORE-TEX ®<br />
Active Products<br />
e.g. Arc’teryx Alpha<br />
FL Jacket (449.95 €)<br />
Before minimizing your<br />
luggage, better take a lighter<br />
trolley. Like the latest mo<strong>de</strong>ls<br />
by Osprey.<br />
Depending on their volume, the three<br />
new trolleys are called Ozone 36, 46<br />
and 80. Even the biggest one of the<br />
Ozone brothers only puts 2.27 kilograms<br />
on the airport scale. You can<br />
crack the carry-on luggage limit of the<br />
strictest airline with the Ozone 36<br />
(below two kilos). Light but sturdy: The<br />
Ozones are strengthened at the critical<br />
spots. Light but functional: ergonomic<br />
handles, lockable zippers and many<br />
more clever <strong>de</strong>tails. As one of the very<br />
few tra<strong>de</strong>rs in Germany, Globetrotter<br />
stocks all three Ozone mo<strong>de</strong>ls. Even the<br />
prices will not hurt: 119.95, 139.95<br />
and 159.95 euros. <<br />
Mit einem guten Rucksack kannst du die Natur<br />
besser genießen! Mehr Auswahl fi n<strong>de</strong>st du unter:<br />
www.fjallraven.<strong>de</strong><br />
Hier fi n<strong>de</strong>st du <strong>de</strong>n Händler in <strong>de</strong>iner Nähe:<br />
KAJKA<br />
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Rucksäcke hervorgebracht.<br />
Heute setzten wir unsere stolze<br />
Tradition fort. Eine <strong>de</strong>r letzten Entwicklungen<br />
ist <strong>de</strong>r Kajka. Dieser<br />
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angepasste Rucksack ist perfekt für<br />
Trekkingtouren und Reisen und hat<br />
ein ganzes System von Entlastungspunkten.<br />
Da sich Körperbau und<br />
Größe bei Männern, Frauen und<br />
Kin<strong>de</strong>rn unterschei<strong>de</strong>n, haben wir<br />
unterschiedliche Mo<strong>de</strong>lle entwickelt.<br />
Teste ihn und du wirst sehen warum!<br />
Kajka Junior 20L<br />
Gewicht 890g, Preis: 89,95 €<br />
Material: Vinylon F<br />
Kajka Herren 75L<br />
Gewicht: 3050g, Preis: 299,95 €<br />
Kajka Damen 65L<br />
Gewicht: 2900g, Preis: 289,95 €<br />
2011<br />
Gear of the Year<br />
2. PLATZ<br />
Rucksäcke<br />
FJÄLLRÄVEN<br />
KAJKA 75<br />
01067 Dres<strong>de</strong>n Globetrotter Ausrüstungen 01277 Dres<strong>de</strong>n Pik Ardie 04103 Leipzig Tapir 08056 Zwickau Der Navigator 10179 Berlin Camp4 10437 Berlin Der Aussteiger 12165 Berlin Globetrotter Ausrüstungen 12459<br />
Berlin Peak 18055 Rostock Nordcamp 22305 Hamburg Globetrotter Ausrüstungen 23552 Lübeck Globecamp 24103 Kiel Reiseshop 24103 Kiel Unterwegs 24105 Kiel Extratour 24937 Flensburg TUM-Trekking&mehr 26122<br />
Ol<strong>de</strong>nburg Unterwegs 26382 Wilhelmshaven Unterwegs Reiseausrüstung 26441 Jever Draußen Unterwegs 26603 Aurich Draußen Unterwegs 28195 Bremen Quo Vadis - Alles für <strong>de</strong>n Rucksack 28195 Bremen Unterwegs<br />
Orange 28195 Bremen Unterwegs Trekking&mehr 29221 Celle Unterwegs 29556 Su<strong>de</strong>rburg Wildnissport 30159 Hannover Blue Sky 30159 Hannover Sachen für Unterwegs 32423 Min<strong>de</strong>n Weltenbummler 32791 Lage Hund<br />
& Halter 33428 Gre en Outdoor Shop Fjällräven 33602 Bielefeld Globetrotter Camp 33602 Bielefeld Unterwegs 35037 Marburg Tapir - <strong>de</strong>r Outdoor-Store 35390 Gießen Tapir - <strong>de</strong>r Outdoor-Store 36037 Fulda Auf&Davon<br />
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Magic Mount 45131 Essen Insi<strong>de</strong>r-Traveller 45475 Mülheim a.d.R. Intersport Pro markt Mülheim 45549 Sprockhövel Die Berghütte 45721 Haltern am See Nelke Outdoor 45891 Gelsenkirchen Trekking Star 46286<br />
Dorsten Up &Away 47051 Duisburg Watzmann La<strong>de</strong>n 47533 Kleve Intersport Pro markt Kleve 48143 Münster Bergsport Sun<strong>de</strong>rmann 48143 Münster Terracamp 48143 Münster Unterwegs Outdoor 48153 Münster Rucksack<br />
Oase 48163 Münster Terracamp 48653 Coesfeld Nelke Outdoor 49074 Osnabrück Bewatrek 49377 Vechta Rucksack.<strong>de</strong> 50667 Köln Globetrotter Ausrüstungen 50679 Köln-Deutz Blackfoot Outdoor 52062 Aachen Sport<br />
Gruber 52062 Aachen Sport Spezial 53111 Bonn Steppenwolf 53119 Bonn Globetrotter Ausrüstungen 53879 Euskirchen Outdoor- Hauschke 53937 Schlei<strong>de</strong>n Sport Team 55116 Mainz Sine, <strong>de</strong>r außergewöhnliche Ausrüster<br />
57072 Siegen Feinbier unterwegs 57299 Burbach PM Outdoor 57462 Olpe-Dahl Buchen`s GmbH 58332 Schwelm Out Fit 58706 Men<strong>de</strong>n Magic Mount 58710 Men<strong>de</strong>n Querweltein Men<strong>de</strong>n 59755 Arnsberg-Neheim Wind &<br />
Wetter 59955 Winterberg Peter O. 842 64289 Darmstadt Kleine Fluchten 70173 Stuttgart Woick Travel Store 70174 Stuttgart LARCA Sportartikel 70794 Fil<strong>de</strong>rstadt Woick Travel Center 72138 Kirchentellinsfurt Bergfreun<strong>de</strong><br />
73728 Esslingen Wan<strong>de</strong>rvogel 74366 Kirchheim/N. Herzog 79102 Freiburg Sport Kiefer 80331 München Sport Schuster 80333 München Därr Expeditionsservice 83734 Hausham Bekleidungshaus Danzer 85049 Ingolstadt<br />
Sport In 88131 Lindau Wesarg´s Company 89129 Langenau SüdWest 92237 Sulzbach-Rosenb. Sportcamp Kanu&Trekking 92421 Schwandorf Stöckl - Der Outdoorla<strong>de</strong>n 93047 Regensburg Cancu 93086 Wörth Der Ausrüster<br />
94032 Passau Ausrüster 94032 Passau Pritz Globetrotter 94315 Straubing Ausrüster
30 News News 31<br />
Globetrotter managers Thomas Lipke (left) and Andreas Bartmann (right) present Herbert Horelt with the award.<br />
»Lots to celebrate«<br />
The Globetrotter award »Supplier of the Year« is highly coveted in the industry and rather unknown to<br />
customers even though they benefit most from perfect service and excellent teamwork behind the scenes.<br />
4-<strong>Seasons</strong> talked to Herbert Horelt, manager of Haglöfs in Germany, and award winner <strong>2012</strong>.<br />
Herbert, at the Outdoor Tra<strong>de</strong> Fair in Friedrichshafen,<br />
a 20-strong <strong>de</strong>legation from<br />
Globetrotter came to the Haglöfs stand and<br />
congratulated you with a thun<strong>de</strong>rous<br />
applause. You looked a bit confused…<br />
In<strong>de</strong>ed. I felt very honoured that our effort<br />
had come to fruition. You don’t just<br />
become »Supplier of the Year« at Globetrotter,<br />
the cooperation has to work on the<br />
long term and on every level.<br />
And yet, Haglöfs Germany has not been on<br />
the market for too long…<br />
Haglöfs is a tradition Swedish company,<br />
but Haglöfs Germany GmbH only started in<br />
2003 taking responsibility for the specialist<br />
retailers of sports and outdoor goods in<br />
Germany and Austria. Nowadays, Germany<br />
is one of the most important export mar-<br />
kets for Haglöfs. The Globetrotter award<br />
shows us that we are doing a good job. We<br />
are proud of it.<br />
What do you have to do especially well to<br />
become »Supplier of the Year«?<br />
The right products have to be at the right<br />
place at the right time. Sounds simple, is<br />
sometimes a bit tricky though.<br />
Let’s start from the beginning…<br />
The run-up takes up to two years. At the<br />
beginning we have the production <strong>de</strong>velopment.<br />
Prototypes get ma<strong>de</strong> and tested by<br />
»Haglöfs‘ friends« like mountaineers, professional<br />
skiers, expedition participants.<br />
Lots of things have to be changed and<br />
improved until you finally introduce the<br />
sample to the retailer. Half a year before<br />
the sale date, the retailer <strong>de</strong>ci<strong>de</strong>s what to<br />
inclu<strong>de</strong> in their range.<br />
An exciting date, isn’t it?<br />
Oh yes. Of course we have roughly an i<strong>de</strong>a<br />
which items from the collection they might<br />
choose. Sometimes products are chosen<br />
that we had not expected. The experience<br />
of the Globetrotter purchasing team helps<br />
tremendously.<br />
So, you start producing the or<strong>de</strong>red products<br />
straight away?<br />
We produce even more to ensure availability.<br />
We usually keep a reserve for Globetrotter<br />
so that customers will not stand in<br />
front of empty shelves in case everything<br />
gets sold out quicker than expected. The<br />
i<strong>de</strong>al situation is that all sizes and colours<br />
Photo: Michael Neumann<br />
are available from season’s start to<br />
season’s end. It is a logistical challenge,<br />
because apart from production, there are<br />
also factors like transportation or the <strong>de</strong>livery<br />
of material from Gore-Tex, for example.<br />
Only one mistake in the chain and you’re<br />
already too late…<br />
The »Supplier of the Year« is also supposed<br />
to be accommodating and customer<br />
friendly. What does this mean?<br />
It pretty much means able to attend to problems<br />
and requests immediately. Items for<br />
which justified complaints are ma<strong>de</strong> will<br />
be replaced in the shop without any trouble<br />
and sent back to us for examination. Even<br />
in bor<strong>de</strong>r-line cases we usually <strong>de</strong>ci<strong>de</strong> in<br />
favour of the customer. And if somebody<br />
has torn his favourite jacket, we help and<br />
repair it at cost price.<br />
Haglöfs is currently set up at the special<br />
spot in the store in Dres<strong>de</strong>n and from<br />
DER NEUE SUMMIT<br />
KATALOG 2013<br />
Im Oktober eröff net <strong>de</strong>r DAV Summit Club wie<strong>de</strong>r<br />
die alpine Wintersaison sowie das Bergjahr 2013.<br />
Unser neuer Katalog erscheint Anfang Oktober.<br />
Bestellen Sie jetzt <strong>de</strong>n Katalog auf unserer Webseite<br />
o<strong>de</strong>r per Telefon unter 089 / 642 40-0.<br />
Ent<strong>de</strong>cken Sie zahlreiche neue Programme<br />
weltweit und in <strong>de</strong>n Alpen. Wir haben wie<strong>de</strong>r<br />
Reisen in bester Summit Qualität aufgelegt.<br />
Sensibler Umgang mit <strong>de</strong>r Natur und ein<br />
vorbildliches Sicherheitskonzept prägen die<br />
Programme. Bestens ausgebil<strong>de</strong>te Bergführer<br />
und Reiseleiter begleiten Sie auf <strong>de</strong>n Reisen.<br />
DDAV<br />
Summit Club Gmb<br />
BBergsteigerschule<br />
<strong>de</strong>s<br />
DDeutschen<br />
Alpenvereins<br />
AAm<br />
Perlacher Forst 186<br />
881545<br />
München<br />
TTelefon<br />
+49 89 64240-0<br />
wwww.dav-summit-club.<strong>de</strong><br />
Strong in<br />
the rucksack<br />
segment too:<br />
Haglöfs from<br />
Swe<strong>de</strong>n.<br />
March 2013 in Munich. What are the<br />
rewards for you?<br />
We can display a broa<strong>de</strong>r range and present<br />
the whole range of the Haglöfs brand<br />
at a glance. Additionally, Haglöfs Germany<br />
celebrates its ten-year jubilee in 2013,<br />
Haglöfs Swe<strong>de</strong>n even turns 100 years in<br />
2014. There’s lots to celebrate!<br />
Two years ago, Haglöfs was taken over by<br />
The story of Haglöfs: 4-seasons.<strong>de</strong>/magazinartikel/die-hagloefs-story-weniger-ist-mehr<br />
3%<br />
Frühbucherrabatt<br />
sichern!<br />
Bei Buchung bis<br />
30.11.<strong>2012</strong><br />
At home in Allgäu<br />
Herbert Horelt (48) was born in<br />
Allgäu and is an old hand in the<br />
outdoor industry. When Haglöfs<br />
Germany was looking for a<br />
location, it was not a difficult<br />
question for the skier and kayaker: Kempten; mountains,<br />
lakes and rivers are right on the doorstep.<br />
the Japanese sports group Asics. Will<br />
customers notice the change?<br />
Haglöfs continues to operate in<strong>de</strong>pen<strong>de</strong>ntly<br />
but benefits from production and know-how.<br />
A nice example is our trail running shoe:<br />
Haglöfs has 150 employees worldwi<strong>de</strong><br />
whilst Asics employs distinctly more people<br />
alone in the area of the outsole. It was great<br />
to receive new tips. If, then our cooperation<br />
will be noticed in a positive way.<br />
32<br />
News<br />
Photography competition #12:<br />
»Indian summer«<br />
Colourful leaves, clear light: Before winter comes and holds the magazine in its cold hands, the<br />
Indian summer gives us time for a last rush of colour. Congratulation to the winners!<br />
1st<br />
prize<br />
Gold rush at the foot of the mountain chain Dallas Divi<strong>de</strong> in the Rocky Mountains, Colorado, USA. Photo: Isa Platzer<br />
»Whoever wants to experience the real Indian summer<br />
has to go to North America – Isa Platzer probably knew<br />
that. Her photo captures the atmosphere perfectly. The<br />
Next photo competition:<br />
»Living the winter dream«<br />
different colours create structure and <strong>de</strong>pth. It <strong>de</strong>picts<br />
splendidly the seamless change of the seasons. Congratulations<br />
on that shot!« Philip Baues, 4-<strong>Seasons</strong> editor<br />
You prefer to dream in an igloo? Of the next snowball fight? Or<br />
laying on a beach un<strong>de</strong>r palm trees? No matter what you are dreaming<br />
of – we look forward to your photos! Submission <strong>de</strong>adline:<br />
20 January 2013. All information on 4-seasons.<strong>de</strong>/foto.<br />
2nd<br />
prize<br />
3rd<br />
prize<br />
Indian summer XXS: Leaf and<br />
acorn show autumn’s best si<strong>de</strong>.<br />
Photo: Ben Vetter<br />
»You couldn’t have nailed the theme any better<br />
with a macro. The acorn, autumn’s fruit, and<br />
the colourful leaves: the photographer composed<br />
it successfully. It <strong>de</strong>scribes the theme<br />
perfectly without words.«<br />
Sebastian Lüke, 4-<strong>Seasons</strong> editor<br />
A beautiful rear can also en<strong>de</strong>ar. In<br />
a sea of colour at an unknown place.<br />
Photo: Fritz Gottschalk<br />
»The cow elk probably does not mind which<br />
colour her food is. Her excursion into the<br />
autumnal un<strong>de</strong>rbrush was just what the<br />
photo grapher must have been waiting for.<br />
Great timing and composition!«<br />
Ingo Wilhelm, 4-<strong>Seasons</strong> editor<br />
BUFF® is a registered tra<strong>de</strong>mark property of Original Buff, S.A. (Spain)<br />
www.buff.<strong>de</strong>
34<br />
Aktuell<br />
The east is on the up<br />
You do not have to go to the Alps to learn how to go on a ski tour –<br />
thanks to Dynafit and Globetrotter Dres<strong>de</strong>n.<br />
The trend sport of ski touring ma<strong>de</strong> its way<br />
up and across the Danube ages ago. Until<br />
now, anybody not living close to the Alps,<br />
and wanting to learn everything necessary<br />
about ski touring, had to invest a minimum<br />
of one long weekend. But from this winter<br />
on, Germans in the east of the country will<br />
find training at their doorstep. As soon as the<br />
first snow falls, a cross-country ski-touring<br />
training route will open at the top of the 869<br />
metre high Bournak Mountain (German:<br />
»Stürmer« which means stormer) in the<br />
Czech area of the eastern Ore Mountains. The<br />
Dynafit company has teamed up with local<br />
DR. TOMAS JELINEK: HEALTH TIPS FOR GLOBETROTTERS<br />
House of mouse – and hantaviruses!<br />
Rising numbers of infections, and a mass<br />
infection in Yosemite National Park – the<br />
hantaviruses hit the headlines this year.<br />
How dangerous is it really?<br />
Hantaviruses can cause a severe feverish<br />
condition including infection of the lungs<br />
and kidneys. Some patients spend long<br />
periods in intensive care. If not treated, the<br />
condition can lead to <strong>de</strong>ath, but in reality<br />
less than one percent of infected people<br />
die each year in Europe. The virus generally<br />
appears in the northern hemisphere.<br />
Dr. Jelinek leads Berlin’s centre for travel and tropical medicine (bctropen.<strong>de</strong>).<br />
partners in Ruh polding and Partenkirchen<br />
and already established two educational<br />
trails. Now the Saxons and their Czech<br />
The infection is transmitted by breathing<br />
in dust contaminated by faecal or urinal<br />
<strong>de</strong>posits from mice or rats. An overnight<br />
stay outsi<strong>de</strong> in a tent can also cause an<br />
infection (see Yosemite).<br />
In Germany, 2,261 causes were reported<br />
this year till the end of August, last year it<br />
was only 305. Especially Ba<strong>de</strong>n-Württemberg<br />
appears to be a risk area. The hantaviruses<br />
get spread mostly by bank voles.<br />
There has been a plague of mice in <strong>2012</strong> –<br />
probably the reason for the rising number<br />
The info displays<br />
feature drawings<br />
illustrating the<br />
technique.<br />
neighbours can enjoy something similar.<br />
The educational trail starts at the parking<br />
spot in Mikulov and takes you up a total<br />
height of 300 metres. Information signs at<br />
ten stations explain the necessary know-how<br />
for people ski touring – from avalanche theories<br />
to the kick turn and on to environmentally-friendly<br />
ski mountaineering. Everything<br />
is bilingual by the way, in German and<br />
Czech. If you are not a big fan of self-studying,<br />
you can always take the educational<br />
trail accompanied by a ski touring gui<strong>de</strong>.<br />
And by the way, the Globetrotter store in<br />
Dres<strong>de</strong>n is renting test material by Dynafit.<br />
Mark 10 and 11 January 2013 in your calendar<br />
if you are keen on ski touring. Globe trotter<br />
Dres<strong>de</strong>n will host the sixth Globetrotter Ski<br />
Touring Days. Part of the program of events<br />
is a ski touring test on the Geising Mountain<br />
and a presentation of the »Dynafit Alpine<br />
Athlete Film Tour«. Find more information<br />
Eight info displays along the route. on: globetrotter-events.<strong>de</strong>.<br />
<<br />
of infections. There is no vaccination<br />
against hantaviruses. To prevent an infection,<br />
you can only take precautions:<br />
• Avoid direct contact with ro<strong>de</strong>nts<br />
• Store food on a camping trip so it does<br />
not attract animals<br />
• Eradicate mice in the home or gar<strong>de</strong>n<br />
shed<br />
• Wear gloves and a mask as an extra precaution<br />
if pru<strong>de</strong>nt<br />
• Spray <strong>de</strong>ad mice and excrement with disinfectant<br />
before removal.<br />
<<br />
www.teva.tatonka.com<br />
JORDANELLE<br />
STORIES ARE THE<br />
PROOF OF LIFE.<br />
Teva-Vertrieb Deutschland und Österreich: Tatonka GmbH · Robert-Bosch-Str. 3 · D-86451 Dasing<br />
Tel.: + 49 8205 9602-0 · Fax: -30 · info@tatonka.com
36<br />
News<br />
Globetrotter apprentices bring fun<br />
The Globetrotter apprentices from Munich took a moving<br />
break from their bicycle tour to the outdoor tra<strong>de</strong> fair:<br />
they stopped at an SOS Children’s Village.<br />
Bassitou (left, in the picture), an 18 year<br />
old Togolese, is doing an apprenticeship at<br />
Globetrotter to become a trained retail<br />
salesman. He is happy when he thinks<br />
back to his time at the SOS Children’s Village<br />
in Diessen on Lake Ammer, his home<br />
until a year ago. As a way of saying thank<br />
you, Bassitou and his three apprentice<br />
Itchy feet every month<br />
New calendars for your wall –<br />
»Mountain-Elements« will show<br />
you colourful outdoors and exciting<br />
action the whole year long.<br />
No matter which one is your hobbyhorse,<br />
here comes the perfect supplement to your<br />
outdoor year 2013. The seven themed<br />
calendars are about cycling, paddling, pow<strong>de</strong>ring,<br />
climbing and hiking – of course in<br />
the most impressive landscapes worldwi<strong>de</strong>.<br />
An overview of the motives can be found on<br />
mountain-elements.<strong>de</strong>, a display copy is<br />
available in the Globetrotter store. You can<br />
or<strong>de</strong>r the wall <strong>de</strong>coration in oversize (67 x<br />
47 cm, 27.90 €. Exception: Best of Touring<br />
43 x 30 cm, 17.90 €) online at globetrotter.<strong>de</strong>.<br />
<<br />
colleagues from Munich cycled to Diessen<br />
in July to offer the girls and boys a full day<br />
of outdoor fun.<br />
The apprentices were on their way to the<br />
outdoor tra<strong>de</strong> fair in Friedrichshafen as<br />
part of their apprentice tour. On such<br />
tours, future Globetrotter experts test<br />
material in the field, everything from tent<br />
2013<br />
best best best of of of<br />
touring touring<br />
2013<br />
EDITION MOUNTAIN-ELEMENTS BY<br />
best best best best of of of of<br />
mountain mountain mountain bike bike bike<br />
EDITION MOUNTAIN-ELEMENTS BY<br />
EDITION MOUNTAIN-ELEMENTS BY<br />
best best best best of of of of<br />
M A G A Z I N<br />
2013<br />
Gosausee, Salzkammergut, Österreich · Photo: Michael Neumann<br />
outdoor outdoor outdoor<br />
Liabygda, Norway • Photo: Mattias Fredriksson<br />
2013<br />
to bicycle trailer. »Even ten kilometres<br />
outsi<strong>de</strong> Diessen, Bassitou was already<br />
being greeted by people who recognized<br />
him.«, remembers the trainer Arnhild<br />
Witte with a smile.<br />
The apprentices built an activity course<br />
with nine different stations positioned all<br />
over the Children’s Village. The children,<br />
age 5 to 17, had to team up, try to balance<br />
on a slackline and – well protected – climb<br />
up a pine. In the evening they enjoyed a<br />
BBQ before the apprentices cycled on to<br />
Lake Constance the next morning. <<br />
Canyonlands National Park, Utah, USA · Photo: PatitucciPhoto.com<br />
white<br />
water<br />
edition mountain-elements<br />
Doing your wall a favour: The new<br />
outdoor calendars for 2013 are now<br />
available in all Globetrotter stores.<br />
Hid<strong>de</strong>n Creek, Japan · Paddler: Shon Bollock · Photo: Darin McQoid
38 News News 39<br />
A vision<br />
takes roots<br />
INVOLVED<br />
The foundations for the Globetrotter Vision Forest in Costa Rica have<br />
been laid: the 20,000 trees are in the ground. But they still have to be<br />
taken care of by the tree specialists due to the weather and the ants.<br />
The employees moved into their new shared houses.<br />
Globetrotter Ausrüstung has taken a<br />
big step towards their goal! The<br />
20,000 freshly planted trees guarantee<br />
climate-neutral shipping of customer<br />
or<strong>de</strong>rs for the next years (4-<strong>Seasons</strong><br />
reported previously). The seedlings had<br />
been growing for many months in a tree<br />
school. Now, the employees have planted<br />
all the young trees into the ground in Costa<br />
Rica. A vision takes roots. Or as you would<br />
say in the latest Globetrotter store in<br />
Munich: It’s not only o’zapft (official opening<br />
expression at Munich’s Octoberfest<br />
when the beer is ready to pull) but<br />
o’planted!<br />
However, the current weather does not<br />
evoke any feeling of Octoberfest. There has<br />
been continuous rain for days, which is not<br />
too unusual for this time of the year. This<br />
year though, the wet season has had a<br />
crazy rhythm: two days of total dryness so<br />
the little trees almost die of thirst; then<br />
such strong rain that they almost float<br />
away. The tree-min<strong>de</strong>rs answer: Instead of<br />
pulling up weeds before planting, they<br />
leave them to act as protection against sun<br />
and erosion. Now, all the almendros, cebos<br />
and the other types of trees just have to<br />
grow tall and strong so they can save many<br />
thousand tonnes of CO2. But growth is not<br />
quite that easy.<br />
Leaf-cutting ants make firewood out of the<br />
ten<strong>de</strong>r mini trees, many seedlings already<br />
had to be replaced. The workers now wrap<br />
glue bands around the trunks basically like<br />
a lifebelt against the ants. It is an expensive<br />
and exhausting fight because the glue<br />
bands have to be taken off and re-fit regularly<br />
to make sure tree growth is not<br />
affected. Luckily a natural enemy was<br />
sighted in the Vision Forest: a silky anteater.<br />
Maybe <strong>de</strong>corative plants will help too<br />
as ants do not like them at all. Such plants<br />
are now <strong>de</strong>corating the entries to their<br />
nests in the hope they will move house…<br />
Despite all the setbacks, the good news is<br />
gaining the upper hand. The shared<br />
houses are now finished. The ten workers,<br />
whose families often live far away, can now<br />
eat together regularly and spend time<br />
together in the evenings. For lack of power<br />
there is no television, so Stefan Pröstler,<br />
manager of the fosterer company Puro-<br />
Ver<strong>de</strong>, likes to play the role of the film<br />
<strong>de</strong>monstrator: He shows films about environmental<br />
protection and alternative economic<br />
systems on his laptop and beamer.<br />
Educational television in Vision Forest –<br />
that will yield fruit!<br />
<<br />
All the 20,000 seedlings for the Globetrotter Vision Forest have been planted.<br />
Find out more about the background and information on 4-seasons.<strong>de</strong>/visionswald<br />
Photos: Quer<strong>de</strong>nker GmbH<br />
From ad to accessory<br />
INVOLVED<br />
Workers at a day care centre turned unwanted advertisement posters<br />
from the Globetrotter stores into pretty bags.<br />
In the Globetrotter store in Cologne, twice a<br />
year all the posters get changed in the 18<br />
shop windows. And there are more banners<br />
insi<strong>de</strong> the store. The posters, ma<strong>de</strong> of vinyl<br />
or thin Airtech, show outdoor motives and<br />
feature original slogans on them – it would<br />
be pity to throw them away! So now, the<br />
stores hand their old banners over to the day<br />
care centre Alsterdorf Assistenz. The<br />
employees sew up pretty carrier bags and<br />
suchlike from the poster material. Moreover,<br />
Globetrotter has donated new sewing<br />
machines to the social institution. As soon<br />
as enough bags are available, Globetrotter<br />
will organize a sales promotion. If the<br />
posters can attract attention in a shop window,<br />
then surely they will attract attention<br />
KATEGORIE <strong>WINTER</strong> | FJÄLL EXTREME GTX ®<br />
Technischer Stiefel für herbes Wintertrekking<br />
und Schneeschuhtouren. Dank herausnehmbarem<br />
Schnür-Thermo-Innenschuh beson<strong>de</strong>rs warm<br />
und komfortabel. Die HANWAG IceGrip Sohle<br />
sorgt für sicheres Gehen auf Eis und Schnee.<br />
as a bag on the shoul<strong>de</strong>r of a customer. Iris<br />
Tews, responsible for donations at Globetrotter,<br />
is <strong>de</strong>lighted with the arrangement:<br />
»Thanks to this project, we can interface<br />
environmental protection and social<br />
responsibility.« <<br />
„WIE GUT ES EINEM GEHT,<br />
WEISS MAN AM BESTEN,<br />
WENN MAN SCHNEE UND<br />
KÄLTE KENNT...“<br />
„VOR MEINER HAUSTÜR<br />
GIBT ES DAVON REICHLICH!“<br />
HANWAG ProTeam: Till Gottbrath<br />
Im Chiemgau zu Hause<br />
www.hanwag.<strong>de</strong><br />
Banners like these turn<br />
into useful bags.<br />
Photo: Achim Lindner
40<br />
Projects<br />
German<br />
Norwegians in<br />
»Piccolo<br />
Tibet«<br />
What’s going on when German schoolmates dress<br />
like Birkebeiner and drink Scotch Whisky while crossing<br />
Abruzzo in Italy? A multicultural tour?<br />
Text: Ingo Wilhelm | Photos: Stefan Rosenboom<br />
Projects<br />
41
42 Projects<br />
Hardangervidda? No, it is a high plateau in Italy called Campo Imperatore.<br />
A Scandinavian adventure in southern Europe – that’s what photographer<br />
Stefan Rosenboom promised his five friends from the old school days.<br />
Projects<br />
43
44 Projects<br />
Projects<br />
45<br />
The German adventurers from the Fe<strong>de</strong>ral State of Hessen<br />
grew beards, wore Norwegian retro clothes and enjoyed<br />
the outdoors.<br />
Lads night out in<br />
the tent.<br />
Tea kitchen in front of the ruins of a Benedictine abbey. Photo below right: The ruins of a ski hotel.
46 Projects<br />
»In eight days we didn’t<br />
meet a human soul. Only<br />
wolves crossed our path.«<br />
Storm-proof campground in a former ski-lift station.<br />
Priceless (above left): the<br />
view of the Corno Gran<strong>de</strong><br />
(2,912 metres).<br />
Impassable (below left):<br />
the road across the plateau<br />
is closed in winter.<br />
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jetzt die Topo Deutschland <strong>2012</strong> Pro MicroSD Karte für nur<br />
49,– Euro statt UVP 199,– für die Vollversion.<br />
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Projects<br />
A<br />
few years ago, on skis they pulled their luggage on sledges<br />
across the snow-covered Hardangervidda. Last autumn,<br />
Stefan promised a Scandinavian treat in southern Europe<br />
to the mates he knows from his good-old school days: he wanted to<br />
cross the high plateaux in Abruzzo on skis. The Campo Imperatore<br />
is 1,600 metres high and on the same latitu<strong>de</strong> as Rome. »Will<br />
there be snow?«, was the worry on the one si<strong>de</strong>. »Won‘t there be<br />
too many people?«, was the suspicion on the other.<br />
»There was enough snow alright«, says Stefan. »And during the<br />
first eight days we didn’t meet a soul.« The Gran Sasso Nationalpark<br />
is one of the last wil<strong>de</strong>rness areas in southern Europe. The<br />
highest peak Corno Gran<strong>de</strong> stands 2,912 metres above the Mediterranean<br />
Sea. Stefan, who lives near Murnau in Upper Bavaria,<br />
discovered the area a few years ago when he went on a hiking holiday.<br />
»The nativeness in the middle of populated and cultivated Italy<br />
fascinated me«, says the photographer. The Italians call the 80<br />
square kilometre high plateau »Il piccolo Tibet«. It is still hid<strong>de</strong>n<br />
from winter tourism.<br />
Stefan, Rainer, Wolli, Volker, Tom and Jonas, all around the age of<br />
40, look as if they were on tour in Scandinavia wearing nostalgic<br />
outdoor clothes by Norwegian outfitter Bergans. The outfitter’s<br />
tra<strong>de</strong>mark: Birkebeiner, medieval warriors on skis. »When we turned<br />
up at the remote mountain village of Castel <strong>de</strong>l Monte in our plus<br />
fours and fur collars on our jackets, the locals were just celebrating<br />
carnival in the sports hall. We won the first prize in the fancy dress<br />
competition!«<br />
The group of friends moved across the rather flat area partly on<br />
touring skis carrying backpacks, partly on backcountry skis hauling<br />
Pulka sledges. It wasn’t a sports competition, it was more about<br />
being outsi<strong>de</strong> and together. In the evening, they ate expedition<br />
food from a bag and drank Johnnie Walker from a bottle. When<br />
they went into their Lavvo, a communal tent in Sami style, the<br />
Hessian Birkebeiner blew into their kazoos for hours. »It’s amazing<br />
what sound they make«, laughs Stefan. »Perfect to keep the wolves<br />
away.«They repeatedly saw traces of the Roman heraldic animal.<br />
A single wolf plod<strong>de</strong>d through the snow only a few metres away<br />
from the group.<br />
The February sun is so strong at this latitu<strong>de</strong> that Stefan and<br />
friends sometimes only wore t-shirts. However, a snow storm stopped<br />
their expedition for two days and they escaped into a redundant<br />
ski lift station to pitch their tent. Nearby are the ruins of a hotel<br />
which now seems to be not much more than a shelter for sheep.<br />
»The Mafia probably backed the wrong horse«, says Stefan, happy<br />
about the almost untouched nature.<br />
<<br />
Presentation at Globetrotter<br />
You can find a film by Stefan Rosenboom<br />
about the Abruzzo project on 4-seasons.<br />
tv/abruzzen. On 14 November (8 pm), he<br />
will hold a presentation at Globetrotter<br />
Munich about hiking in the Bavarian alps:<br />
Getting started at the carnival in Castel <strong>de</strong>l Monte. Recharging with locals at a bar.<br />
»Wan<strong>de</strong>rungen für alle Jahreszeiten in <strong>de</strong>n<br />
bayerischen Alpen« and about another<br />
one of his photo projects of a farmer’s life<br />
in the Bavarian Forest: »Anni und Alois –<br />
ein Bauernleben im Bayerischen Wald«.<br />
WIR NACHTSPEKTAKEL(N) WIEDER!<br />
ALPENWEITE NACHTSKITOUREN<br />
ZINKENSTÜBERL Dürrnberg – Donnerstag<br />
GORI-ALM Hohenaschau – Donnerstag<br />
DR. HUGO BECK HAUS Jenner – Donnerstag<br />
STAHLHAUS Schönau a. Königssee – Donnerstag<br />
WUHRSTEIN ALM Schleching – Donnerstag<br />
BLOMBERGHAUS Bad Tölz – Dienstag<br />
MIDSOMMER-NÄCHTE ERLEBEN MIT SILVA UND AKTUELLE MOBILE LIGHTS TESTEN! SILVA Runner Stirnlampe<br />
DYNAFIT<br />
WWW.DYNAFIT.COM<br />
BERGBAUDE GEISINGBERG im Erzgebirge – Mittwoch<br />
SONNENALM Füssner Jöchl – Freitag<br />
TEGELBERGHAUS Schwangau – Donnerstag<br />
UNTERNBERG-ALM Ruhpolding – Dienstag/Donnerstag<br />
KOLBENSATTELHÜTTE Oberammergau – Dienstag/Donnerstag<br />
SÖLLERECK Oberstdorf – Donnerstag<br />
OSTLERHÜTTE Pfronten – Mittwoch<br />
STAUFNER HAUS Oberstaufen – Donnerstag<br />
WWW.DYNAFIT.COM • facebook.com/dynafit | SILVA.SE/DE • www.facebook.com/silvateamgermany
50 Travel tip Travel tip 51<br />
Dream trails<br />
Want to go for a long weekend hike? Why not try out one or more of the<br />
74 dreamlike trails called Traumschleifen around the Saar-Hunsrück-Steig.<br />
Impressive rocks<br />
flank the Kasteler<br />
Felsenpfad.<br />
Highlight on the Cloef trail:<br />
the view over the Saarschleife.<br />
Photos: Dominik Ketz (2), Eike Bock, Natalie Glatter<br />
T<br />
empting smells of fresh bread and bacon waft out from the<br />
stone oven in the Schmausemühle near Gon<strong>de</strong>rshausen. No<br />
doubt it being our stop later on. But before that a narrow<br />
trail leads us through the Baybachklamm on a special hiking experience.<br />
The sound of splashing water in the Baybach stream which<br />
we follow takes on a quieter note the further we go uphill. Our<br />
pace lessens as the trail takes on an almost alpine character. It is<br />
not a bad i<strong>de</strong>a to grab the ropes fixed in the rock for support. Every<br />
step is planed from now on. However, it‘s not long before it gets<br />
exciting: a gorge cuts its way down 15 metres to the Baybach. A<br />
waterfall pours down at the first barrage. The most beautiful lookout<br />
is from the Barreterlei on a rocky outcrop. After another climb,<br />
two impressive slate mines mark the turning point back to the<br />
Baybach valley and the nearby restaurant.<br />
There would be nothing better than doing the tour again, if the<br />
next dreamlike tour was not waiting for us in the castle city of<br />
Kastellaun. The city gave the Traumschleifen trail on the Hunsrücker<br />
plateau its name. Lined by mountain ash and dog roses,<br />
the trail soon slips un<strong>de</strong>rneath the beechwood canopy of the<br />
Pfingst forest. A little bit later there is a spot to catch your breath<br />
– especially, if you are hiking with children. The »green classroom«<br />
offers nature education: trees which you can actually open,<br />
a wind-organ and an insect hotel. Coniferous and <strong>de</strong>ciduous<br />
sections of the forest come and go before the trail leads over<br />
fields and meadows. At just the right moment, a bench entices us<br />
to enjoy the view from Soonwald forest to the mountain range 15<br />
kilometres in the distance. The trail then winds forward through<br />
birch trees and then dark pines before a picnic spot reveals itself<br />
at a water lily pond. We find another highlight over the last few<br />
metres when we pass a forest adventure playground with rope<br />
bridges at dizzying heights. It takes a second look to find the trail<br />
which the forestry commission has creatively led through fallen<br />
trees which came down in January 2007 when hurricane Kyrill<br />
<strong>de</strong>vastated the area. It is in<strong>de</strong>ed a climb over hill and dale and<br />
over hedge and ditch to get through all the fallen trees. And you<br />
can‘t help pon<strong>de</strong>ring the power of the storm that simply plucked<br />
the trees and their roots out of the ground.<br />
Journey through time in Hahnenbach valley<br />
The dream trail through Hahnenbach valley (Hahnenbachtaltour)<br />
promises a journey through centuries. Only 10 kilometres long, it<br />
is especially family friendly. You can easily spend a whole day<br />
along the trail because there is so much to see. You can visit the<br />
tourist slate mine Herrenberg and its fossil museum, as well as the<br />
reconstructed Celtic settlement Altenburg only 500 metres further.<br />
There, you reach the highest point of the tour. Passing the<br />
slate heaps in Sinsenberg and the ruin Hellkirch, the castle of<br />
Schmidtburg comes into sight after a steep <strong>de</strong>scent. In his day,<br />
the bandit chief Schin<strong>de</strong>rhannes used to hi<strong>de</strong> in the extensive<br />
grounds of the castle. Further down in Bun<strong>de</strong>nbach, you can eat<br />
freshly caught fish at the restaurant Forellenhof Reinhartsmühle.<br />
And on the last stretch back to the starting point, which crosses a<br />
tunnel in the rocks used for slate transport in days gone by, you<br />
can snatch a few last glimpses of castle Schmidtburg.<br />
The choice for the last tour on the long weekend is not hard to<br />
make: we are hooked by spectacular panorama views and there-<br />
fore <strong>de</strong>ci<strong>de</strong> for the Cloef trail in Saarland. Spectacular – there is<br />
no better word for the postcard view from Cloef down to the Saarschleife<br />
that hugs the narrow spur with Montclair castle. You can<br />
stand here for hours and never get tired of the view. However, if<br />
you want to get to know the Cloef trail, you better start hiking.<br />
While going down-hill through the gorge-like Steinbach Valley Nature<br />
Reserve, the forest clears time and time again to offer another<br />
view of the Saarschleife. On the riverbanks of the Saar we catch<br />
our breath once more before starting the challenging part of the<br />
trail that winds uphill in many serpentines to the viewpoint Cloef.<br />
We accept the challenge: there is nothing better than feeling your<br />
legs burning – and receiving the reward of a beautiful view.<br />
Heidrun Braun<br />
Quaint ridge: the Baybachklamm.<br />
Walking 74 dream trails<br />
General: There are 74 circular routes<br />
around the Saar-Hunsrück-Steig<br />
between Perl in Saarland and Trier<br />
and Boppard in Rhineland-Palatine:<br />
the so-called Traumschleifen (»dream<br />
loops«). They are between 6 and<br />
18 kilometres in length and all<br />
carry the German Hiking Certificate<br />
which guarantees good signs and<br />
trails close to nature. Bizarre rock<br />
formations, spectacular lookouts,<br />
historical castles and secret places<br />
are all part of the trails. There is at<br />
least one hiker-friendly guesthouse<br />
near each tour.<br />
Infos: Hiking maps, brochures and<br />
L U X E M B U R G<br />
Saar<br />
Saar-Hunsrück-Steig<br />
geplante Verlängerung<br />
Mosel<br />
N a t u r p a r k S a a r - H u n s r ück<br />
information: Projektbüro Saar-<br />
Hunsrück-Steig, Phone: +49/068<br />
72/901 81 00, traumschleifen.com,<br />
and Rhineland-Palatine Tourism<br />
GmbH, Phone: +49/02 61/91 52 00,<br />
wan<strong>de</strong>rwun<strong>de</strong>r.info.<br />
F R A N K R E I C H<br />
More at 4-seasons.tv/tz-wan<strong>de</strong>rn.<br />
Cochem<br />
Nahe<br />
Saarlouis<br />
Saarbrücken<br />
Boppard<br />
Rhein<br />
Kastellaun<br />
Rhaunen<br />
Trier<br />
Thalfang 816 Idar-Oberstein<br />
Saarburg<br />
Perl Losheim<br />
Orscholz<br />
St. Wen<strong>de</strong>l<br />
Merzig<br />
0 5 10 km
Riisitunturi National Park, Finland.<br />
Spannen<strong>de</strong> Geschenketipps von Globetrotter<br />
Experten für Ausrüstung- und Reise<br />
unter www.globetrotter.<strong>de</strong>/geschenkeshop<br />
Träume … … schenken.
54<br />
Travel<br />
From hell<br />
to heaven<br />
Text: Stefan Nink | Photos: Franz Marc Frei, Serge Gelabert<br />
Half a world away and yet still part of France: the island<br />
La Réunion in the Indian Ocean. A paradise for all those<br />
who like to hike between jungle and volcanoes.<br />
Travel<br />
55
56<br />
Travel<br />
Don’t tip over the edge: just gaze in amazement<br />
at the »<strong>de</strong>vil’s hole« Trou <strong>de</strong> Fer.<br />
Sometimes, when you are standing still and catching your<br />
breath, when you are slowly calming down, you can hear<br />
the forest. Really, the whole forest – not just the chirping<br />
and twittering birds that has accompanied the hike so far. When<br />
you stand totally still and listen, you can sud<strong>de</strong>nly hear different<br />
noises. There are hums and buzzes, rustles and creakes, whirs,<br />
hisses, creaks and chuckles, and you have no i<strong>de</strong>a who or what<br />
might be responsible for the sound effects. And everything<br />
appears to be getting lou<strong>de</strong>r. More penetrating. More compact.<br />
Just as if the rainforest is moving closer every second, about to<br />
engulf you while you are standing still – that’s how it feels. You can<br />
The waterfalls at the front tumble<br />
300 metres at least.<br />
sud<strong>de</strong>nly see more <strong>de</strong>tails now, <strong>de</strong>tails you simply had not perceived<br />
before: Like drops of water falling everywhere from the leaves.<br />
Like the plants trying to grow above the path. Like drops of water<br />
sparkling in spi<strong>de</strong>rs‘ webs. Moving a few steps forward, a new<br />
sound dominates: water. Rushing water. The sound of water gets<br />
lou<strong>de</strong>r with each step. Sud<strong>de</strong>nly you are on top of a viewpoint, and<br />
in front of you: a panorama that you would normally only see from<br />
a helicopter. From a height of 300 metres, waterfalls crash<br />
straight down into the <strong>de</strong>vil’s hole Trou <strong>de</strong> Fer. They drown out all<br />
the other sounds. Where are we? On the island La Réunion. In the<br />
Indian Ocean. On a hiking trip in the jungle. From the Gîte <strong>de</strong><br />
Bélouve, we went up 500 steaming metres to the Sentier <strong>de</strong><br />
l’École Normale, and then tramped through a swamp and further<br />
along a mountain path to get to this spot. ><br />
Perfect spot to loosen-up stiff legs.<br />
Travel 57
58<br />
Travel<br />
It does not only look spectacular, it is: Canyoning. The island also offers easy tours for beginners.<br />
The eruption of the Piton <strong>de</strong> la Fournaise is a fiery spectacle and at the same time a restart for nature.<br />
Before we hit the trail again, here’s a brief<br />
overview: The full name of La Réunion is Île<br />
<strong>de</strong> la Réunion, it is a so-called French overseas<br />
<strong>de</strong>partment and belongs to the EU –<br />
even though it is located in the Indian Ocean.<br />
There are 800,000 locals on the island<br />
which is almost as big as Saarland with its<br />
2,500 square kilometres. In contrast to its<br />
neighbouring island Mauritius, it remains<br />
relatively hid<strong>de</strong>n from the big rush of tourists.<br />
In<strong>de</strong>ed, humans left the island on its<br />
own for quite a long time. It is located so far<br />
away from the sea currents that even sailors<br />
nee<strong>de</strong>d a cyclone to get there and discover<br />
it. The island was uninhabited until the 17th<br />
century. Later on, French settlers arrived<br />
bringing slaves from Madagascar, East Africa<br />
and India to work on their plantations. La<br />
Réunion remains basically unchanged,<br />
unimpressed by civilisation that arrived 400<br />
years ago. Still untamed and somewhat wild.<br />
And that is what makes it so invitingly fascinating.<br />
A setting for Jurassic Park<br />
Two or three kilometres off the coast are<br />
enough and it seems like the island was the<br />
setting for Jurassic Park: heavily vegetated,<br />
dark green and steaming dampness, a country<br />
In cooperation with the travel agency Brandner and Air<br />
Austral, 4-<strong>Seasons</strong> has an eleven-day hiking trip at La<br />
Réunion for two people to give away. All you have to do<br />
is to answer three questions about the island. Find the<br />
competition (submission <strong>de</strong>adline: 15 December <strong>2012</strong>)<br />
and many more tips and information about the island<br />
on 4-seasons.<strong>de</strong>/la-reunion. In addition, two »La<br />
Réunion evenings« will take place for GlobetrotterCard<br />
hol<strong>de</strong>rs in the Globetrotter stores Frankfurt (19.11.)<br />
and Munich (22.11.). Not only an exciting presentation<br />
and culinary temptations are on offer, you will be<br />
welcomed by a hiking and trekking expert who has<br />
Win a trip to La Réunion<br />
of flanks, edges and steep gorges. A country<br />
that is ma<strong>de</strong> for mountain biking. Or for canyoning.<br />
Rafting. Kayaking. Mostly it is a<br />
country that is criss-crossed by spectacular<br />
hiking trails. You can move along steep<br />
cliffs, such as between Anse <strong>de</strong>s Casca<strong>de</strong>s<br />
and Pointe Corail, cross breathtaking gorges<br />
between Bord Martin and Les Deux Bras,<br />
and walk through mystique foggy forests like<br />
the Forêt <strong>de</strong> Bélouve. And because you go<br />
constantly up and down here, there‘s always<br />
a new unexpected view: into the vastness,<br />
into the distance where the rugged mountain<br />
si<strong>de</strong>s appear to march into the blue of the<br />
Indian Ocean. The mountains are a trap for<br />
the approaching clouds: often, they get<br />
caught on the mountain summits and ridges<br />
where they hover above the greenery like<br />
candy floss. Of course, birds are always chirping<br />
somewhere, and of course there is<br />
always an exotic scent of flowers drifting<br />
through the air and into your nose. And of<br />
course, you cannot do anything else at such<br />
moments than sigh.<br />
But up on top of Piton <strong>de</strong> la Fournaise there<br />
is no longer any scent of flowers. The Piton<br />
is one of two volcanoes that La Réunion<br />
basically consists of – the other one is the<br />
Piton of Neiges in the centre of the island.<br />
It is quite a hothead, shooting out its ><br />
travelled around the island intensively. The events<br />
are for free. Pre-book by calling the Frankfurt store on<br />
069/434043 or mail at eventsfrankfurt@globetrotter.<br />
<strong>de</strong>, for Munich dial 089/44455570 or send an email<br />
to shop-muenchen@globetrotter. Mention the keyword<br />
»Réunion-Abend«. Seats are limited and are given<br />
away on a first-come first-serve basis.
60 Travel Travel 61<br />
A walk you should not miss is to see the sunrise on the Piton <strong>de</strong>s Neiges.<br />
suppressed energy regularly. Lava then billows and spits out of every<br />
possible hole, oozing towards the ocean as a stringy, glowing syrup.<br />
At the end of the last major eruption a few years ago, the 500,000<br />
square meter crater collapsed and disappeared 300 metres down<br />
insi<strong>de</strong> the volcano.<br />
On the dark si<strong>de</strong> of the moon<br />
Such events only happen every few years, but even on days when it<br />
is totally calm, an eerie atmosphere hangs above the landscape<br />
close to the 2,077 metre high Piton <strong>de</strong> la Fournaise. At other<br />
spots, La Réunion might look like Hawaii. But at the top, amongst<br />
the alien stone and sandy <strong>de</strong>sserts of the volcano, it summons up<br />
images of the dark si<strong>de</strong> of the moon – or if you happen to be a Tolkien<br />
fan – of Mordor. Every sign of life has disappeared in between<br />
the levels of lava, you hear no birds, not even mosquitoes ma<strong>de</strong><br />
their way up top. Instead, the men from the geological institute<br />
were here: After each eruption they carefully renew the trails and<br />
the signposts. For example, the trail to the Cratère Dolomieu. It is<br />
not very light yet, night and day are still scuffling with each other<br />
as usual. The chill of the slowly retreating darkness causes you to<br />
shiver. It is recommen<strong>de</strong>d to start hikes in the area of the volcano<br />
as early as possible. At lunch time, the Passat tra<strong>de</strong> wind likes to<br />
bring clouds which can make orientation difficult. Until then, the<br />
area lies beneath the torrid sun of the Indian Ocean, and after only<br />
half an hour there‘s no longer any chill in the air: On the contrary,<br />
you are already looking forward to the three bottles of water in your<br />
backpack. Hiking near an active volcano is somehow appealing.<br />
Of course you know it is basically safe. And that geologists’ sensors<br />
would feel even the tiniest burp of the mountain resulting in<br />
the immediate closure of the trails if there was any sign danger.<br />
Still, it is a strange feeling. You are more observant than otherwise,<br />
your senses are keen, you notice noises as if something was<br />
about to change. And while walking along, step by step, metre by<br />
metre, you sort of sli<strong>de</strong> into a space bubble where time stops and<br />
the world around you appears to stand still. Until you reach the<br />
<strong>de</strong>stination that is. The crater is awesome! It is so huge you cannot<br />
take it all in with just one single blink of an eye. It looks like a<br />
giant ocean from another planet, but as if somebody has drained<br />
The crater looks like a giant ocean<br />
from another planet.<br />
the water. The wind blows little trails of dust across the ground<br />
and smoke rises from loads of hid<strong>de</strong>n cracks. One day, the volcano<br />
will erupt again and probably <strong>de</strong>stroy this lofty trail. But then,<br />
there will surely be a new one. When the last eruption occurred,<br />
155 million cubic metres of lava oozed into the ocean where they<br />
were of course cooled. It‘s as if an area the size of a resi<strong>de</strong>ntial<br />
neighbourhood has been ad<strong>de</strong>d to the island. To the east, the lava<br />
stream created a new, wild and romantic coastal area: trees and<br />
bushes which had previously blocked the way to the ocean before,<br />
caught fire. When the hot lava and the cool salt water clashed,<br />
previously unknown species of fish were swirled from the <strong>de</strong>pths<br />
of the ocean to the surface. La Réunion is growing. And if we give<br />
the island a few more million years, there will surely be even more<br />
beautiful trails to follow. <<br />
Getting there<br />
Air Austral has daily flights from Paris<br />
Charles <strong>de</strong> Gaulle to La Réunion,<br />
air-austral.<strong>de</strong>.<br />
Accommodation<br />
Hotel Tsilaosa: A popular hiking<br />
hotel in the mountain town Cilaos -<br />
well located for many hiking tracks<br />
in the three valleys around the Piton<br />
<strong>de</strong>s Neiges. Big rooms and helpful<br />
staff. The owner organises wine<br />
tastings in the hotel’s own wine<br />
cellar, tsilaosa.com.<br />
Hiking huts<br />
The hiking huts usually have dorms<br />
as well as double rooms with their<br />
own bathroom. You can and should<br />
pre-book: insel-la-reunion.com.<br />
VECTOR<br />
Leichtgewichtiger Schutz<br />
Hervorragen<strong>de</strong> Belüftung<br />
Unerreichter Komfort<br />
Verstaubares<br />
Einstellungssystem<br />
Saint-Gilles<br />
les Baines<br />
Coordinates for islands bliss<br />
Saint-Paul<br />
Saint-Leu<br />
Le Port<br />
0 5 10 km<br />
St. Denis<br />
Mafate<br />
Salazie<br />
Hell-Bourg<br />
3069 m<br />
Saint-Lois<br />
Cilaos<br />
Saint-Pierre<br />
Hiking<br />
... on your own or gui<strong>de</strong>d with one of<br />
the several companies like Aplanes<br />
which offers hiking trips as well as<br />
canyoning: alpanes.com. Most of the<br />
trips are over one day. However, it is<br />
also possible to go on multiple-day<br />
La Plaine<br />
<strong>de</strong>s Cafres<br />
Saint-André<br />
Piton <strong>de</strong> la<br />
Fournaise<br />
Saint-Joseph<br />
Saint-Benoît<br />
More on 4-seasons.tv/la-reunion.<br />
trips like on the long-distance walking<br />
trails Gran<strong>de</strong> Randonnée R1 and<br />
R2. In total, there are around 1,000<br />
signposted hiking kilometres. The site<br />
reunion-nature.com/Etat-<strong>de</strong>s-Sentiers<br />
is very good for information on the<br />
condition of most of the trails.<br />
Canyoning<br />
The island is simply ma<strong>de</strong> for<br />
canyoning with its vertical cliffs<br />
and waterfalls. Daniel Ducrots Team<br />
gui<strong>de</strong>s groups of max. six persons<br />
(beginners inclu<strong>de</strong>d), canyoningcilaos-reunion.com.<br />
General information<br />
Highly recommen<strong>de</strong>d is the<br />
German travel pocket book<br />
»Réunion« (DuMont travel publishing<br />
house) and »La Réunion: Frankreichs<br />
Wan<strong>de</strong>r paradies im Indischen<br />
Ozean« by the Bergverlag Rother. Get<br />
useful travel information and hiking<br />
brochures from the visitor centre<br />
of the island La Réunion,<br />
phone: 0049 069/97 59 04 94,<br />
insel-la-reunion.com.
62<br />
Loyalty cards<br />
Lucky cards<br />
If you have the GlobetrotterCard you will receive free postal <strong>de</strong>livery of 4<strong>Seasons</strong> – and earn bonus points (in<br />
the form of GlobePoints) at the same time: Loyalty card hol<strong>de</strong>rs save up to 10 percent on a sale. And on top<br />
there are contests and more benefits – for free. Your GlobetrotterCard is your ticket to exclusive events, like the<br />
ones introduced on theses pages. More information on the card as well as the online or<strong>de</strong>r form can be found on<br />
www.globetrotter.<strong>de</strong>/kun<strong>de</strong>nkarte. Customer service: phone +49 40 67 96 62 82.<br />
Italian for alpinists<br />
Cortina d’Ampezzo – a town that promises mountain<br />
experiences in the gorgeous setting of the Dolomites.<br />
And the promise was kept.<br />
In mid July, the six winners of the »Climb & Ri<strong>de</strong> Workshop« spent<br />
three days in Cortina climbing a via ferrata and mountain biking.<br />
One of the first Italian words they learnt was »Pioggia« because<br />
there was rain in the morning. And the next lesson: »palestra<br />
d’arrampicata«, meaning: indoor climbing hall. The perfect alternative<br />
to improve one’s climbing skills on a rainy morning.<br />
In the afternoon the rain clouds disappeared and the winners<br />
saddled their mountain bikes to let off steam on an impressive<br />
Moving pictures from a moving experience: 4-seasons.tv/globetrottercard-events.<br />
Yes, obviously<br />
the winners had<br />
great fun.<br />
tour. There was even time for a short via ferrata in between »caffè«<br />
and »pasta«. »Veramente divertente!« So much fun!<br />
New day, new luck. Today, a »Via Ferrata« is on the action plan.<br />
The Italian expression for »iron road« means the same worldwi<strong>de</strong>:<br />
a climbing route equipped with fixed iron cables and lad<strong>de</strong>rs. It‘s<br />
no surprise the expression originated in Italy judging by the fantastic<br />
»iron trails« on the Monte Faloria. When the winners got off<br />
the cable car, fog engulfed them. Lucky that the via ferrata is safe<br />
to climb even in foggy wet conditions. Up the top, the »O sole mio«<br />
was shining illuminating, a brilliant panorama<br />
of the Dolomites. Could it get any bet ter?<br />
Sure: Going downhill on the mountain bikes<br />
that had been brought up in the cable car!<br />
Cortina »che bella«!<br />
< cortina.dolomiti.org<br />
Photo: Sonja Bachmeier<br />
Photo: Lukas Kaiser<br />
Adventure at home with Andreas Kieling<br />
Two families spend a weekend with<br />
the famous animal filmmaker.<br />
What an opportunity: the possibility to spend two<br />
days with Andreas Kieling, who others have only<br />
seen on television, and to see the world through<br />
At Salewa’s Via Ferrata event, a winning<br />
family learned how even the little ones<br />
can climb safely.<br />
Scrambling with children<br />
Should children be allowed on via ferrata? This<br />
question has been the subject of heated discussion<br />
ever since the standard via ferrata climbing<br />
sets proved to be unsuitable for children. Often,<br />
parents have to secure their young ones separately.<br />
Exactly this subject was on the agenda of<br />
the »Click and Climb« course, part of Salewa’s<br />
Via Ferrata event, which took place for the<br />
second time in Schönau am Königssee at the<br />
beginning of July. Another lesson for the winning<br />
family of the Loyalty Card event: How can you<br />
evaluate the risk of children on a via ferrata? On<br />
the second day, after all the theory, they trotted<br />
off with gui<strong>de</strong> Hannes to Isidor, the via ferrata on<br />
the Grünstein. There is a beginners route – perfect<br />
for families – and an advanced climb with<br />
an overhang. Both routes share a fun rope bridge<br />
and a beautiful view over the Königssee and to<br />
the Watzmann. Hannes offered advice along the<br />
his eyes! Kieling’s adopted area, the Eifel, offers<br />
heaps of space for animals – many, and special<br />
ones too. So, how do the Nürnburgring and<br />
reclusive animals fit together in the same area?<br />
There was a lot to discover for both families –<br />
from lizards to newts, from herons to trout and<br />
<strong>de</strong>er.<br />
<<br />
Andreas Kieling<br />
(right) shows the<br />
wild Eifel to the<br />
winners.<br />
Wan<strong>de</strong>rWun<strong>de</strong>r<br />
R H E I N L A N D - P F A L Z<br />
The rope bridge at the Isidor climb.<br />
way. No child will ever forget his warning about<br />
security because otherwise:<br />
»Humpeldipumpel, weg ist <strong>de</strong>r<br />
Kumpel.« (»Tick tack trip, and<br />
off‘s your kid«)<br />
<<br />
Photo: Andreas Stettner<br />
CRUISE PWS<br />
JACKET ///<br />
WWW.MILLET.FR
64<br />
Loyalty cards<br />
Lucky cards<br />
The Globetrotter Loyalty Card is your ticket to exclusive events with outdoor professionals.<br />
Apply now for the next highlights:<br />
WARREN MILLER<br />
Specialprice tickets for new ski film.<br />
ANDREAS KIELING<br />
Specialprice tickets for the presentation<br />
»My life with wild animals«.<br />
Appearing soon in Cologne, Berlin, Dres<strong>de</strong>n and other cities.<br />
Due to the great <strong>de</strong>mand Andreas Kieling will be taking to<br />
the stage again with his multivision show »Mein Leben mit<br />
wil<strong>de</strong>n Tieren«. He talks about his experiences over 20 years<br />
working in film production and will comment live on his<br />
shots. The tour dates: kieling-tour.<strong>de</strong>.<br />
Photo: Alex Obrien<br />
Now in your city’s cinema.<br />
»Flow State« is the<br />
brand new film by<br />
Warren Miller Entertainment.<br />
This year, the<br />
legendary skifilm<br />
maker takes the<br />
audience on a tour to<br />
the hip spots in Utah,<br />
Colorado and Alaska.<br />
Spectacular downhill<br />
skiing, impressive<br />
landscape shots and<br />
the world’s best ri<strong>de</strong>rs.<br />
Info: warren-miller.<strong>de</strong>.<br />
Photo: Andreas Kieling<br />
NORTH SEA SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN<br />
Photo tour with the Leica Aca<strong>de</strong>my.<br />
14 March to 17 March 2013 in Schleswig-Holstein.<br />
The photogenic coast of the North Sea in SchleswigHolstein<br />
represents pure nature and is a paradise for photographers.<br />
There are fascinating motives everywhere, from the broad variety<br />
of birds in the Katinger Watt to the impressive changing moods<br />
due to light intensities. Learn the art of taking the perfect picture<br />
by participating in the Leica workshop. Afterwards, hitch<br />
up with an expert and go on a discovery tour with rented Leica<br />
equipment. Capturing the most beautiful moments will create<br />
unique memories. Info: fotokueste-nordsee.<strong>de</strong><br />
Information on application and <strong>de</strong>tails on the above and further exclusive events online:<br />
globetrotter.<strong>de</strong>/kun<strong>de</strong>nkarte. Note: All events are in German unless stated otherwise.<br />
Photos: Wolfgang Straub, Jan von Soosten<br />
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66 Manufacturer Manufacturer 67<br />
From the Fjäll (mountain) to the rest of the world: Woolpower produces the whole range in Östersund.<br />
Soft wool<br />
on a tough mission<br />
So natural! So soft! So functional! Merino wool is the latest trend.<br />
And Woolpower people are all smiles: In Jämtland in Swe<strong>de</strong>n they<br />
have been knitting with Merino for 40 years. Bet you did not know<br />
it is optimised for hard wear.<br />
Text: Julian Rohn | Photos: Woolpower<br />
I<br />
s Jämtland the new Silicon Valley of the outdoor scene? It<br />
almost seems so. While bright minds are taking the challenge<br />
in California to <strong>de</strong>velop the latest software and computers, it is<br />
all about the perfect equipment for the outdoor life in the province<br />
in central Swe<strong>de</strong>n.<br />
The Jamts – how the resi<strong>de</strong>nts of Jämtland are called – like to<br />
spend their free time in the Fjälls. During summer, they wan<strong>de</strong>r<br />
around with their backpacks, during winter they ski and haul<br />
sleds. So they inevitably know if their equipment works or not.<br />
And if it does not, they get the urge to do something about it: the<br />
Jamts have always either improved the equipment or manufactured<br />
it themselves from scratch. So, it is no surprise that many famous<br />
outdoor manufacturers originated in this area: Hilleberg, Trangia,<br />
Lundhags, Klättermusen – and, of course, Woolpower, the specialist<br />
for functional un<strong>de</strong>rwear located in Östersund.<br />
Every sewer signs her products<br />
Woolpower – hardly any outdoor spring chicken will know their<br />
original name Ullfrotté – has always favoured the natural fibre<br />
wool. The Swe<strong>de</strong>s cannot help but laugh about the current hype<br />
about Merino wool. They discovered the fascinating features of the<br />
fine new wool way back in the 70s – and have been improving it<br />
ever since in typical Jämtland style.<br />
As an early manufacturer of nylon stockings, Ullfrotté already possessed<br />
the technical know-how when they were looking for a<br />
sturdy material which should offer maximum cold protection<br />
during physical exercise as well as when having a break. They<br />
involved scientists, doctors, survival experts and the Swedish<br />
army in their research work. Out came a material mix which even<br />
today varies only very slightly. It consists of two thirds merino wool<br />
and one third synthetic fibres. A combination that warms very well<br />
– even when wet – and is much more wear-resistant than pure<br />
wool. In Scandinavia, Ullfrotté soon became the quintessence of<br />
functional un<strong>de</strong>rwear. First of all they produced working clothes<br />
for the army, roadworkers, hunters and stevedores. They swore by<br />
the knitwear.<br />
The term »Frottee«, meaning terry cloth, does not come by<br />
chance. On the insi<strong>de</strong> of the clothing, the wool is knitted in lofty<br />
terry loops. In combination with the frizzy fibre, more air can be<br />
trapped thereby creating an additional isolation layer. At the same<br />
time, moisture can escape easier thanks to the lofty loops. >
68 Manufacturer Manufacturer 69<br />
Function, not fashion! It is all about the quality… … and sometimes a little bit of colour. One for all: Woolpower un<strong>de</strong>rwear on a mission.<br />
The rather plain colours are now supplemented with<br />
maybe a red shirt or orange seams. You do not need<br />
more fashion fuzz in Jämtland.<br />
Woolpower’s socks, un<strong>de</strong>rpants, shirts, jackets, beanies and<br />
belly warmers are a Patagonian-German-Swedish co-production:<br />
the wool comes from Merino sheep grazing in Patagonia’s vast<br />
countrysi<strong>de</strong>. It gets spun and coloured in Germany. Final production<br />
takes place in Östersund, 85 employees take care of that.<br />
Sleeves, trouser legs and other clothing pieces for the body are<br />
circular knitted with special machines so less seams are nee<strong>de</strong>d –<br />
which prevents pressure marks when carrying a backpack.<br />
Once the single pieces have been knitted, pre-washed and punched<br />
out according to planned usage, they are han<strong>de</strong>d over to the<br />
sewer. She is responsible for the new Woolpower piece from the<br />
first stitch right up to the packaging. She even adds her name to<br />
the label – every employee signs off their work.<br />
Difficult start in the synthetic era<br />
The comparison with Silicon Valley at the beginning is flawed if<br />
you take a look at the company culture of Jämtland’s manufacturers.<br />
Instead of trendy start-ups, you will find a rather socially con-<br />
servative family business. Woolpower is owned by »Gränsfors Bruks<br />
Mo<strong>de</strong>rbolag«, a family-owned consortium. The famous Gränsfors<br />
axe smithery is also part of the group. The company has always<br />
been location in Östersund, a move to the Far East was never a<br />
question. Although sales have doubled during the last five years,<br />
the Swe<strong>de</strong>s are careful and focus on healthy but steady growth.<br />
They buy the wool on the long term, even though this strategy may<br />
restrict their ability to respond rapidly to the latest fashion colours.<br />
It‘s easier to un<strong>de</strong>rstand the Nordic restraint when you appreciate<br />
the circumstances at the outset. The now popular Merino clothing<br />
had a difficult start. The 1980s and 1990s were an absolute synthetic<br />
era in the outdoor industry. Natural fibres were pretty much<br />
frowned upon, especially when they were used for functional<br />
un<strong>de</strong>rwear. The industry <strong>de</strong>man<strong>de</strong>d light and quick-drying synthetic<br />
fibres. However, these were not as comfortable and low-odour<br />
as Merino wool.<br />
That is one of the reasons why Ullfrotté first only took off for working<br />
clothes. Especially public institutions appreciated the durability<br />
of the wool products and the possibility to wash them in big<br />
laundries at 60 <strong>de</strong>grees for reasons of hygiene – fashionable<br />
<strong>de</strong>sign was of secondary importance.<br />
»Function, not fashion« is still the motto in the factory in<br />
Östersund. You will hardly find fancy looks in the Swe<strong>de</strong>’s collection.<br />
Instead, you get sturdy and robust cold protection equipment.<br />
So even after a multi-week hiking tour and a rubbing backpack,<br />
your clothes will not fall off your shoul<strong>de</strong>rs in bits.<br />
Entering the Globetrotter range in thick socks<br />
One of the first outdoor retailers that took notice of the knitted<br />
clothes from Jämtländ was Globetrotter Ausrüstung. They ad<strong>de</strong>d a<br />
wooly cold protector from Swe<strong>de</strong>n to their program way back in<br />
1993: an 800 sock ma<strong>de</strong> of Marino wool. Tried and tested in the<br />
Scandinavian winter, from then on they were to keep German feet<br />
in winter boots warm too. After the first test, an overview of the<br />
Ullfrotté range was published on the back of the winter handbook<br />
1995 to attract customers. Since 2000, socks, shirts, Long<br />
Johns, a balaclava and a belly warmer are now part of the Globe-<br />
Woolpower<br />
at a glance<br />
The Swe<strong>de</strong>s only work with the finest Merino wool from<br />
Patagonia, to which they add 30 Percent synthetic fibres<br />
(a different mix with polyami<strong>de</strong>, polyester and span<strong>de</strong>x<br />
<strong>de</strong>pending on the area of use ). Woolpower – in comparison<br />
to other merino products – is washable at 60 <strong>de</strong>grees<br />
and proven to be very durable in adventurous outdoor<br />
life. Everything is produced in Jämtland. Materials of<br />
different warmth categories per square metre of fabric<br />
are used. Usually this is indicated in the product’s name.<br />
Woolpower’s »light« products start with 200 (stands for<br />
200g/sqm), a warmth level at which some competitor’s<br />
products are already mid-range. 400 is ma<strong>de</strong> for usage<br />
during winter. And what about the super warm Wildlife<br />
Socks 600? You can either wear them while ice fishing<br />
– or as indoor slippers.<br />
More on woolpower.<strong>de</strong>.<br />
trotter range. They do not look very spectacular in their grey,<br />
brown, black and olive colours, but they are tried and tested and<br />
much in <strong>de</strong>mand. The biggest change came in 2006, when Ullfrotté<br />
was re-named Woolpower. The quality has never changed.<br />
The current Merino trend is however not bypassing the Swedish<br />
manufacturer unnoticed. Today, the product is not only worn in<br />
the <strong>de</strong>pths of winter but also in summer: the natural fibre has proved<br />
to be great for T-shirts too. On the 40th anniversary of Woolpower,<br />
a Lite-collection was <strong>de</strong>veloped without the terry cloth loops<br />
and thus less insulating. The quality fanatics will not produce products<br />
with a basis weight below 200 grammes however (see box<br />
above). »With less weight we cannot guarantee the same wear<br />
resistance we want to offer our customers.«, says Jesper Rodig<br />
from the German importer Scandic Outdoor in Seevetal.<br />
The new collection also features more variety: the rather plain<br />
colours are now supplemented with maybe a red shirt with orange<br />
seams. You do not need more fashion fuzz in Jämtland. It is more<br />
important that the Woolpower un<strong>de</strong>rwear keeps you warm and dry<br />
on the next tour in the Fjäll. Just like in the last 40 years.
70 State of the art State of the art 71<br />
Fischer<br />
E99 Crown Xtralite<br />
Is there such a thing as perfect equipment? Absolutely.<br />
In State of the art, 4-<strong>Seasons</strong> introduces equipment<br />
which sets the benchmarks in its class.<br />
Product category<br />
Usage<br />
Status<br />
Manufacturer<br />
Strategy / I<strong>de</strong>a<br />
Technical<br />
<strong>de</strong>tails<br />
History<br />
Backcountry ski with crown climbing system (used to be called<br />
»fish scale« skis) and a steel edge.<br />
Ski touring and back country skiing in the open country. Not suitable<br />
for prepared trails because of its width.<br />
Polar adventurers put their trust in this ski. Many expeditions ma<strong>de</strong><br />
their way to the North Pole and the Antarctica on the E99 Crown<br />
this year too. This ski is also the first choice for mo<strong>de</strong>rate-class<br />
backcountry areas like the Norwegian high plateaus and the Central<br />
German Uplands: the ski is robust, long-lasting and one of the<br />
lightest in its class.<br />
Fischer Sports GmbH, Ried im Innkreis, Austria.<br />
Josef Holovicz, Fisher's Development Manager Backcountry-Ski.<br />
Length: 180 – 210 cm. Weight per ski: 1,950 g with 200 cm length.<br />
Price: 239.95 €. Binding: Fischer BCX Magnum Black (69.95 €).<br />
Josef Fischer senior started making sledges in his shed in 1924.<br />
Twelve years later, it turned into a company for alpine skis. 1959,<br />
Josef Fischer takes over the company when his father dies.<br />
Fischer introduces the first cross country skis at the Ispo 1971.<br />
The E99 has been part of their range since 1977, initially named<br />
»Europa 99« (the number does not mean anything). Nowadays, it<br />
is built in a factory in Ukraine which was opened by Fischer in<br />
1988. Fisher has always focussed on the improvements to the<br />
weight and climbing system. Fischer Sports GmbH is a 100 percent<br />
family owned business. The sports clothing brand Löffler is<br />
part of the group.<br />
When we <strong>de</strong>veloped<br />
the E99, we had a well<strong>de</strong>fined<br />
goal: to create<br />
the best backcountry<br />
ski in the world. In<strong>de</strong>ed,<br />
it turned out to be a successful mo<strong>de</strong>l.<br />
Max Buttinger,<br />
Product manager at Fischer<br />
This winter, we’ll introduce<br />
a revised and<br />
updated version of the<br />
E99: lighter – and thanks<br />
to the rocker camber –<br />
easier to control in <strong>de</strong>ep snow. It is <strong>de</strong>finitely<br />
an improvement! Rocco Ganzert,<br />
Ski-specialist at Globetrotter Dres<strong>de</strong>n<br />
Design<br />
STATE<br />
OF THE ART<br />
Reference<br />
Product<br />
1 Graphic <strong>de</strong>sign surface ma<strong>de</strong> of wear-resistant<br />
synthetic material.<br />
2 Strengthening laminate of fibreglass and basalt<br />
fibres. Basalt is light, not temperature sensitive and<br />
improves the flex of the ski.<br />
3<br />
Synthetic fabric for better protection and durability.<br />
4 No cheap foam but woo<strong>de</strong>n channels create the<br />
spine of the E99. The arches of the woo<strong>de</strong>n core are<br />
ma<strong>de</strong> of two types of light wood: poplar and – company<br />
secret! The air channels save weight in comparison to<br />
a core of solid wood, offer more stability too, and help<br />
to distribute the weight of the skier along the length<br />
of the ski.<br />
5 Outer walls and base ma<strong>de</strong> of solid wear-resistant<br />
beechwood.<br />
6<br />
5<br />
Surface (see right).<br />
6<br />
4<br />
2<br />
3<br />
Advice on film about back country<br />
and touring skiing: 4-seasons.tv/<br />
kb-langlauf. Back country camps by<br />
Globetrotter at Erzgebirge: globetrotter.<br />
<strong>de</strong>/<strong>de</strong>/filialen/Dres<strong>de</strong>n/events/.<br />
1<br />
2<br />
5<br />
Si<strong>de</strong>cut<br />
Preferably low (66 mm at the tip, 54 mm at the<br />
waist, 61 mm at the tail) for good directional<br />
stability and control of the ski.<br />
Climbing system<br />
A non-slip pattern covers around 40 % of the un<strong>de</strong>rsi<strong>de</strong><br />
of the ski promoting great grip characteristics<br />
for push-off. The »Offtrack Crown« was especially<br />
created for Fischer’s backcountry steel-edge ski.<br />
The three dimensional profile has a crown-like form<br />
of different sharp tail-facing contours. It is flatter<br />
towards the end of the grip area and cut <strong>de</strong>eper at the<br />
middle – for an optimal balance of grip and gli<strong>de</strong>. The<br />
rugged climbing aid does not need wax and almost<br />
no maintenance. (silicone spray helps to maintain a<br />
smooth, snow-free surface).<br />
Climbing skin<br />
For steep ascents, climbing skins can be glued<br />
on and hooked onto the tail (e.g. Colltex Combi-<br />
Extreme Backcountry).<br />
Camber<br />
»Nordic Rocker Camber«, meaning: when weight is put<br />
onto the ski, the tip rises around 5 mm. Thus, the shovelled<br />
tip allows the ski to »swim« easier and promotes better<br />
gliding characteristics in <strong>de</strong>ep snow. And: un<strong>de</strong>r more load<br />
(weight), the contact point ski to snow moves back 10 cm<br />
which makes turning easier. Due to the minimal height<br />
(max. 22 mm), the ski is not wobbly.<br />
EXAMPLE: 5/10 NORDIC ROCKER<br />
5 mm<br />
10 cm<br />
ROCKER CONTACT POINT<br />
Surface coating<br />
The ski gli<strong>de</strong>s on a sintered polyethylene base which makes<br />
the coating resistant and fast. A slightly diagonal cut<br />
improves the gliding properties even at mild temperatures:<br />
it creates tiny grooves that drain water from un<strong>de</strong>rneath the<br />
ski thus preventing the vacuum effect on wet snow.<br />
Centre groove<br />
A continuous centre groove<br />
in the coating aids directional<br />
stability.<br />
UNLOADED SKI<br />
LOADED SKI<br />
Steel edge<br />
A full-length steel edge promotes a constant good grip<br />
while going down hill, even on an icy surface.
72 Equipment advice Equipment advice 73<br />
Backpacking advice for Southeast Asia<br />
» Multifunction and<br />
camomile tea«<br />
Interview: Cindy Ruch | Photos: Archiv Daniela Strunz, Michael Neumann<br />
Whether you call them backpackers, travellers or<br />
adventurers – their goal is the same: to explore foreign<br />
countries with light luggage. Daniela Strunz* explains<br />
what you need for a typical trip through Thailand.<br />
* Daniela Strunz (37) has been working<br />
in sales for one and a half years at<br />
Globetrotter Dres<strong>de</strong>n. She likes to spend<br />
her holidays between sun and rock. Her<br />
complete packlist including prices and<br />
weights on 4-<strong>Seasons</strong>.<strong>de</strong>/backpacking.
74 Equipment advice Equipment advice 75<br />
Daniela, backpacking is different<br />
from going on a classic outdoor trip.<br />
You travel the country with public<br />
transport, you go to the beach, for a hike or<br />
just visit a city. What does it mean for the<br />
choice of equipment?<br />
When you go into the wil<strong>de</strong>rness, you have<br />
to be in<strong>de</strong>pen<strong>de</strong>nt and therefore need to<br />
take everything with you: a camping cooker,<br />
food, sleeping bag and tent. While<br />
backpacking you use the infrastructure<br />
available and leave things at home. But<br />
just like on an outdoor trip, a handy backpack<br />
and clever equipment makes travelling<br />
much easier.<br />
It wasn’t your first time in Thailand. Can<br />
you just pitch a tent on the beach?<br />
First of all: you don’t need a tent because<br />
there are hostels everywhere, as well as<br />
bungalows directly on the beach. And secondly,<br />
such accommodation is cheaper<br />
than camping sites in Germany.<br />
How can I picture a trip through Thailand?<br />
You travel by public transport like a local: by<br />
bus, rickshaw and shared taxi. It is also fun<br />
to rent a scooter. For longer distances, like<br />
going from the north to the south of Thailand,<br />
I would recommend a train trip – pre-<br />
ferable a night train so you can save time<br />
and accommodation costs. Ferries and longtail<br />
boats bring travellers and locals alike to<br />
the many islands. And whoever is up to it<br />
can add on an outdoor tour: one-day hiking<br />
trips, paddle or climbing excursions, diving<br />
courses, trekking in the northern jungle.<br />
And how much luggage do I need for this?<br />
There are lots of different philosophies<br />
about this. Minimalists will only take some<br />
Tevas, two T-shirts and a journal in a handbag<br />
with them – they would laugh out loud<br />
»When I’m backpacking<br />
I always use my equipment<br />
for many purposes.«<br />
if they saw my packlist. I like to have my<br />
own stuff with me though, including a sleeping<br />
bag inlet and my snorkel set. I am prepared<br />
to carry more weight. It is<br />
everybody’s own <strong>de</strong>cision.<br />
Is a backpack really better than a trolley<br />
case?<br />
If you are only travelling by bus on the<br />
mainland, it is probably more comfortable<br />
to pull your luggage on wheels. However,<br />
there aren’t too many tarred roads on the<br />
islands, so it is helpful to take a multifunctional<br />
backpack with wheels and a carrying<br />
system. I prefer a standard backpack because<br />
you can fit a lot in and go on real<br />
tours. You have to always carry it on your<br />
Top! Snorkelling with your own kit.<br />
shoul<strong>de</strong>rs, having it on your back is practical<br />
when you are on pick-ups and scooters.<br />
No wheels will get stuck in the sand or on<br />
the woo<strong>de</strong>n jetty on the way to the ferry.<br />
Which backpack mo<strong>de</strong>l did you pick in the<br />
end?<br />
I <strong>de</strong>ci<strong>de</strong>d in favour of a Deuter Aircontact<br />
50 + 10 SL which makes the best of its<br />
capacity and has a very good carrying system.<br />
It also has handy features: a hip belt<br />
with little zipped pockets, large si<strong>de</strong> pockets<br />
and an integrated rain cover. Outsi<strong>de</strong>,<br />
I attach my shoes with a carabiner.<br />
Insi<strong>de</strong>, everything is in a waterproof bag<br />
which is perfect protection against the rain<br />
and splashing water on a ferry.<br />
A PART OF PEOPLE’S<br />
ADVENTURES SINCE 1892<br />
Is it necessary to put the backpack into<br />
another bag for the transport on the roof of<br />
a bus or on the plane?<br />
A transport bag is not a bad i<strong>de</strong>a. It protects<br />
the backpack and prevents the straps<br />
from getting caught in conveyor belts or on<br />
bus seats. In hostels, you can use it for<br />
shopping or dirty clothes. When I’m backpacking<br />
I always try to use my equipment<br />
for many purposes.<br />
ANY<br />
convenient. I wear them in the city as well<br />
as for a hike. Additionally, I bring a pair of<br />
Teva sandals along and very light bathing<br />
shoes to protect against sea urchins and<br />
sharp stones. That‘s it!<br />
What else is multifunctional?<br />
Do you use an additional daypack as well?<br />
There are always people who wobble<br />
around with a medsize backpack on the<br />
A good example is your pair of shoes. They back and a little one on the belly. I tried it<br />
are typically heavy and need a lot of space. once but I didn’t feel very mobile. I prefer a<br />
So you try to limit them. I only take my pair big backpack that takes all my stuff. A<br />
of Five Ten boul<strong>de</strong>r shoes with me – they good supplement is the Vau<strong>de</strong> Rock Ultra-<br />
are light, comfortable, water proof, simply light, a 25 litre backpack that can be ><br />
ADVENTURE.<br />
WEATHER.<br />
FUEL.<br />
Der neue PRIMUS OmniLite TM ist unser neuer Leichtgewichts-<br />
Expeditionskocher – und <strong>de</strong>r technisch am weitesten entwickelte<br />
Kocher, <strong>de</strong>n wir seit unserer Firmengründung 1892 jemals entwickelt<br />
haben. Seine Technologie<br />
stammt vom vielfach ausgezeichneten<br />
OmniFuel TM .<br />
Aber <strong>de</strong>r OmniLite TM ist kleiner,<br />
wiegt weniger und verbraucht weniger<br />
Sprit. I<strong>de</strong>al für beinahe je<strong>de</strong>s<br />
Abenteuer, bei je<strong>de</strong>m Wetter und<br />
mit nahezu je<strong>de</strong>m Brennstoff.<br />
nkel.se
76<br />
Equipment advice<br />
IDENTITY – LEDER MIT<br />
HERKUNFTSNACHWEIS<br />
Meindl Schladming I<strong>de</strong>ntity<br />
Mit einem Schuh aus <strong>de</strong>r I<strong>de</strong>ntity Serie erhalten<br />
Sie von uns einen <strong>de</strong>taillierten Herkunftsnachweis<br />
<strong>de</strong>s verwen<strong>de</strong>ten Oberle<strong>de</strong>rs.<br />
Ihr Schuh hat dadurch seine eigene<br />
Vita! Mit <strong>de</strong>r individuellen I<strong>de</strong>ntitynummer,<br />
die <strong>de</strong>r Schuh im Innenteil <strong>de</strong>r Manschette<br />
eingeprägt hat, können Sie die Vita Ihres<br />
Schuhoberle<strong>de</strong>rs auf www.i<strong>de</strong>ntity-le<strong>de</strong>r.<strong>de</strong><br />
zurückverfolgen.<br />
Schladming I<strong>de</strong>ntity<br />
ECHTES<br />
LAMMFELL<br />
www.i<strong>de</strong>ntity-le<strong>de</strong>r.<strong>de</strong><br />
fol<strong>de</strong>d into its lid. It only weights 360<br />
grams and waits in the big backpack for<br />
use on day tours.<br />
You spend a lot of time on buses, trains<br />
and ferries. Do you have good tips for the<br />
moments when you are moving places?<br />
It is important that you can make yourself<br />
comfortable – everywhere. Often the air<br />
conditioning is too strong or the draught is<br />
annoying. That‘s one reason why I like to<br />
take my Houdini Power Houdi which keeps<br />
me warm and even has a hood. If it gets<br />
really cold, I use my sleeping bag inlet<br />
ma<strong>de</strong> of fleece as a blanket. My Eagle<br />
Creek Sandman Travel Pillow never stays at<br />
home. Earplugs are a brilliant invention<br />
too, when you are trying to get to sleep.<br />
Sleeping in the train or bus? Aren’t you<br />
worried about theft?<br />
Generally, Thailand is pretty safe. Nevertheless,<br />
I always carry my passport and<br />
money in my Ortlieb valuables bag. On<br />
train ri<strong>de</strong>s I always lock my backpack to something.<br />
It is never a bad thing to take a<br />
lock with you. Usually there are lockers in<br />
hostels where I like to stow my camera<br />
when I don’t need it.<br />
You can probably skip any kitchen equipment<br />
in Thailand, can’t you?<br />
There is no use for pots and pans, right.<br />
The Thai kitchen tastes so good. I buy a lot<br />
of fruit though and like to take my Sea-to-<br />
Summit plate with me. The base is cut-<br />
resistant and a perfect cutting board. And<br />
the walls can be fol<strong>de</strong>d up so it turns into a<br />
great bowl for a fruit salad. Along with that<br />
I take my super-light titanium cutlery and a<br />
pocket knife.<br />
Do you have to filter or sterilise the tap water?<br />
For drinking, washing fruit or cleaning<br />
teeth it‘s important to use bottled water.<br />
You can buy it everywhere. However, when<br />
»Good travel clothes are<br />
ma<strong>de</strong> of blen<strong>de</strong>d fabric,<br />
so they don‘t pong.«<br />
you are planning on doing a longer jungle<br />
tour in the North where there is no supply<br />
of bottled water, purification tablets come<br />
in handy.<br />
Back to the clothes. What else has to be<br />
packed along with the fleece jacket?<br />
As little as possible. For me, two, maybe<br />
three pairs of shorts or a skirt, one pair of<br />
trousers and five to six T-shirts or blouses<br />
are enough, as well as un<strong>de</strong>rwear and a bikini.<br />
And a dress for the city and restaurants.<br />
I wash more often, usually at a sink<br />
with the Sea to Summit Laundry Wash<br />
which is bio<strong>de</strong>gradable. The Sea to Summit<br />
clothes line is fantastic too: you just<br />
tuck the clothes between the little balls, so<br />
no clothes pegs are nee<strong>de</strong>d. But if you ><br />
Backpacking around Thailand<br />
Getting there: Thai Airways connects Frankfurt and<br />
Bangkok twice a day. Takes around eleven hours.<br />
Best time to travel: From November to February to<br />
escape the cold and arrive in the sun. It rarely rains<br />
and it is not too humid. It is beautifully warm on<br />
the islands all year around because they are close<br />
to the equator.<br />
Accommodation: There are many bungalows on<br />
Thailand’s beaches, so look for the nicest one when<br />
you are there – but pre-book during peak season.<br />
In big cities, stay in hostels. A great selection on<br />
hostels.com and hostelworld.com.<br />
Getting around: The most convenient method is<br />
to book »all inclusive« at a travel agent if you are<br />
using different types of public transport for the<br />
journey south. You get a sticker on your shirt, and<br />
the drivers of the buses, ferries and pick-ups know<br />
where you are going. Explore the islands by foot or<br />
rent a scooter.<br />
Daniela’s tour: Fly from Bangkok to Ao Nang, a<br />
tourist place with overcrow<strong>de</strong>d beaches. Escape the<br />
hustle by going on a four-island-tour on a long-tail<br />
boat. Take the ferry to Koh Jum – lonely beaches!<br />
Further to the island Kho Phangan, including<br />
the monthly Full Moon Party, a meeting place for<br />
backpackers. Return through Surat Thani by train<br />
and bus to Bangkok.<br />
The art of backpacking<br />
A backpacker wants to see as many places as<br />
possible off the mainstream, and everything on a<br />
low-budget. Overnight stays in hostels, backpacker<br />
ranches, tents or cheap bungalows. Southeast Asia<br />
is perfect for a backpacker’s wallet and the dream<br />
of adventure in a nice warm climate. Two famous<br />
ambassadors of backpacking are the Lonely Planet<br />
foun<strong>de</strong>rs who published the first gui<strong>de</strong> for backpackers,<br />
called »Southeast Asia on a Shoestring«,<br />
and the British backpacker from Alex Garland’s<br />
novel »The Beach«.<br />
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* Komplettpreis für bis zu 4 Personen, Kabine und PKW (max. 6 m lang,<br />
2,10 m hoch), einfache Fahrt. Zzgl. Treibstoffzuschlag von 10,50 Euro p.P.<br />
und Strecke. Reisezeitraum bis 20.6.12. Weitere Zeiträume, Konditionen<br />
und gültige Abfahrten unter www.fi nnlines.<strong>de</strong><br />
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Frachtschiffe von Finnlines erwarten Sie<br />
gemütliche Kabinen, Bars, Büfettrestaurant<br />
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Sie alternativ die Anreise nach Finnland<br />
über Schwe<strong>de</strong>n, durch die Kombination <strong>de</strong>r<br />
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* Komplettpreis-Beispiel für eine Online-Buchung einer einfachen Fahrt für<br />
4 Erwachsene, AB4 Innenkabine & PKW ( max. 6 m lang, 2,10 m hoch) im<br />
Zeitraum 1.10.-16.12.12, weitere Infos unter www.fi nnlines.<strong>de</strong><br />
Büfett-Restaurant<br />
Mittsommernacht in Schwe<strong>de</strong>n An Deck<br />
Beispiel Außenkabine
78<br />
Equipment advice<br />
don‘t want to do your own washing, there<br />
are laundrettes where you can get it done<br />
for a few Baht. But never drag a mountain<br />
of clothes with you.<br />
Shorts, T-shirts, Houdi – that’s it?<br />
That’s enough – especially when you pay<br />
attention to material. Cotton is quickly<br />
soaked with sweat and starts to pong a bit.<br />
Good travel clothes are usually ma<strong>de</strong> of a<br />
blen<strong>de</strong>d fabric: it dries quickly and stays<br />
odourless longer. It is also important to<br />
check the UV protection factor, the sun<br />
just shines through some clothes. My Meru<br />
blouse has a UV-protection of 30+, meaning<br />
I can basically stay in the sun 30<br />
times longer. While snorkelling I wear a<br />
shirt to protect my back from sunburn. A<br />
large shawl from a local market is one of<br />
my favourites, I just wrap it around me on<br />
the beach or when I enter a temple. It can<br />
also be used as a beach mat.<br />
One of the reasons Daniela likes Thailand.<br />
»I do battle with<br />
mosquitos with a sort<br />
of mini-lighter.«<br />
So you don’t need a nice large beach towel?<br />
Way too heavy! The light shawl is good<br />
enough for the beach. To dry myself after a<br />
shower, I use a Meru Sport Towel ma<strong>de</strong> of<br />
microfibre, it wraps as small as a coke can<br />
and weights less than 100 grams.<br />
It might rain even in Thailand. Can I take<br />
my loyal Gore-Tex jacket?<br />
Membrane jackets can only breathe if there<br />
is a temperature difference between body<br />
and outsi<strong>de</strong> air. When it is warmer than 25<br />
<strong>de</strong>grees outsi<strong>de</strong>, sweat will stay insi<strong>de</strong> the<br />
jacket. And anyway, during the dry season<br />
the showers are very short. So a three-layer<br />
jacket used on your last trip to Island<br />
would be out of place. At most I take my<br />
super light Montana rain jacket with me<br />
which also serves as a wind-breaker jacket.<br />
Is it right that bright clothes are more<br />
pleasant in the heat?<br />
Sure, they reflect the sun much better.<br />
I mean, Africans like to wear Khaki too.<br />
Apparently bright clothes also attract fewer<br />
mosquitoes.<br />
Speaking of mosquitoes! How‘s the best<br />
way to fight the little <strong>de</strong>vils…<br />
Everybody learns from their mistakes: Avoid<br />
windless areas close to the water, wear<br />
long clothes at dusk and close the door of<br />
the bungalow in the evening when turning<br />
on the light. Apart from that, I use the usual<br />
remedies and I swear by Nobite. When<br />
sitting outsi<strong>de</strong>, a mosquito coil is really<br />
helpful. If that doesn‘t work, then use a<br />
ZapperClick.<br />
What’s that? A mosquito gun?<br />
No, it‘s like a miniature lighter that you put<br />
on the sting. A piezo igniter <strong>de</strong>stroys the<br />
insect venom in the top layer of skin, so the<br />
itchiness at least reduces. ><br />
FREDRIK SCHENHOLM<br />
Stryn Jacket<br />
Stryn Jacket ein ungetrübtes Vergnügen. Die<br />
preisgekrönte wind- und wasserdichte Dermizax<br />
NX Membran bietet die marktweit beste<br />
Atmungsaktivität. Die ultimative Jacke für Skitouren.<br />
Sirdal Pants<br />
Sirdal Pants stehen Ihnen ungetrübte<br />
Skifreu<strong>de</strong>n bevor. Wer Wert auf eine Skihose<br />
mit besten Trageeigenscha en legt, ist mit<br />
dieser hochfunktionalen Hose<br />
bestens beraten.<br />
forever pioneers<br />
Bergans Son<strong>de</strong>r äche<br />
bei Globetro er München<br />
Backcountry Gui<strong>de</strong> 34 l<br />
Backcountry Gui<strong>de</strong> wur<strong>de</strong> speziell für Tourengeher<br />
und Freeri<strong>de</strong>r entwickelt. Der Rucksack weist<br />
zahlreiche durchdachte und exible Lösungen<br />
für die Befestigung von Skiern, Stöcken, Snowboard,<br />
Pickel, Schaufel und Lawinenson<strong>de</strong> auf.<br />
Explorers choice since 1908<br />
www.bergans.<strong>de</strong>
80<br />
Equipment advice<br />
Backpackers like unfiltered travel, except at sunset perhaps.<br />
Talking about remedies: Do you buy<br />
sunscreen abroad or at home?<br />
It is generally rather tricky to get good<br />
sunscreen on the islands. And if you find<br />
any, it’s expensive. I buy two sunscreens at<br />
home: sun protection factor 50 for the beginning<br />
and sun protection factor 30 or 20<br />
for later on. I transfer them into little reusable<br />
bottles so I don’t have to carry the<br />
big bottles everywhere. On the plane, the<br />
liquid remedies should stay in the big backpack<br />
though – often they get confiscated<br />
when in hand luggage.<br />
You also like to go rock climbing – in Thailand<br />
as well?<br />
In the end I <strong>de</strong>ci<strong>de</strong>d for the light version: I<br />
only took my boul<strong>de</strong>r shoes but no harness,<br />
no carabiner, no rope. In the morning when<br />
everybody was still asleep and the air crisp<br />
and cool, I went to the boul<strong>de</strong>r rocks. That<br />
was beautiful. But next time I <strong>de</strong>finitely<br />
want to go rock climbing. It is always possible<br />
to rent the necessary equipment on the<br />
spot and only bring the harness and a few<br />
»Unfortunately, many<br />
rental services have<br />
rubbishy equipment.«<br />
favourite things, like my Dana Shirt from<br />
The North Face – it is light and also fits<br />
with out a bra. Just perfect for climbing!<br />
More smart travel products: 4-seasons.tv/kb-reiseartikel.<br />
Isn’t that the i<strong>de</strong>al solution: travelling with<br />
light luggage and renting all the equipment<br />
you need for outdoor trips at your<br />
<strong>de</strong>stination?<br />
If you know the rental service and they<br />
have neat and well-maintained equipment,<br />
then it‘s nice and convenient. Unfortunately,<br />
many rental services have rubbishy<br />
equipment – like scruffy sleeping bags,<br />
crooked paddles, rickety bicycles. If you<br />
are going on a tour that requires really good<br />
equipment, to be on the safe si<strong>de</strong> it is better<br />
to take it from home. Very often, they<br />
charge stiff prices too. Getting a snorkel<br />
set quickly can cost as much as a night in a<br />
bungalow. I prefer to take my own snorkel<br />
set, it fits me perfectly and is of course<br />
more hygienic than borrowed stuff.<br />
There is also a first aid kit on your packlist,<br />
including camomile tea. Why did you take tea?<br />
Most of the everyday hygiene products or<br />
minor pharmaceutical items are of course<br />
readily available in Thailand; like toilet<br />
paper, tampons, shampoo and so on. On<br />
my first tour though I was pretty sick and<br />
really wanted to have some camomile tea.<br />
It‘s unknown in Thailand – and ever since<br />
it’s part of my packlist.
82 Five stars Five stars 83<br />
»Just right for me!«<br />
Field testing at its best: Globetrotter boasts more than 60,000 customer feedbacks<br />
on globetrotter.<strong>de</strong>. The following eight products received the famous »five stars«.<br />
Vau<strong>de</strong> Bike Alpin 25+5<br />
89,98 €, No. 19.67.75<br />
The back system is infinitely<br />
adjustable. The net system on<br />
the back is well-ventilated,<br />
even though the waist belt<br />
could have been ma<strong>de</strong> of a<br />
more breathable material. The<br />
extension is very handy when<br />
you have to get another piece<br />
of clothing into the backpack<br />
although it is already full. The<br />
workmanship, material and<br />
attention to <strong>de</strong>tail are top. I’m<br />
very happy with my purchase!<br />
Volker E.<br />
Uvex Active small<br />
99,95 €, No. 20.20.39<br />
The sunglasses are perfect:<br />
They fit very well, are<br />
feather-light and you hardly<br />
notice them. They are exactly<br />
what the manufacturer<br />
promises and the photocromic<br />
lenses automatically adapt to<br />
all light conditions – even with<br />
brilliant sunshine. A very<br />
handy black soft-case comes<br />
with them too. I can <strong>de</strong>finitely<br />
recommend them.<br />
Frie<strong>de</strong>l Charlotte K.<br />
Ever won<strong>de</strong>red who writes the<br />
feedback? 4-<strong>Seasons</strong> introduces<br />
three of the customers above.<br />
Keen Gypsum Mid Frauen<br />
149,95 €, No. 19.90.30<br />
I hiked with these shoes across<br />
many stones and roots in<br />
Swe<strong>de</strong>n. They are very<br />
comfortable and provi<strong>de</strong> a<br />
good foothold – except on wet<br />
roots. The shoes are bigger<br />
than usual. I am very pleased<br />
with them. S. M.<br />
Volker Erath<br />
alias Volker E.<br />
Haglöfs Barrier II<br />
Jacket Männer<br />
119,95 €, No. 18.68.22<br />
The jacket is extremely light:<br />
you hardly notice it. I wore only<br />
a T-shirt un<strong>de</strong>r it <strong>de</strong>spite windy<br />
conditions and a temperature<br />
of 5 <strong>de</strong>grees. It kept me<br />
surprisingly warm. The reason<br />
is that the jacket closes tightly<br />
on the sleeves and the neck;<br />
with the help of a drawstring<br />
you can also tighten it up at<br />
the bottom. I also really like<br />
the big outsi<strong>de</strong> pockets.<br />
Thomas R.<br />
Globetrotter customer since: early 90s.<br />
5 stars for: 1) Vau<strong>de</strong> Bike Alpin 25 +5.<br />
Best trip: Grand Canyon.<br />
Last trip: Min<strong>de</strong>lheimer via ferrata in the<br />
Allgäu Alps.<br />
Dream tour: A mountain bike tour through<br />
Alaska.<br />
Find 60,000 more product feedbacks on globetrotter.<strong>de</strong>,<br />
more information on globetrotter.<strong>de</strong>/kun<strong>de</strong>nbewertung.<br />
Adidas Terrex Fast R<br />
Mid GTX Männer,<br />
179,95 €, No. 20.58.46<br />
Step precision and cushioning<br />
are outstanding, and it feels as<br />
light as a running shoe. The<br />
sole is the best in terms of slip<br />
resistance. I have never had<br />
anything better on my feet,<br />
even on wet rock. But the fifth<br />
star assumes the sole lasts for<br />
a long time – let’s see. Harald L.<br />
Seraphina Meyer<br />
alias S. M.<br />
Petzl Tikka 2<br />
29,95 €, No. 13.66.95<br />
I can really recommend this<br />
head light. Perfect for reading<br />
in a evenings in a tent<br />
(dimmed light setting) or to<br />
illuminate a trail in the<br />
darkness (full brightness). It<br />
has a small pack size and is<br />
light. It’s bright enough to<br />
pitch a tent and to cook in the<br />
dark etc. I tested it during a<br />
multi-day hike in Wales. Jan D.<br />
Globetrotter customer since: I was born.<br />
5 stars for: 3 Keen Gypsum Mid Women.<br />
Best trip: By foot and canoe through<br />
Swe<strong>de</strong>n.<br />
Last trip: Store-Mosse-National Park in<br />
Swe<strong>de</strong>n.<br />
Dream tour: Dog sled tour in Greenland.<br />
Black Diamond Deploy 3<br />
59,95 €, No. 12.96.42<br />
Very tough and light shovel.<br />
You can move big amounts of<br />
snow in little time. It packs<br />
very small and the weight<br />
– consi<strong>de</strong>ring what you hold in<br />
your hand – is minimal. It is<br />
worth every penny and will<br />
probably last for centuries…<br />
D. M.<br />
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8<br />
3 6<br />
1 4<br />
Customer feedback<br />
2 5 7<br />
1 5<br />
Harald Lenz<br />
alias Harald L.<br />
8<br />
Kaikkialla Enni Coat Frauen<br />
169,95 €, No. 13.42.86<br />
I treated myself to a winter<br />
coat and I picked the right one!<br />
The jacket is soft, cosy and<br />
warm and just perfect for on<br />
the bicycle. The sleeves are<br />
long enough for any situation.<br />
I’m finally well wrapped up<br />
without looking like a Michelin<br />
Man. I really like the outer<br />
material. The jacket is easily<br />
washable and dries incredibly<br />
fast. Juliane G.<br />
Globetrotter customer since: the 90s.<br />
5 stars for: 5) Adidas Terrex Fast R Mid<br />
GTX Men.<br />
Best trip: Along the Lemosho route up to the<br />
Kilimanjaro.<br />
Last trip: Bavarian National Forest Park.<br />
Dream tour: Annapurna Circuit.<br />
* Globetrotter or<strong>de</strong>r number (can vary according to size and colour) and price, August <strong>2012</strong>.
Photo: Stubai Glacier<br />
84<br />
Travel<br />
So much for only skiing on the<br />
glacier – there are also excellent<br />
freeri<strong>de</strong> slopes in Stubai!<br />
A winter<br />
world<br />
around the<br />
corner<br />
Austria’s winter in all its facets -<br />
from relaxing to nail-biting.<br />
4-<strong>Seasons</strong> introduces the coolest.<br />
Text: Georg Weindl<br />
Paragliding in<br />
Bregenz Forest<br />
Ski tours in<br />
Wildschönau<br />
Night sledging<br />
on Zugspitze<br />
Freeriding in<br />
Stubai valley<br />
Family holiday at<br />
Wil<strong>de</strong>r Kaiser<br />
Snowshoeing in<br />
Hohen Tauern<br />
Ice climbing in<br />
Malta valley<br />
Travel<br />
85
86 Travel Travel 87<br />
Awesome slopes, Wil<strong>de</strong> Grub’n<br />
Into the pow<strong>de</strong>r –<br />
free riding in Stubai valley.<br />
»Even though Stubai is famous for glacier skiing, our freeri<strong>de</strong> slopes<br />
are excellent too.«, says the gui<strong>de</strong> from the Pow<strong>de</strong>r Department.<br />
»You just need to know where they are and which ones you<br />
can use.« We are up to 3000 metres, close to Daunkopf, just<br />
taking a few minutes break for the beautiful view. Then off to Glamersgrube,<br />
a large corrie with wi<strong>de</strong> pow<strong>de</strong>r-snow slopes. Perfect<br />
for free riding with lots of pow<strong>de</strong>r down the steep slopes towards<br />
Wil<strong>de</strong> Grub’n. Many »Yeaaaaaaahs« and face shots later, the gondola<br />
lift and the valley station of the glacier lift are coming closer<br />
into view. Everybody knows what follows: »Up again and straight<br />
into the pow<strong>de</strong>r snow!«, says the gui<strong>de</strong>.<br />
Tourist Association Stubai Tirol, Dorf 3, A-6167 Neustift,<br />
Phone: +49/501/88 10, stubai.at.<br />
Tyrol’s si<strong>de</strong> of Zugspitze in a different light<br />
There is just one thing: you cannot see<br />
Zugspitze when it is dark. So it is all<br />
the more fun to sledge through the night.<br />
It is no secret that there are excellent slopes in Tyrol’s Zugspitz<br />
Arena. But there are other pleasures too: every Tuesday and Friday<br />
evening you can go night sledging at the Ehrwal<strong>de</strong>r Alm. You are<br />
not confined to narrow sledge runs but wi<strong>de</strong> well prepared ski<br />
slopes which are only open to sledging fans during these evenings.<br />
Make your way up from 6.30 pm with the Ehrwald cable car. Up<br />
top, a four kilometre long sledge run stretches out in front of you<br />
and down 400 metres. A quick jo<strong>de</strong>l or two, onto the sledge, and<br />
off into the night. Faster and faster, its such a good laugh. If you<br />
happen to nosedive, you will usually fall soft into the snow. Further<br />
Tyrol’s Zugspitze Arena, Am Rettensee 1, A-6632 Ehrwald, Phone: +43/56 73/200 00, zugspitzarena.com.<br />
Photo: Stubai Glacier<br />
Once in paradise<br />
New snowshoeing tour in Zedlacher Paradise<br />
in Hohe Tauern National Park.<br />
A trudge through a remote winter<br />
landscape and then straight<br />
through paradise is what the<br />
ranger at the national parking<br />
house in Matrei in East Tyrol<br />
promised us. It soun<strong>de</strong>d too<br />
tempting. The tour started at<br />
Trumerhof with gui<strong>de</strong> Andreas<br />
Angermann. The first steps with<br />
our snow shoes are clumsy ones.<br />
You get used to the shoes pretty<br />
quickly though, and after a short<br />
ascent, the slope leads through<br />
Berwald to Zedlacher Paradise.<br />
Its name comes from the 500 year old larches that turn into a<br />
beautiful gold-brown in late autumn. A trace of a <strong>de</strong>er, a trace of a<br />
chamois, explains Andreas. Impressive too is the wrought-iron artwork<br />
in the form of ants, woodpeckers and screech-owls. After two<br />
and a half hours we reach the Wo<strong>de</strong>nalm, a rustic Austrian snackbar<br />
which is unfortunately closed during winter. So we have our<br />
goodies in our rucksack. And it is not the worst place for a snack<br />
with a won<strong>de</strong>rful view as far as to the Dolomites.<br />
East Tyrol Information, Albin Egger Straße 17, A-9900 Lienz,<br />
Phone: +43/50/21 22 12, osttirol.com.<br />
Photo: TVB Osttirol/Fotowerk Nusser Aichner<br />
down, the wi<strong>de</strong> slope leads into the forest and finally stops at a ski<br />
hut. By the way: a multi-day ski-ticket inclu<strong>de</strong>s night sledging.<br />
Photo: Tyrol’s Zugspitz Arena/U. Wiesmeier<br />
Icy hot-spot in Maltatal<br />
Climbing is trendy. And ice<br />
climbing is <strong>de</strong>finitely the coolest<br />
version of it. Experts are<br />
especially keen on the routes in<br />
Maltatal (Malta valley) in<br />
Kärnten.<br />
»We rarely have wind in our Malta valley«,<br />
says Michael Koller. »That’s why the conditions<br />
are stable and the ice lasts into the<br />
spring.« Koller, training officer for the<br />
mountain rescue and an expert at ice<br />
climbing, is at home in the Malta valley.<br />
Usually the valley in the Hohe Tauern<br />
National Park is calm and quiet, but since<br />
ice climbers discovered the frozen waterfalls<br />
and the iced cliffs, it has turned into a<br />
real hot spot. »There are around 30 different<br />
routes, easy ones for beginners and<br />
challenging ones for experts«, adds Koller.<br />
People who come here for the first time are<br />
impressed by the names of the routes.<br />
They have names like Superfeucht (Super<br />
Wet), Kathedrale (Cathedral) and Schweinchen<br />
Dick (Porky Pig).<br />
The best way to get to know more about all<br />
this is for someone to show you the ropes.<br />
The basics: how to put together a crampon,<br />
how to work with an ice axe and<br />
ropes, how to fix ice screws and what‘s<br />
important as a first-time ice climber.<br />
There are many top-rope routes in Malta<br />
valley where you fix the rope at the top, but<br />
there are also lead climbing routes, where<br />
you are roped up from below. A lot of information<br />
for a beginner. No surprise: it is a<br />
challenging way of alpine travel. So, get<br />
ready for the top-rope route. »Clack, clack,<br />
clack«, trying to get a firm hold with ice<br />
axes and crampons. After five metres the<br />
arms start shaking – it sure is a bit different<br />
to rock climbing.<br />
If that all sounds a bit too tricky for the<br />
start, there are heaps of other icy alternatives<br />
in Hohe Tauern National Park. For<br />
example, you can go on gui<strong>de</strong>d trips<br />
through ice gorges. And there are many<br />
attractive offers in Möll valley, north of<br />
I takes a long time to get so far – but there are<br />
beginner‘s routes in malta valley too.<br />
Kärnten. An ice climbing area is located in<br />
Heiligenblut south of Großglocknerstraße,<br />
and there is an illuminated ice climbing<br />
tower in Lainach. As part of the Tauern-<br />
Visitor information Kärnten, Casinplatz 1, A-9220 Vel<strong>de</strong>n, Phone: +43/463/30 00, kaernten.at.<br />
Alpin-Outdoor program, mountain and ski<br />
gui<strong>de</strong>s offer courses for newcomers to ice<br />
climbing. And one day, you will return to<br />
Malta valley for a date with Porky Pig.<br />
Photo: Franz Gerdl, Kärnten Advertising
88<br />
Travel<br />
As free as a bird<br />
Paragliding above snow-covered Bregenz Forest.<br />
The start is always the scariest part. »We start at a sloping<br />
field so there is nothing scary about it at all.«, says Mathias<br />
Moosbrugger from the flight training school Bregenz Forest.<br />
Tan<strong>de</strong>m paragliding is especially popular during winter. The<br />
top of Diedamskopf is the starting point. Count to three and<br />
we’ll take to the air. The birds-eye view of the white landscape<br />
takes about 20 minutes. We hover above snow fields, passing<br />
ski lifts and slopes. Below us is the village of Schoppernau, to<br />
the left the valley going up towards Warth and Arlberg. Sud<strong>de</strong>nly<br />
you are in a flow, similar to free riding, only this time<br />
you are free like a bird.<br />
Bregenz Forest Tourism, Impulszentrum 1135, A-6863 Egg,<br />
Phone: +49/55 12/23 65, bregenzerwald.at.<br />
Conquering the emperor’s ski world<br />
The ski area Wil<strong>de</strong>r Kaiser Brixental offers white<br />
enjoyment for the whole family.<br />
In a picture-postcard setting, the Wil<strong>de</strong> Kaiser looks perfect sitting<br />
un<strong>de</strong>r the <strong>de</strong>ep blue sky. What are we going to do on this glorious<br />
sunny day? Mum wants to go cross country skiing, dad wants to go<br />
carving. The kids favour the fun park. Everything is possible in Brixen<br />
valley. Ski-runs stretch over a total of 279 kilometres with over 90 ski<br />
lifts. It is Austria’s biggest interconnected ski area. Varied slopes,<br />
sledge routes, cross country ski trails and more than 70 huts. Tomorrow<br />
we will stop at a bar. Afterwards snowshoeing? Our juniors prefer<br />
the sledging route on the Astberg. And at the end of the day? We will<br />
conquer the water park.<br />
Photo: Bregenzerwald/Christoph Lingg<br />
The easy way<br />
The Breitegg Gern in Wildschönau is a mountain<br />
for ski touring for beginners and experts alike.<br />
The locals at the Schönangeralm promised us a magnificent view.<br />
The ski tour along the Breitegg Gern is a classic. A mo<strong>de</strong>rate steep<br />
slope leads uphill, mostly through open country. We climb up easily<br />
to the bor<strong>de</strong>r of the forest, then further across fields to the Breiteggalm.<br />
To the left behind the Alm, then, after a passage through the<br />
forest we reach the summit slopes. The locals were right: the Zillertaler<br />
to the south, the Kaisergebirge to the north, and further over<br />
there must be Großglockner. The <strong>de</strong>scent is beautiful and easy, open<br />
slopes and fresh snow. In the valley, mouthwatering Kaiserschmarrn<br />
is waiting for us.<br />
Wildschönau Tourism, Hauserweg, Oberau 337, A-6311 Wildschönau,<br />
Phone: +43/53 39/825 50, wildschoenau.com.<br />
SkiWelt Wil<strong>de</strong>r Kaiser – Brixental Marketing GmbH, A-6306 Söll,<br />
Phone: +49/53 33/400, skiwelt.at.<br />
More freezing winter tips as well as a competition to win a trip to Kärnten at 4-seasons.<strong>de</strong>/oesterreich/winterwelten.<br />
Film clips about the region: 4-seasons.tv/winterwelten. Austria Marketing has a free hotline for tourists to get<br />
more information: 008 00/40 02 00 00. General information on Austria.info/winterwelten.<br />
Photo: Wildschönau Tourism<br />
Photo: Kin<strong>de</strong>rkaiserland Scheffau<br />
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Die Bahn macht mobil.
90 Colleague Globetrotter Colleague Globetrotter 91<br />
Light the<br />
fire<br />
»Human resources« does not sound particularly adventurous,<br />
does it? Sabine Zdunnek has a different opinion. She went<br />
through her baptism of fire two years ago when she had to<br />
build a team for the new Globetrotter store in Munich out of<br />
a colourful bunch of new employees.<br />
It was a cold winter‘s day in December 2010 when Sabine Zdunnek<br />
started her job. The sight was sobering: Globetrotter Munich<br />
was little more than a draughty construction site. The Riegerbau<br />
at the Isartor, once a fur shop with 32 intertwined levels, had been<br />
completely gutted. It was hard to believe that – only three months<br />
after Sabine’s first working day – a brand-new beautiful Globetrotter<br />
store would open its doors. There were no products, no <strong>de</strong>corations,<br />
no sales people. Instead, there were holes in the ground, bare walls<br />
and tangled wires. Everything was covered by a thin layer of building<br />
dust. Zero hour had just struck for Sabine Zdunnek.<br />
Unlike the skilled labours at home on the construction si<strong>de</strong>,<br />
Sabine‘s job was taking her into virgin territory: As a human<br />
resources manager, she was responsible for putting together a<br />
strong sales team from more than 100 new employees. Globetrotter<br />
had never faced such a daunting challenge before – and Sabine<br />
had never managed such a task either.<br />
»Other Globetrotter stores have grown slowly and when they<br />
expan<strong>de</strong>d or moved to other locations, they could rely on existing<br />
experienced staff. In Munich, we started at ground zero«, she<br />
Text and Photos: Manuel Arnu<br />
says. Only a few long-serving Globetrotter employees – amongst<br />
them store manager Jens Holst – moved from other locations to<br />
Munich. Most of the staff was recruited in the Bavarian metropolis.<br />
All staff had to be keen on adventure and the great outdoors,<br />
but most of the »novices« did not have any sales skills or precise<br />
industry knowledge – let alone excellent know-how on the 25,000<br />
products that would soon fill the shelves.<br />
Welcome to the construction si<strong>de</strong>!<br />
Jens Holst knows how important it is to have the perfect combination<br />
of know-how and atmosphere within the team. In 1982 he<br />
became the first apprentice ever at Globetrotter. Prior to »Mission<br />
Munich« he had been manager of the Globetrotter store in Frankfurt<br />
for many years. He had complete faith in Sabine and assigned<br />
her the task of building the team and setting up an apprenticeship<br />
program. Sabine only had four weeks time to get the training program<br />
ready. And it did not help that neither phone nor internet<br />
were working…<br />
>
92<br />
Colleague Globetrotter<br />
A twelve-year travel marathon and now based in Munich.<br />
Compressed air hammers were still pounding away as the first<br />
employees arrived one by one on 3 January 2011. Sabine’s tasks<br />
necessitate her to be able to motivate, un<strong>de</strong>rstand human nature<br />
and possess an air of pedagogic and psychological sophistication.<br />
And she needs to keep abreast on retailing and store logistics too.<br />
Most important of all: improvisation skills. Sabine welcomes the<br />
new employees with a handshake and explains why they can only<br />
use three rooms at first. Nevertheless, on-the-job training has to<br />
start: Not only should the store open in two months, but the team<br />
should be ready as well. »The first three days were crucial.«, says<br />
Sabine. »Just like in a relationship: either you mess it up or something<br />
clicks.«<br />
She breaks the ice with experiential education with tasks such as<br />
pitching a tent when blindfol<strong>de</strong>d and outdoor memory games. The<br />
basics follow soon enough: »everything about the company’s philosophy,<br />
structures, the dos and don‘ts, how do I clean a coffee cup,<br />
how to treat colleagues and on to why is it important to be punctual…«<br />
It is not the easiest task when, at the same time, only a few<br />
metres away diggers and trucks are ripping out 900 cubic metres of<br />
reinforced concrete.<br />
Next step: sales and product training. The employees train to <strong>de</strong>al<br />
with customers and update their knowledge on materials and<br />
brands. Many workshops are held by representatives of the manufacturers<br />
– they cannot escape breathing in the building dust either.<br />
Then there are outdoor off-site tasks and appointments for a nice<br />
change: Sabine sends them off to go ice skating and ice climbing in<br />
the alps, to fairs and to the store in Köln to gain sales experience.<br />
Meanwhile, the Munich store begins to come alive: the biggest hole<br />
in the ground turns into a canoe test area, the altitu<strong>de</strong> chamber gets<br />
Globetrotter igloo workshop, Zugspitze.<br />
set up, bare concrete disappears un<strong>de</strong>rneath woo<strong>de</strong>n floors. And<br />
finally, the phone is working! »That was in<strong>de</strong>ed a parallel <strong>de</strong>velopment«,<br />
remembers Sabine. »Out of nothing grew a great new store,<br />
and in our three rooms a mix of individuals gelled into a tight-knit<br />
team. The excitement increased from week to week and excee<strong>de</strong>d all<br />
expectations. We wanted to fan a fire – and we created an inferno.«<br />
Looking for reverse gear<br />
So why did Sabine start her job by basically lighting a fire instead of<br />
following her dream of becoming a travel journalist? This story has<br />
something to do with a faulty laptop in the Himalayas. Her CV seems<br />
to be as entwined as a Nepalese mountain trail as well. After her Abi<br />
(School Leaving Certificate), she had a dabble with some outdoor<br />
magazines and wrote with quite a pointed pen. After a very ironic<br />
article on canoe polo, Kanu-Magazin (»canoe magazine«) received<br />
protest letters and subscription cancellations! Sabine then worked<br />
Photos: Archiv Sabine Zdunnek<br />
for a local radio station in Augsburg and<br />
published little newspaper articles. Then, the<br />
voice of reason drowned the dream of travel<br />
journalism and she enrolled for pedagogic<br />
studies at the University of Augsburg. After<br />
doing the un<strong>de</strong>rgraduate program, she got to<br />
know Audi’s pin-striped world. With a diploma<br />
in her pocket, she started as a project manager<br />
at a business consultancy, later on she<br />
moved to an aca<strong>de</strong>my in Westerwald as an<br />
education officer. However, something did not<br />
feel just right. »It felt like I had taken a wrong<br />
turn at one point, and I was looking for the<br />
reverse gear.«<br />
The news of the opening of a new Globetrotter<br />
store in Munich reached her at the right time.<br />
»It sud<strong>de</strong>nly became clear to me, that when I<br />
started my career I was in the right place – in<br />
the outdoor industry.« Sabine sent an application<br />
off to Jens Holst and goes off to Kathmandu,<br />
a long planned trekking tour. Jens’<br />
reply reaches her on the road, »on the last<br />
computer before the Tibetan bor<strong>de</strong>r«. The<br />
»At that very moment, I<br />
was never closer to what<br />
we think of as happiness.<br />
I had found my <strong>de</strong>stiny.«<br />
computer crashes every few minutes, but<br />
Sabine sniffs a chance: »In the light from my<br />
headlamp I scribbled a reply on a tissue and<br />
typed it super fast into the PC before it could<br />
crash again.« It worked. Jens answered immediately:<br />
»Please first finish your trekking tour.<br />
Interview afterwards.« A few weeks later they<br />
meet. After three hours, Sabine got the job.<br />
Sabine plans her travels similar to her work:<br />
when she was 18, she <strong>de</strong>ci<strong>de</strong>d that she wanted<br />
to do ten big overseas tours by her 30th<br />
birthday.<br />
A magical moment on her very first tour convinced<br />
her that she had ma<strong>de</strong> the right <strong>de</strong>cision.<br />
A writing assignment for the Kanu-<br />
Magazin lead her to the Insi<strong>de</strong> Passage in<br />
Canada. Sud<strong>de</strong>nly, a fully grown killer whale<br />
rose out of the <strong>de</strong>pths to be besi<strong>de</strong> Sabine’s<br />
sea kayak. A majestic orca, nearly close<br />
enough to touch, and then it dived and disappeared<br />
as a dark shadow. In the evening,<br />
when Sabine was sitting in the Camp and<br />
freshly caught pacific salmon was sizzling on<br />
the fire, an orca pod swam through the ocean<br />
in the moonlight. »At that very moment, I was<br />
never closer to what we think of as happiness.«,<br />
says Sabine. »I had found my <strong>de</strong>stiny.<br />
Whenever I had enough money, I went off<br />
travel ling again.«<br />
She ma<strong>de</strong> it to more than 50 countries:<br />
Canada, USA, Central America, Venezuela,<br />
Argentina, from South Africa to Zambia, Egypt,<br />
Jordan, Thailand, Cambodia, Nepal, Singapore<br />
and almost all of Europe. Habits are part of her<br />
travels. Before each take-off, Sabine likes to<br />
listen to »Leaving on a Jet Plane« by John<br />
Denver. She always takes with her a necklace<br />
with an amber crucifix, as well as her good-old<br />
backpack. When her loyal Lowa shoes eventually<br />
lost their hiking life in Yosemite Valley on<br />
her ninth trip, Sabine did not throw them into a<br />
bin: »It was an emotional moment when I<br />
buried the shoes. I was close to crying.«<br />
10 big tours accomplished by the age of 30<br />
Despite university and jobs, she held on to her<br />
travel goal. In 2011, she got off the plane in<br />
Singapore, three days before her 30th birthday.<br />
Trip No. 10 – Mission accomplished!<br />
And now? Did she feel at a loss after all that?<br />
Or will she keep on travelling? »No«, says<br />
Sabine. »I was in the An<strong>de</strong>s Mountains, the<br />
Rocky Mountains, the Himalayas. I have seen<br />
the temples in Angkor Wat, the Iguazú waterfalls,<br />
the Grand Canyon and I danced Tango in<br />
Buenos Aires. Everything I dreamed of as a<br />
child in a Swabian village has come true. I<br />
experienced it. However, it was at the price of<br />
constant restlessness, I had to organise my<br />
life around my travels. I have finished this<br />
chapter now and I am very happy.«<br />
She is now based in Munich and no longer has<br />
a very emotional relationship with her hiking<br />
shoes. She has since moved up the lad<strong>de</strong>r to<br />
human resource manager. She carefully<br />
watch es over what Globetrotter foun<strong>de</strong>r Klaus<br />
Denart claims to be the the most important<br />
reasons for the company’s success: employees,<br />
employees and employees. Part of the<br />
task is to help to solve conflicts in the team<br />
and to support personnel with their life planning.<br />
Meanwhile, there are now 160 Globetrotter<br />
colleagues in Munich.<br />
Only recently, she says, she read a beautiful<br />
quote by Randy Pausch, an American professor<br />
who celebrated his life with humour<br />
and charity just before he died of cancer:<br />
»It’s fantastic to realise childhood dreams,<br />
I’ve been very fortunate in that respect.<br />
But it‘s even more satisfying to help others<br />
realise their dreams too.«<br />
<<br />
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94 Dream trip Dream trip 95<br />
How does this sound to you?<br />
Freezing temperatures,<br />
streams of sweat, howling<br />
huskies. Tempting?<br />
Then you should read<br />
the report on<br />
Fjällräven Polar<br />
and get in touch<br />
with us soon…
96 Dream trip Dream trip 97<br />
… because in April 2013,<br />
the next Polar takes place<br />
– and two 4-<strong>Seasons</strong><br />
rea<strong>de</strong>rs must be the<br />
next mushers!<br />
Text: Günter Kast<br />
Photos: Håkan Wike, Daniel Simon<br />
No, you cannot carp about my<br />
preparation. I knew it: man and<br />
dog have as many misun<strong>de</strong>rstandings<br />
as man and woman. So I got<br />
the »dog-German/German-dog« dictionary<br />
by the TV-famous dog trainer<br />
Martin Rütter and completed the test<br />
»Are you a dog friend« very diligently.<br />
Result: patchy.<br />
To the question »Can you sleep at<br />
night in positions that every yoga<br />
expert would be jealous of? And only,<br />
so that your dogs will not be disturbed in your bed?” I replied callously<br />
»No!«. Heavy setback. When I walked my neighbour’s Gol<strong>de</strong>n<br />
Retriever the other day, I felt really bad and to suck up to the<br />
dog I bought him a bag of dog chew bones. No, I was not quiet the<br />
dog whisperer. It would be difficult up there in the north.<br />
Crash course for dog sled beginners<br />
Musher novice: our<br />
reporter Guenter Kast.<br />
Signaldalen, Norway, 69 <strong>de</strong>grees north, driving snow, nasty wind:<br />
In front of us lay more than 300 kilometres through the Tundra<br />
north of the polar circle. We want to make it all the way from the<br />
fjords in Norway to Väkkäräjärvi in Swe<strong>de</strong>n. All the way across the<br />
country of the Sami and their rein<strong>de</strong>ers.<br />
At the start it feels like being in a madhouse. 180 Alaska-huskies<br />
cannot wait to get going. They are tough and clever crossbreeds,<br />
rather small dogs weighing 20 kilos but bred for great strength,<br />
condition and speed. Amongst the ear-<strong>de</strong>afening barking and<br />
howling I can hardly un<strong>de</strong>rstand what Chrioph Hentschel (45),<br />
forester from Soest, and Fabian Best (19), stu<strong>de</strong>nt from Potsdam,<br />
are saying. The three of us stand for Team Germany. All of us are<br />
musher-beginners who hope that the dogs will not notice.<br />
Our gui<strong>de</strong>s René and Amanda give final instructions: Never let go<br />
of the sled! To stop, cast the snow anchor and flip the sled over it!<br />
In case of a crash, grasp whatever you can get your hands on: preferably<br />
the clevis, but at the very least the line dragged behind so<br />
that the sled will not power away with the pack of dogs. »Ehm, so<br />
just to make sure: Will we then get dragged behind on our >
98<br />
Dream trip<br />
René and Amanda give final instructions: Never let go of the sled!<br />
To stop, cast the snow anchor and flip the sled over it! In case of a crash,<br />
grasp whatever you can get your hands on!<br />
Thrill of anticipation: None of the participants has ever steered a dog sled before.<br />
stomach?«, asks Christoph doubtfully.<br />
»Exactly«, replies René. »Ah okay.«, says<br />
Christoph and fights against any i<strong>de</strong>as of<br />
escapism.<br />
I already ma<strong>de</strong> a fool of myself trying to<br />
hitch up the energy bunch of fur to the sled.<br />
When I let my strapping lead dog Victor off<br />
the leash, he just pulled me over because I<br />
had forgotten to place him on his hind legs<br />
so that he would bring less dog-power to the<br />
piste. And then, tensed as I was, I had the<br />
nerve to ask Kenth Fjellborg, the owner of<br />
the pack of dogs: »Does he bite?« Kenth<br />
simply answered: »Of course, otherwise he<br />
would starve to <strong>de</strong>ath.«<br />
Finally, the starting shot: Now I just have to<br />
<strong>de</strong>ci<strong>de</strong> to take one hand off the clevis and<br />
loosen the rope that holds the sled to the<br />
trembling birch tree. And sud<strong>de</strong>nly my sixpack<br />
of dogs shoots ahead and accelerates<br />
up to 30 kilometres per hour within<br />
seconds. The sled swerves and jumps like a<br />
motor boat above bumps. My arms grow<br />
taller, my fingers clench around the clevis.<br />
At the same time I try to pull the hood of<br />
my down jacket – which makes me look like<br />
a Michelin Man – over my head to protect<br />
myself against the pricking ice crystals.<br />
Minus 10 <strong>de</strong>grees plus 5 metre wind speed<br />
per second – which equates to a minus 20<br />
<strong>de</strong>gree wind chill.<br />
And still, it is hot. When I step on the foot<br />
brake which is a rake hanging between the<br />
runners, when I shout out a long textbooklike<br />
»Whoa-aah« to my darlings – nothing<br />
happens. The or<strong>de</strong>r is to stop. However, six<br />
dogs pull in their harnesses as if they have to<br />
tow away a 40-tonner from the highway. To<br />
top it all, at the same time husky Scotti<br />
straddles the central dragline and is battling<br />
against a tricky situation, which – if it was a<br />
male dog – according to Amanda could lead<br />
to what is known as »scrambled eggs«. But<br />
experienced Scotti calmly escapes the danger<br />
by re-organising his left legs while running<br />
at a spanking speed.<br />
After we managed the first 20 kilometres<br />
without a fall, we start to relax. For the first<br />
time, we move our eyes above the bushy<br />
tails, sharp ears and constantly working<br />
paws. Christoph looks over to me and shouts:<br />
»Isn’t this sheer madness? I feel like in the<br />
movie »The Last Trapper!«<br />
We are above the tree line, only a snow-covered<br />
landscape stretches all the way to the<br />
horizon. There is no house. No power pole.<br />
No road. Nothing. It is a time for pleasure:<br />
Sliding along to the noise of six times four<br />
paws, the rushing of the dry snow un<strong>de</strong>rneath<br />
the runners. The shoul<strong>de</strong>rs gradually<br />
lower, the chin rises: the vast white country<br />
lies below the pale blue sky.<br />
Toil and moil you lazy cow – barks the lead<br />
dog!<br />
Pale blue sky? The blue has quickly turned<br />
into a dangerous colour of grey, driving snow<br />
from the si<strong>de</strong> and from the front. And we are<br />
going uphill too. Steeper than at the beginning.<br />
Lead dog Victor stops, turns around<br />
and snaps a mouthful of snow to cool down.<br />
His fierce look says it all: Get off! Push! Toil<br />
and moil you lazy cow! I am sweating, my<br />
goggles are steaming up too. I slowly get an<br />
i<strong>de</strong>a what it means to be a sled dog in a fur<br />
coat without a zipper running uphill and<br />
down for days. Still, there is time to breathe<br />
in the landscape: wave after wave, the Tundra<br />
rises, calm and majestic, bathed in an<br />
almost unnatural light. It’s like this the<br />
whole day. Around 6 pm, Christoph says that<br />
he would not mind reaching the camp soon.<br />
When we cast the snow anchor, Team Germany<br />
is close to collapsing. There is no time<br />
to lick our wounds though: »Dogs first!« is<br />
the supreme rule for a musher. The macramé<br />
of dragline and rope which holds the huskies<br />
in the right or<strong>de</strong>r on the steel rope for the<br />
night needs untangling and 24 paws have to<br />
be checked for injuries. Then, we unpack<br />
the axe, turn on the Primus cooker to<br />
The huskies already know how to survive in the far north: the masters of the dogs are still learning. ><br />
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melt the snow, chop the frozen dog food sausages into pieces and<br />
bring the yummy soup to boil. Then, going to each dog with a bowl<br />
and a scoop, we serve the steaming mash. That’s how you say<br />
»Thank you« for 70 kilometres, adding a few strokes while the<br />
huskies curl up into weatherproof fur balls.<br />
Team Germany in a spin<br />
Only after the animal act do we pitch our tents. The working gloves<br />
smell like wet dog. Quite tangy. They are <strong>de</strong>corated with a mix of<br />
hair, leftovers of food and, yes, inevitably dog poo. Still, we should<br />
put them in a plastic bag and into our sleeping bag at night<br />
because whatever gets wet at night will be frozen in the morning.<br />
Finally we find the time to take care of our stomachs. The freeze-<br />
I am sweating, my goggles are steaming up too. I slowly get<br />
an i<strong>de</strong>a what it means to be a sled dog in a fur coat without<br />
a zipper running uphill and down for days.<br />
dried »Beef Stroganoff« does not look so much different to the dog<br />
soup. »And it doesn’t taste that much different either«, laughs<br />
Pedro from Team Portugal. The cartoonist from Almada really did<br />
savour the dog sausage.<br />
On the next day our muscles ache in places we did not even know<br />
muscles existed. Still, there is already a bit of a routine. And the<br />
dogs have already grow on us. We realise they are the stars of the<br />
whole excursion. Without them, we would be lost. It is their horsepower-gene<br />
which keeps us going. Barely hid<strong>de</strong>n wolf-like<br />
instincts and power ensure a constantly taut rope – it must be<br />
heaven on earth for an experienced and professional (!) musher.<br />
We are still the absolute beginners. I mean, we did realise that a<br />
sled is not a mountain bike and has neither handlebars nor disc<br />
brakes, and that it wiggles like a cow’s tail. And that it likes to ><br />
A 300 kilometre trail, outsi<strong>de</strong> for three nights and four days – the Fjällräven Polar is not walkover.<br />
Finnland | Schwe<strong>de</strong>n | Lappland | Norwegen | Kanada<br />
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Bei uns sind Sie richtig wenn es um Ihren Urlaub mit <strong>de</strong>m Hun<strong>de</strong>schlitten<br />
geht, <strong>de</strong>nn wir machen im Winter nichts an<strong>de</strong>res!<br />
Wir haben für Sie über 50 Huskyfarmen in ganz Skandinavien persönlich<br />
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102<br />
Dream trip<br />
»Beef Stroganoff« does not look so much different to the dog soup.<br />
»And it doesn’t taste that much different either«, laughs Pedro from Team<br />
Portugal. The cartoonist from Almada really did try the dog sausage.<br />
Dogs first! And after them, the musher can go to bed.<br />
fall over when you do not absorb the movement with your knees<br />
while steering, or when you do not put your weight into the curve<br />
whilst staring at the tree that you were supposed to avoid. Worlds<br />
lay between theory and praxis. When I turn around after the downhill<br />
run, I can just see how Christoph rushes around the curve. He<br />
is pushing the brakes down, snow is flying everywhere. His dogs<br />
are too fast. One hand on the clevis, he tries to keep the balance.<br />
The sled flings around like an empty shoe box, tips and falls over.<br />
But Christoph does not let go and manages to pull himself up<br />
again. He recor<strong>de</strong>d everything with the camera on his helmet. His<br />
kids back home will be so proud of their tough dad. Above the<br />
heads of the six huskies, imaginary bubbles appear filled with dog<br />
curses. Christoph can accept that.<br />
Northern Lights and survival training<br />
In the tent at night, packed into my dawn sleeping bag, I think<br />
about my hitherto rather <strong>de</strong>tached attitu<strong>de</strong> towards dogs. Once too<br />
often I heard a happy »He just wants to play« and seconds later I<br />
felt sharp teeth in my calf. On the other hand, I love nature, the<br />
outdoor life. Already as a kid I could not get enough of Jack<br />
London’s adventures. When going for a walk, I had often looked<br />
into those mysterious eyes of a husky and felt a strong longing:<br />
One day, I would travel with four-footed heroes through the vast<br />
white country up north! It’s basically the same with Christoph and<br />
Fabian too. Just when we are about to fall asleep, somebody outsi<strong>de</strong><br />
shouts out loud: »Northern Lights!«. We run outsi<strong>de</strong> and<br />
in<strong>de</strong>ed: Unbelievable lights flicker across the sky in all possible<br />
sha<strong>de</strong>s of green. Auroras appear and disappear. It is a magical<br />
moment. Nobody talks, everybody is un<strong>de</strong>r the spell of the night<br />
sky until the beautiful spook is over five minutes later.<br />
On the third day we reach a lower area. It is surprisingly mild, the<br />
tough tests on the icy Fjäll seem to be behind us. We are sliding<br />
over frozen lakes and through <strong>de</strong>ep snow-covered forests. And I<br />
am pretty sure that Laika, a beauty with a light-coulored fur and<br />
blue eyes, has a little crush on me. At least, she likes to rest her<br />
muzzle on my knees often.<br />
And besi<strong>de</strong>s, we turned into survival experts. Survival trainer Johan<br />
Skullman is responsible for that. The former army officer – author<br />
of a survival book and equipment <strong>de</strong>veloper for Fjällräven – showed<br />
us how to pitch tents storm-proof, make fire in the snow, work a<br />
spiritus cooker and how to dress correctly in the Arctic climate. He<br />
gives us a final test: He wants us to sleep in a self-build winter<br />
bivouac un<strong>de</strong>rneath the stars. We are not allowed to touch our<br />
tents, only sleeping bags and bivouac bags are part of the game. ><br />
Die neuen XXL-Kalen<strong>de</strong>r im Posterformat sind da!<br />
Hier kommen Ihre guten Vorsätze für 2013<br />
2013<br />
klettern<br />
EDITION MOUNTAIN-ELEMENTS BY<br />
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47 x 67 cm · 13 Photos · E 27,90<br />
2013<br />
Best of Outdoor<br />
47 x 67 cm · 13 Photos · E 27,90<br />
best of<br />
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EDITION MOUNTAIN-ELEMENTS BY<br />
Best of Touring<br />
47 x 30 cm · 13 Photos · E 17,90<br />
EDITION MOUNTAIN-ELEMENTS BY<br />
Monique Forestier in Les Naufragés du Rhum, 8b · Nosy Hara Archipelago, Madagaskar · Foto: Simon Carter<br />
best of<br />
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M A G A Z I N<br />
Gosausee, Salzkammergut, Österreich · Photo: Michael Neumann<br />
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2013<br />
white<br />
water<br />
edition mountain-elements<br />
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47 x 67 cm · 13 Photos · E 27,90<br />
Canyonlands National Park, Utah, USA · Photo: PatitucciPhoto.com<br />
edition mountain-elements<br />
2013<br />
rocks 2013<br />
Rocks<br />
30,5 x 43,5 cm · 13 Photos E 17,90<br />
Bernd Zangerl in Kings of Solerto, 8b+ · Maggiatal, Tessin, Schweiz · Foto: Gerd Heidorn<br />
Hid<strong>de</strong>n Creek, Japan · Paddler: Shon Bollock · Photo: Darin McQoid<br />
2013<br />
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47 x 67 cm · 13 Photos · E 27,90<br />
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best of<br />
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EDITION MOUNTAIN-ELEMENTS BY<br />
In vielen Globetrotter-<br />
Filialen erhältlich.<br />
O<strong>de</strong>r online bestellen unter<br />
www-mountain-elements.<strong>de</strong><br />
o<strong>de</strong>r www.globetrotter.<strong>de</strong><br />
Sämtliche<br />
Monatsfotos können<br />
Sie einsehen unter<br />
www.mountainelements.<strong>de</strong><br />
Liabygda, Norway • Photo: Mattias Fredriksson<br />
Chugach Pow<strong>de</strong>r Gui<strong>de</strong>s, Girdwood, Alaska · Ri<strong>de</strong>r: Roman Rohrmoser · Photo: Michael Neumann
104<br />
Dream trip<br />
Ma<strong>de</strong> it! 20 absolute beginners turned into excited mushers.<br />
Christoph and Fabian shrug their shoul<strong>de</strong>rs, meaning: We can do<br />
that! After work we sit together, drinking a strong cowboy coffee. A<br />
little fire flickers near our snow apartment. I can‘t help thinking<br />
about the Arctic explorer Knud Rasmussen who used to say: »Give<br />
me dogs, give me snow – keep the rest.«<br />
Now we just want to party<br />
We now un<strong>de</strong>rstand what Rasmussen meant very well. At the<br />
beginning of the week we questioned what people did in the cold<br />
wil<strong>de</strong>rness up north while at home the first crocuses are flowering.<br />
We now have the answer: »Die Hun<strong>de</strong>«, Christoph and Fabian say<br />
in unison. »The dogs«, says Amanda.<br />
The rest is a piece of cake. On the fourth day and with splendid<br />
weather we are already at our <strong>de</strong>stination in the afternoon. More<br />
than 300 kilometres are behind us. We have learnt how to work as<br />
a team and have gained friends from all over Europe. We pulled<br />
ourselves together when we were dog tired. Now, all we want to do<br />
is to celebrate. Matti from Team Finland heats up the sauna.<br />
Peter the pub owner from Staffordshire takes care of the beer.<br />
Maria and Beatrice have tears in their eyes and can hardly say<br />
goodbye to their dogs. Erik from Norway calls his children to confirm<br />
that he has survived. And Pedro from Portugal lurks doubtfully<br />
around the sauna cabin: »Should I really go in there? All<br />
naked as well?«<br />
<<br />
Fjällräven Polar 2013: Two 4-<strong>Seasons</strong><br />
rea<strong>de</strong>rs must be the next mushers!<br />
Every year from 1996 to 2006,<br />
Fjällräven invited outdoor and<br />
adventure friends from all over<br />
Europe to a dog sled competition to<br />
North Swe<strong>de</strong>n. And only people who<br />
had no experience of such a sport. It<br />
was Kenth Fjellborg’s i<strong>de</strong>a, one of the<br />
most famous mushers in Swe<strong>de</strong>n. In<br />
<strong>2012</strong>, the i<strong>de</strong>a experienced a revival,<br />
but not as a competition but as a<br />
tour. There was a huge run for the<br />
20 places of the »Fjällräven Polar«<br />
- after all, Fjällräven covered all the<br />
costs (including travel expenses and<br />
the final party). More than 1,000<br />
applicants uploa<strong>de</strong>d a vi<strong>de</strong>o onto<br />
the Fjällräven website trying to get<br />
the most Facebook likes. In the end,<br />
participants from twelve nations<br />
came together and were sent on<br />
the 300 kilometre long run. For four<br />
days and three nights. Each musher<br />
steered a sled with six dogs. They<br />
went in national teams, accompanied<br />
by a professional musher.<br />
Apply for 2013<br />
Fjällräven Polar will take place again<br />
in April 2013 – and 4-<strong>Seasons</strong> has<br />
two exclusive places of the worldwi<strong>de</strong><br />
20 places to give away. You can apply<br />
with your own vi<strong>de</strong>o from the 20th<br />
of November <strong>2012</strong> onwards. On the<br />
same day, we will publish all the<br />
application information online on<br />
4-seasons.<strong>de</strong>. Good luck!<br />
Die sichere, leistungsstarke<br />
Imprägnierung für<br />
wasserdichte Bekleidung<br />
• Einfache und schnelle Anwendung zuhause in <strong>de</strong>r Waschmaschine<br />
• Bewahrt die Atmungsaktivität<br />
• Wasserbasiert, nicht entfl ammbar und fl uorkarbon-frei<br />
• Volle Imprägnierleistung auch ohne Aktivierung im Trockner<br />
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gültig bis 30.11.<strong>2012</strong><br />
Photography by Truc Allen Media
106<br />
Getaway<br />
Globetrotter’s highlights in winter<br />
North faces on the fly<br />
Ueli Steck climbed up the north faces of the Eiger, Matterhorn and<br />
Gran<strong>de</strong>s Jorasses in only 7.04 hours! Solo! His presentation on the 23<br />
November in Cologne is part of Alpinvisionen, presented by Globetrotter.<br />
His talk will cover the run-up from training through to achieving the<br />
record times. The full program: alpinvisionen.<strong>de</strong>.<br />
STORE-EVENT<br />
Avalanche safety<br />
STORE-EVENT<br />
First aid in winter<br />
4-SEASONS.DE<br />
Found in translation<br />
On 1 and 2 December it is<br />
all about avalanche safety<br />
at Globetrotter Munich.<br />
Workshops for free, products<br />
and presentations.<br />
Globetrotter-events.<strong>de</strong>.<br />
Practising in case of emergency in the Eifel:<br />
The Outdoor School Süd and Globetrotter Cologne<br />
are organising a course for winter sports people<br />
from 25 to 27 January. Information: outdoorschule-sued.<strong>de</strong>/globetrotter.<br />
It’s ready to be read: The 4-<strong>Seasons</strong> magazine<br />
is now available in English! Head over to our<br />
website 4-seasons.<strong>de</strong>/english.<br />
FILM AND PRESENTATION<br />
Mountain views in Dres<strong>de</strong>n<br />
Gerlin<strong>de</strong> Kaltenbrunner, Alix von Melle, Kurt<br />
Diemberger and many more: Numerous 8000er<br />
celebrities will be coming to this year’s Festival<br />
Berg+Outdoor – supported by Globetrotter<br />
Dres<strong>de</strong>n – and hold presentations. Information:<br />
4-seasons.<strong>de</strong>/bergsichten<strong>2012</strong>.<br />
4-SEASONS.TV<br />
Freezing impossible<br />
Stay warm thanks to down<br />
feathers, Primaloft & Co.<br />
Winter clothing tips from<br />
Globetrotter experts: 4-seasons.tv/kb-winterbekleidung.<br />
4-SEASONS.TV<br />
Movieblog of the ice prince<br />
New episo<strong>de</strong>s of the two-times world champion<br />
in ice climbing Markus Bendler. Exclusively this<br />
winter on 4-seasons.tv/eisprinz.<br />
More online<br />
EVENTS & DATES<br />
Globetrotter organises more than one<br />
hundred events each year ranging<br />
from presentations to GPS courses.<br />
In addition, 4-<strong>Seasons</strong> editors<br />
suggest further events for outdoor<br />
fans. Find all events and a search<br />
function at globetrotter-events.<strong>de</strong><br />
and 4-<strong>Seasons</strong>.<strong>de</strong>/termine.<br />
OUTDOOR NEWS & REPORTS<br />
Daily news, travel stories, background<br />
information and surf tips – always up<br />
to date on 4-<strong>Seasons</strong>.<strong>de</strong>.<br />
OUTDOOR FILMS AND VIDEO ADVICE<br />
Moving pictures of outdoor sports, the<br />
environment, equipment, events and<br />
much more: head over to our<br />
colleagues‘ website 4-<strong>Seasons</strong>.tv.<br />
Photo: Robert Bösch<br />
www.h AGlO f S.<strong>de</strong><br />
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