The answer is skis, stamina and stalwart determination in this photo by Swiss photographers, Dan and Janine Patitucci.
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1 minute
Dan Patitucci
The last 30 metres of the Bishorn, 4153 metres above sea level, is the only steep section as it climbs an ice cap.
After 1800 meters of ascent on skis, the mountain summit requires a short climb without skis. While this is one of the Alps easier 4000 meter peaks, it does require excellent endurance to make it to the summit after a long slog up the Turtmann gletscher.
Of course the advantage on skis is that the hard work getting to the summit is rewarded with a 2500 meter descent back to the village of Zinal.
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At work and play
We are fortunate to call the mountains our workplace and still marvel at what we get to do on any given work day, be it in the Alps or Himalaya.
After all these years, the passion we have for life as mountain sport athletes and photographers hasn’t faded. Experiencing the Alps on so many levels keeps us motivated for what comes next.
Grandiose landscapes
Each week over the next few months, swissinfo.ch is publishing a series of Dan and Janine Patitucci’s pictures from the past year: images of unexpected encounters and grandiose landscapes that put us humans in our very small place.
Dan and Janine Patitucci are professional photographers and mountain sport athletes who work in the global outdoor industry. Based in Interlaken, they’re more likely to be found at high altitude – running, skiing or climbing, and always with camera at hand.
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What do glaciers have in common with Swiss cheese?
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The answer is holes that present a hazard to runners on the Glacier Haute Route, as seen in this image by photographers, Dan and Janine Patitucci.
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Looking into the New Year? Not quite: ski tourers take in the Alpine world around them after making it to the top of the Bishorn.
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In Switzerland there are mountains, people that run up them, and photgraphers like Dan Patitucci who are crazy enough to run after them.
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Mountaineers can be quite inventive in the names they give their routes, as photographer Dan Patitucci explains in his description of this image.
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A picture of picture-taking Pascal Egli is the first in a new series of images by Swiss photographers and alpine athletes, Dan and Janine Patitucci.
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Stamina, planning, climbing skills and the right gear. The equipment carried by American writer and climber John Harlin III includes a picture-taking, video-making smartphone so he can upload his impressions to his swissinfo.ch “Border Stories” blog. Photographer Daniel Patitucci captured Harlin “at work” among the natural and human-altered landscapes in and near the Silvretta range.
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An archaeological discovery in Switzerland points to significant links between areas north and south of the Alps 5,000 years ago.
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The Matterhorn is beloved by mountaineers and marketers alike, appearing on international products ranging from gunpowder to shower gel.
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If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.