impressions from the alps

I feel faint under the pressure...If I had been alone, I would have thrown myself to the ground, I would have bitten the stones, the beautiful, sliming, green and garnet-red stones, and the dust with its sparks of gold. . . . I was possessed by nature like a violated virgin. For a moment my soul left me to melt into the luminous mass of the Breithorn... Yes, extravagant as it may sound, for some moments I was the Breithorn.
(Romain Rolland, “Memoires et fragments du Journal”, notes taken September 1889)

Mischabel
The Mischabel Group above Saas-Fee in the Wallis Alps seen from Weissmies (4023m).
From left to right: Rimpfischhorn (4199m), Breithorn (4164m), Allalinhorn (4020m), Alphubel (4206m), Täschhorn (4491m), Dom (4545m), Lenzspitze (4294m), Nadelhorn (4328m), Stecknadelhorn (4241m), Hohberghorn (4219m), Weißhorn (4506m), Grand Gendarme (4331m), Bishorn (4153m).

Europe's central mountain range is like the Himalayas very young and both are still growing - only 1.5 millimeters per year, though. The Alps are famous for their ragged and bizarre rock formations and the diversified landscapes. Here are some photo stories from my hikes:

Arnplattenspitze in the Wetterstein Mountains

Ellmauer Halt in the Wilder Kaiser Mountains

Erlspitze in the Karwendel Mountains

Gehrenspitze in the Wetterstein Mountains

Großvenediger in the Hohe Tauern range

Habicht in the Stubai Alps

Hochfeiler in the Zillertaler Mountains

Piz Palü in the Bernina Alps

Saas Valley in Wallis

Schrankogel in the Stubai Alps

Wiesbachhorn in the Glockner Group