Last Wednesday I walked from the train station in Åre towards Campus Åre for holding a lecture of introduction of UIMLA IML. Then the thought hit me, the mountain looks so great in the autumn colour. Then another thought hit me, I love all the seasons.

After spending almost 46 years in the mountains, and someone asks me -when is the best time in the mountains? You might think my answer would be for example week 9 for the skiing or mid-September for the colour…But my answer would always be the same -the best season is exactly just now, whatever by the calendar or the weather. There are no bad times in the mountains, only different chapters in a magnificent story.

Here is how I view the mountains’ constant transformation day by day. The magic of contrasts, as a mountain Leader, you quickly learn to appreciate the days that tourists often avoid. The ”in-between periods”: that time in May when the snow melts and the rushing waters roar with life, or November, when the first frost bites into the ground and the landscape is clad at a minimalist grayscale. That is when the mountains are at their quietest and most authentic. The storm as a teacher: A day of gale-force winds and lashing rain may not offer the best views, but it builds character. Once we arrive at the cabin, light the wood stove, and brew some coffee, it tastes better than anything else. It is in contrast that the strongest memories are born.

Nature lives in the present – ​​not in the forecast. We humans tend to want to plan everything perfectly. We want calm, sunny weather and mild temperatures. But the mountains do not care about our plans. When you stop looking for ”perfect” conditions and instead embrace the day exactly as it is, something happens to your state of mind. A misty August morning can feel magical and mysterious—almost like stepping into a fairy tale. A bitterly cold January day with a biting wind reminds us of our own insignificance and awakens a deep respect for the forces of nature. As a mountain Leader, my mission is not just to show the way on a map, but also to open the eyes of those accompanying me. Spring offers bright nights and crisp skiing on the crusty snow. Summer brings the midnight sun, blooming meadows, and refreshing dips in mountain streams. Autumn explodes with color and offers the clearest air you could ever breathe. Winter envelops us in a white, silent calm beneath the dancing Northern Lights. But among all these well-known highlights lies everyday life. That Tuesday in mid-June when it suddenly snowed. That Thursday in October when the sun breaks through the clouds for exactly five minutes, bathing the entire valley in gold.

The mountain is ready to give you it’s very best today. So, get your pack, and see you there…

Where I’ll Be Tomorrow

See ya soon…