Piste PERFECT

Andermatt, a quaint alpine village nestled in the heart of Switzerland, has become the unexpected site of a vibrant revitalisation steadily transforming into a captivating new home for a spirited global community.

- CHANDREYEE RAY

I am treading up the side of a Swiss mountain, carefully placing one foot after another as gravel rolls under the soles of my shoes. The hiking poles I am clutching have been useful until now in helping me navigate the ever-changing terrain, but faced with a flowing stream of water between where I'm standing and the next stretch of grassland, my gait becomes increasingly unsure—eventually coming to a complete stop.

I feel an arm slip into the crook of my elbow and turn to see Olympic champion skier Bernhard Russi smiling at me. With an assured nod, Russi whisks me across the stream in a matter of seconds, seamlessly charting a path atop the open-faced rocks jutting out of the water. He knows exactly which ones to step on and which ones—sharp, shaky or slippery—to avoid.

We reach the other side and come face to face with a brown-spotted cow staring at us with big, gentle eyes. I notice its cowbell before Russi explains that for the local cows, mountains are only a temporary home for the summer when grazing pastures are at their best. Come winter, farmers and farmhands bring them back down to stay warm. “It’s like they're on summer vacation,” he says with a laugh.

The sunshine warms my back pleasantly as we continue our leisurely ascent. I take a deep breath and the crisp, cool air feels like it’s reaching the very bottom of my lungs. At any given moment, the views around us are so picturesque it feels almost like a mirage—as if I might wake up any minute and find myself back in my busy hometown city, where the highest I could get is a rooftop bar on a skyscraper.