Behind the Photo: Alpine Fog & Flora

Solo in the Swiss Alps

Yesterday I set out to see flowers, and found myself in a foggy dreamworld 2000m above sea level.

From my desk in Zürich in the morning, I looked up easy wildflower hikes within about an hour’s train ride, finding a nice one in Flumserberg (Alpenfloraweg) that involved a gondola ride. I knew it might rain, so I grabbed umbrella and trekking sneakers and set out.

While I didn’t end up seeing too many flowers, I did experience an otherworldly trip into the sky. Given the weather, I barely saw anyone else on the mountain the entire day. I saw four other people (and one dog) on the trail, and had all the gondolas to myself. It poured rain and the mountains peeked in and out of the fog and clouds. I felt deeply alive and at peace. Fog and mist soothe my soul. It reminded me of hiking in Iceland and the coast of Cornwall a few years ago. This was truly one of the most beautiful sights and days of my life.