Dreaming of Touring in Europe
What’s the first thing you think of when you read in the title of an article, “Touring in Europe”? For me, the first thing that comes to mind is stepping outside a comfortable hotel, maybe buying a croissant at the nearby boulangerie for breakfast. Maybe today you plan on going to a Museum you’ve never been to. Maybe you’ll sit at a local cafe and soak in the culture as you people watch, ending the day with a stroll in the foreign neighborhood you find yourself in.
For an adventure junky like Aaron Ogden, “Touring in Europe” means something entirely different. Summiting more than 3 mountains, covering more than 4 cols (mountain passes), and skiing for 7 days straight, sounds more his speed. The Haute Route.
Aaron is Summit Wellness’ Chief Fitness Officer. He was born and raised in Utah, therefore using the landscape as his outdoor outlet, as well as making health and fitness into a career. Though he spend most of his time training and enjoying the numerous mountains that Utah has to offer, next year Aaron is taking his adventurous self to Europe to complete the Haute Route Tour.
As he and his group are training for the trip skiing has become more than a sport, it’s become a way of life. He says, “The Summit Wellness training for the Haute Route isn’t just about preparing physically for the activity but it’s about forming a brotherhood and friendship. These are the kinds of trips that will be talking about for years. Skiing and training should be social activities. When we train together it strengthens our friendship even more and we keep each other accountable to the training program.”
The Haute Route is not for the inexperienced or ill prepared. However, it’s not impossible to anyone that is willing to put in the work. I asked Aaron what he thought the most rewarding and the hardest part of the route would be. He said, “The greatest reward I think people are going to experience is when we get to the huts and eat good food and talk about the days experiences that we had and the beauty that we are enjoying. The hardest experience will be for those who are physically not prepared and are suffering from blisters and fatigued legs wishing that they were probably back home instead touring another 5 to 10 hours the next day. … This is not one of these trips that you’re going to be able to train for in one week.”
To anyone that is new to the Summit Wellness’ blog, or new to our philosophy, we believe the greater the effort, the grander the experience.
As Aaron would say, “do not procrastinate the day of your skivation.”. 🙂
Do you dream skiing something like the Haute Route? Start now.
Do you dream of getting a handle on your weight? Start now.
Do you dream of overcoming your fear of heights? Start now.
What is your Summit Journey? At Summit Wellness, this is what we do. We help you reach your summits, whatever they may be.
Pictures are from mountainschool.com