The summit

"I grew up in a city surrounded by forest, and my parents would always emphasize the importance of exploring it. They would grab any opportunity to take me to the woods. As a kid, it was my favorite playground. But as a teenager though, my priorities changed, and spending time in the forest was no longer one of them. You know, it’s that time when rebelling against your parents is considered cool. At fifteen, they brought me along with them to climb this ridiculously steep mountain called Besseggen. They woke me up at 05:30 in the morning, which didn’t really help my mood either. We started walking, and all I could think of was my PlayStation and eating cheesecake. The first hours were super lame, but as time passed and we reached higher and higher up the mountain, my teenage attitude started to fade. I could glimpse the summit, realizing that I was actually about to make it, so I loosened up and got really excited. When I reached the top, I opened my eyes to something incredible. It was a landscape I had only seen in pictures; snowy peaks in the distance, green fields, turquoise lakes, and the clearest blue sky. I became aware of nature’s perfect architectural balance for the first time, and it was so beautiful. It was as if the kid in me, the little boy exploring the forests, woke back up. I can’t fully explain how, but that moment changed my life. It made me want to discover so much more. I will always be on the search for the next perfect place to explore, and to be honest, that search might be everlasting. But that's a part of the fun of it all."

- Ulrik, Norway