A deeper understanding, Mountain Air staff know what’s best, so you don’t have to!

A deeper understanding,
Mountain Air staff know what’s best, so you don’t have to!

With a staff of over sixty, it’s no surprise that we have people interested in all kinds of sports and activities here at Mountain Air. What you might not know, is that not only are they into the sports that we advocate here in the shop but they are at the cutting edge of these sports. That enthusiasm is felt when you chat to these staff about the things they are passionate about, which can also be seen reflected in the products that we have on offer. We wouldn’t be happy selling something that wasn’t up to standard.

Check out what they get up to when they are not here in the shop .

Ski touring –
With Aspirant guides and keen enthusiasts that have travelled the globe, searching for fresh tracks and genuine mountain experiences, our team here not only know what they are talking about, they live it; day in day out .
Ulf has been on too many ski touring trips to mention, but some of the highlights include an expedition to Lebanon. Skiing with the desert on one side and the sea on the other. The view over Syria might have changed a little now, though! He has also been on a solo trip through the Himalayan plateau in northern India ski touring between remote valleys, eventually cutting the trip short because he developed trench foot and was unable to walk. Maybe this is what inspired him to make better decisions about what equipment he should use!
Mountain Air have two teams entering this year’s PDG, though we also have many keen Lycra clad staff members who love to get out and compete in the regions fantastic races.
Tom was lucky enough to get a spot on this year’s race and so can now be seen on an almost daily basis testing various new strategies to try and make it as easy as possible to make those meters on his #skimmute to work.

Snowboarding
Freestyle, and freeride. Our team is into it all. Gabbi can often be see with his Jones Split board heading up into the mountains you will see Josh and Joao in the park or riding their favourite jib lines. We have a new sales range with boards from Jones, bindings from Union and Deluxee boots and these guys have been instrumental in the purchasing process. Josh is very near the top of the number of days on the mountain leader board, so knows about quality of the equipment and how it will last….
Climbing
Climbing is one sport that lots of the team can agree on! You can regularly see the guys in the new sports centre gym, keeping fit and waiting for summer when they can go out and make the most of Valais’ incredible climbing spots. Sarah recently returned from an unbelievable trip of a life time to Jordan where she mastered some of the sandstone routes that the region is famous for. She even opened a few new routes. Ulf also returned recently from a climbing trip of Asia, climbing in China, Myanmar and Thailand. Michael is training for the climbing section of his guide course so gets in as much climbing as he possibly can, he has even started bolting his own routes here in the valley.
Tom has built himself and the team a climbing wall in his barn, where the guys can be found keeping fit when the weather is not so great.
Our illustrious leader and keen mountaineer led an expedition to Kyrgyzstan into an unclimbed valley, where he and his team named various peaks and opened up the area for climbers to follow.
Ice climbing
Michael who is a mountain guide in training ice climbs regularly, he is lucky to live in what he calls paradise, but others call Fionnay. You can find him out climbing on the many frozen routes that surround his house! Multi pitch routes are his favourite, so he really tests his gear to the limit and as a result he knows best what works and what doesn’t.
Trail running
Sarah and Tom have both had some success in this area. Competing in the regions finest races. Tom came 3rd this summer in the Trail dents du Midi in the pro catagory and 5th in the trail Verbier - St Bernard . Sarah also has had various successes over the years and will try to beat her friend ( Emily Vaudan’s ) victory in last years Trail St Bernard.
Road biking

Biking 

Christer has entered the Etape de tour – the amateur leg of the Tour de France for several years now. Tess won a local sprint hill climb this summer up to Champex lac beating several local professionals.
Mountain biking
James and Anja both have a mountain biking background, now work in the summers for local guiding company bike Verbier. We have Jason who is our chief tech in the summer who raced as a child and moved here originally for the biking and has possibly Verbier’s biggest personal bike collection!
With all this passion and enthusiasm for the mountains it’s no surprise that when you come into the shop, the people here can’t wait to tell you all about what clothing you should be wearing or what gear you need to use to make your time in the mountains as enjoyable as possible. After all that’s all we can ask for; to have the best time possible. That’s what we want for ourselves here in the shop so that’s what we want for you too! .