Janine and I get asked a lot about our favorite trips for mountain sports. While I loathe the idea of “Top Whatever Lists”, I am going to report my favorites because it is a good reason to delve into my own memories and see what has been most rewarding.
As professional mountain sport photographers, we have this massive database of photos that I must work within each day. But for us it is far more than a collection of work images, it is a collection of memories. The nature of the way we work is to photograph our experiences, not just document others. As a result, we have a visual reminder of our lives and all the things we do.
In the last ten years we have been on countless trips; climbing, skiing, running and hiking. So, which experiences stand out amongst them all, and why? Finally, can our trips inspire others to go on their own?
What are the criteria for a favorite trip? Beauty, Emotion, Landscape, Travel, Difficulty, Effort and of course the friends we share it all with. The envelope please…
In no special order, according to Dan & Janine Patitucci, the Top 5 Mountain Sport Trips are :
1. The Ortler Ski Tour, Italy
2. Hiking & Running Iceland's Laugavegur Tour
3. Trail Running the Tour du Mont Blanc. France, Italy, Switzerland
4. Climbing the Evolution Traverse, Sierra Nevada, California
5. Alpine Climbing the Berner Oberland Region's three classics: Monch, Jungfrau, Eiger. Switzerland
Now for the fun part, or parts 1 – 5, telling each story of each experience, with photos. Stay tuned.
Dolomites Tour Operator