Tell us a bit about yourself and why you decided to train to become a mountain guide?

“I grew up in Gällivare, a small mining community in the far north of Sweden. Where you are surrounded by the natural world and Dundret fell is on your doorstep. In those early years, I spent a lot of time discovering the great outdoors and the snowy slopes on skis. I was not a climber in those days. It is a long story, but it was my love of skiing that started me thinking about a career as a mountain guide. More complex terrain demanded more experience and skills, often related to climbing. It was the start of my climbing journey and all that this has entailed. My new passion was for adventures in the mountains in the summer months too and I spent many years skiing in the winter and climbing in the summer.”

How does your work life differ from a regular job?

“I guess there are both positive and negative aspects to working as a mountain guide, just as there are with most jobs. But one thing is certain, it is not like anything else. The mountains are your office in the summer and winter, with everything that goes with it. You get to experience things that most people never see or do in their working lives, and you create memories for other people that they will hopefully cherish for the rest of their days. It involves an incredible amount of responsibility and some flexibility in when you work. Plus the fact that it is a very independent job and you seldom sit down with colleagues for a coffee and a lunch break.”