Mountain Wilderness
In defence of mountains, the world over
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Want to see mountain nature better protected? Join us!

“Mountain wilderness” refers to any pristine, untouched mountain environment, where anyone can experience vast open spaces, silence, solitude, nature. “The value of wilderness therefore lies above all in its potential to stimulate a creative relationship between civilised man and the natural environment. It is the degree of authenticity of this relationship that gives a non-ephemeral meaning to adventure.”

This definition dates back to 1987, when the Biella theses, our manifesto, were written. They marked the birth of Mountain Wilderness.

Mountain Wilderness International (MWI) is the umbrella organisation of the national chapters of Mountain Wilderness. It facilitates communication and exchange among national chapters, coordinates and organises international projects and actions and officially represents the organisation in its relations with governments, authorities, international institutions and non-governmental organisations.

If you share our ideas and you wish to help us, please join a national chapter. Mountain Wilderness has chapters in a dozen countries.

Events Calendar

Mountain Wilderness International

2 days ago

Mountain Wilderness International
Mountain Wilderness Deutschland organised a protest action in #Platzertal, in the Ötztal Alps (“Ötztaler Alpen”) the largest connected glacial area in the entire eastern Alps, last Sunday. The protest action held in Austria was against the expansion of the #Kaunertal power plant through a huge dam, that would flood over 63,000 square metres of valuable moorland, a vital carbon sink. The expansion would divert a large part of the Ötztal water resources through the middle of protected areas to Kaunertal, 23 kilometres away. The withdrawal of up to 80 percent of the water would mean a drastic cut for the #Ötztal, especially in times of climate crisis. The Ötztal is already one of the valleys receiving the lowest rainfall in #Tyrol. Here a link to a Bergauf Bergab video report (in German) on the protest action, from minute 12 onwards.🔗 bit.ly/461cugu ... See MoreSee Less
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Mountain Wilderness International

5 days ago

Mountain Wilderness International
Expedition parties of the Swat Project have returned to Europe from Pakistan. The project was initiated and led by Mountain Wilderness International with the aim of publishing a guidebook of the mountains and valleys of this fascinating area, which is part of the high mountain Hindu-Kush Himalayan region of Pakistan, with a view to establishing a vast protected mountain area. In a week’s time, the Catalan and Italian mountaineers who were planning to ascend the last virgin peak in that area will also return home.#swatproject #MountainsMatter #HKH #Pakistan ... See MoreSee Less

News from the Swat Project expeditions - Mountain Wilderness

www.mountainwilderness.org

The 16 trekkers who took part in the 2023 edition of the Swat Project have returned to Europe from Pakistan. The project was initiated and led by Mountain Wilderness International with the aim of publ...
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Mountain Wilderness International

1 week ago

Mountain Wilderness International
It is with great sadness that we receive the news of the death of our International Guarantor Josep Sicart i Tauler.He co-founded Mountain Wilderness Catalunya and chaired the organisation from 1995 to 2000. Throughout all his life he fought for the mountains and Catalunya.Josep leaves such a mark in our hearts.May the earth and his beloved mountains be light on him. ... See MoreSee Less

Josep Sicart i Tauler - Viquipèdia, l'enciclopèdia lliure

ca.wikipedia.org

Josep Sicart i Tauler (Caldes de Malavella, 27 de juliol de 1934) (Barcelona, 15 de setembre de 2023)[1] fou un alpinista[2] i impulsor de l’excursionisme i de la protecció de l’alta muntanya.
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Mountain Wilderness International

1 week ago

Mountain Wilderness International

How Climate Change Will Hit Snow Levels Across Europe’s Ski Resorts - MRI

www.mountainresearchinitiative.org

The Mountain Research Initiative is an international network that promotes research on mountain regions across borders and disciplines through connection and collaboration – with a view to supportin...
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Mountain Wilderness International

2 weeks ago

Mountain Wilderness International
Empowering women through mountaineering! Betto Pinelli, our Honorary President, announced a new mountaineering course for women in Pakistan, as part of our Swat Project, in collaboration with #spscollege ISMEO #Caai and Mountain Partnership#empowerment #mountaineering #swatproject #Pakistan #MountainsMatterwww.dawn.com/news/1775058/italian-mountaineer-plans-course-for-women ... See MoreSee Less

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mwildernessint Mountain Wilderness International @mwildernessint ·
22 Sep

#MWGermany organised a protest action in #Platzertal 🇦🇹 -Ötztal Alps- against #Kaunertal power plant expansion. The planned dam would flood over 63,000 sqm of moorland & withdraw up to 80% water from one of the valleys in Tyrol receiving lowest rainfall
📽️ http://bit.ly/461cugu

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mwildernessint Mountain Wilderness International @mwildernessint ·
19 Sep

Expedition parties of the #SwatProject have returned to Europe from #Pakistan. The project, initiated and led by MW International aims to publish a guidebook on Swat and establish a vast protected mountain area there #HKH #mountainsmatter

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mwildernessint Mountain Wilderness International @mwildernessint ·
16 Sep

It is with great sadness that we learn of the death of our catalan International Guarantor Josep Sicart i Tauler. He co-founded @MWildernessCat and chaired it 1995-2000. Throughout all his life he fought for the #mountains and Catalonia. Josep leaves such a mark in our hearts!

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mtnresearchmri Mountain Research Initiative @mtnresearchmri ·
14 Sep

A new study co-authored by former MRI SLC member Samuel Morin warns that a quarter of European ski resorts could face snow scarcity every other year due to 2°C of global heating. ❄️🌡️

➡️

#OurChangingMountains #ClimateChange #MountainTourism #SkiResorts

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mwildernessint Mountain Wilderness International @mwildernessint ·
11 Sep

Empowering women through mountaineering! Betto Pinelli, our Honorary President, announced a new #mountaineering course for #women in #Pakistan, as part of our #SwatProject, in collaboration with #SPSCollege #ISMEO #CAAI and @UNmountains. #MountainsMatter
https://www.dawn.com/news/1775058

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A Mountain Liaison Officer is an officer seconded A Mountain Liaison Officer is an officer seconded to a foreign mountaineering expedition visiting the Greater Himalayas for climbing or trekking at high altitude. It was very common in ancient times, even during the British Raj, for every mountaineering or scientific expedition to have a liaison officer. Read @afzelscherazi's article on mountain liaison officers. Link in bio #mountainsmatter #liaisonofficer #Pakistan #HKH #glaciers #mountains #cleanclimbing #leavenotrace
You may either love or hate these feats, but what You may either love or hate these feats, but what about the descent of Mont Blanc by helicopter? 🚁 This happened in the hottest week on record, with blazing temperatures around the globe, among growing concerns about the impacts of climate change and GHG emissions on the environment and human health... Link to press release in bio 📷 Mountain Wilderness France #MontBlanc #helicopter #GHGs #emissions #climatechange #hottestweekever #environment #leavenotrace #silence
Some smiling faces from our virtual GA 2023, that Some smiling faces from our virtual GA 2023, that just ended. Keep on doing the good work! See you next year, in person! 💪 🗻 #MountainWilderness #InDefenceOfMountains #TheWorldOver
Today is World Environment Day! 💚 This year's Today is World Environment Day! 💚 This year's theme is "Solutions to plastic pollution". Mountain areas are among the most affected by plastic waste, yet pollution of mountains rarely makes the headlines. Hard and soft plastics are the most widespread pollutants in mountain areas. Check what you can do 👉 bit.ly/3Ce6qE8 to #BeatPlasticPollution! 📷 #GridArendal 🙏 #WorldEnvironmentDay #WED #plasticpollution #MountainsMatter #wildlife #cleanclimbing #leavenotrace
Civil disobedience should always be a last resort. Civil disobedience should always be a last resort. But if even the UN Secretary General Guterres raises the issue saying "They need to be protected and we need them now more than ever”, because “at key moments, protesters have been instrumental in persuading governments and business leaders to do much more”, then the wave of criminalisation and delegitimisation of environmental defenders should really spark a Europe-wide, a worldwide public discussion. Link in bio #environment #defenders #climate #activists #NGOs #mountainsmatter #noplanetb
Explorations done so far within the framework of t Explorations done so far within the framework of the Swat Project are simply not enough. Volunteers are needed to carry out further exploration and mapping, as well as taking pictures of unexplored areas. In addition to hikers, parties of mountaineers are needed to identify access routes to the main peaks and to describe the ascent routes. We think that publishing a guidebook can be an important step in convincing Pakistani authorities of the importance of designating a national park. If you are a hiking and mountaineering enthusiast, you can join us in exploring Swat’s last, still partly unknown hiking and mountaineering routes. Some of the routes may require the crossing of glaciers and snow passes, implying the use of crampons, ice axe and rope. For more info, follow link in bio! #SwatProjec#SwatValley #Pakistan#MountainWilderness #wilderness #mountainsmatter #mountainlovers #mountaineering #hiking #cleanclimbing #leavenotrace #guidebook #nationalpark #wildlife
Ever since the Olympics were awarded by the IOC to Ever since the Olympics were awarded by the IOC to Milan and Cortina, Mountain Wilderness has always maintained that all promises of sustainability would be betrayed, that the costs to the community would be far from those budgeted, that all procedures put in place to guarantee environmental protection (SEA) would be carefully circumvented. Article link in bio! 📷 #VytautasDranginis #Unsplash #milancortina2026 #olympics #olympics2026 #milanocortina2026 #olympicgames #sustainability #betrayal #environmentalprotection #natura2000 #alps #mountainlovers #mountainsmatter #leavenotrace #environment
We stand in solidarity with the victims of the dev We stand in solidarity with the victims of the devastating earthquake in South East Turkey and Northern Syria 📷 #NASA #TurkeySyriaEarthquake
The Swat Project comes to an end this year. The la The Swat Project comes to an end this year. The last expeditions will take place in August/September. We are once again inviting all hiking and mountaineering enthusiasts to participate in the exploration of hiking and mountaineering routes that will be included in our guidebook with a strong focus on environmental protection. 💚 This guidebook is meant to spur the Pakistani government to initiate the creation of a National Park. The project is being implemented in collaboration with ISMEO, International Association for Mediterranean and Oriental Studies, and CAAI, Italian Academic Alpine Club, under the aegis of @unmountainsmatter For more information, link in bio 🔗 #mountainsmatter #SwatProject #guidebook #nationalpark #Pakistan #cleanclimbing #ecotourism #donoharm #leavenotrace #mountainlovers
"Women move mountains” was the theme of this yea "Women move mountains” was the theme of this year’s International Mountain Day (IMD) on 11 December. “Women play a key role in environmental protection and social and economic development in mountain areas. They are often the primary managers of mountain resources, guardians of biodiversity, keepers of traditional knowledge, custodians of local culture and experts in traditional medicine” explains FAO. A perfect fit for our “Girls in Action!” course we held this year in Pakistani Swat, 10 years after the assassination attempt on Malala Yousafzai. The course was part of The Swat Project, whose ultimate goal is to create a National Park in an area of great natural beauty, known as the ‘Switzerland of Pakistan’. There were several initiatives either organised or co-organised by MW at national and international level or in which national chapters participated. Link in bio #mountainsmatter #WomenMoveMountains #IMD2022 #InternationalMountainDay #TheSwatProject #mountainwilderness #mountainlovers #cleanclimbing #leavenotrace #donoharm
May the festive season bring us peace, love, healt May the festive season bring us peace, love, health, rest and the strength to continue fighting with renewed vigour for our beloved mountains in the New Year! ✨ #MerryChristmas #SeasonsGreetings #happyholidays #mountainwilderness #mountainsmatter #sustainability #donoharm #leavenotrace #mountainlovers #mountains #biodiversity #environment #climatecrisis
'Women play a key role in mountains' environmental 'Women play a key role in mountains' environmental protection and social and economic development' #UN We are so proud to have contributed by empowering a group of Pakistani women with our "Girls In Action!" course held this year in Swat, because #WomenMoveMountains! Happy International Mountain Day! #IMD2022 #MountainsMatter #empowerment #GirlsInAction #Swat #Pakistan #ecofriendly #mountaineering #wildlife #climbing #HKH #cleanclimbing #leavenotrace #donoharm #nationalpark #mountainlovers
Grand Bornand, 930 m asl, will host the Biathlon W Grand Bornand, 930 m asl, will host the Biathlon World Cup from 15 to 18 December. There being no snow, which is quite normal at that elevation, piles of artificial snow were produced and preserved. But then the "white gold" had to be transported. A local resident said: "in a quarter of an hour, 17 truckloads of snow came up to the ski resort". That's 68 trucks per hour! In times of climate and energy crisis, just think of the consumption caused by an event like this, in terms of water and energy to make the snow, not to mention the carbon footprint of the trucks! Gold medal 🥇 for water and energy consumption to make the snow ❄️ as well as for the trucks' carbon footprint! 🚚🚚🚚 #snowfarming #climatecrisis #energycrisis #biathlon #MountainsMatter #Alps #leavenotrace #donoharm #carbonfootprint
📢 December 11 is International Mountain Day! 🗻 The year 2022 also marks the 20th anniversary from the first International Year ever devoted to mountains! Once again we have joined forces with @teatrodelburattomilano to organise a short story (in 🇮🇹) and photo contest within the framework of the Reading Mountains Festival on the themes "women move mountains", "sustainable mountain development" and "into the wild". Prizes will be awarded on #IMD2022 🔗 bit.ly/3fW51Ld (Italian only) #MountainsMatter #mountainwilderness #mountainlovers #wilderness #sustainablemountaindevelopment #womenmovemountains #intothewild #cleanclimbing #donoharm #leavenotrace
From the Austrian Pitztal-Ötztal megaproject, “ From the Austrian Pitztal-Ötztal megaproject, “Europe’s largest contiguous glacier ski resort”, to the greenwashing-sounding “Connecting Nature, Sharing Beauty” project in Italy's Aosta Valley and the cancellation of all downhill races in Zermatt-Cervinia as “senseless event and against all environmental logic”. When "Nature must be respected and accepted". #Alps #mountainsmatter #sustainablemountaintourism #skiindustry #megaproject #skiresort #cableway #Pitztal #Ötztal #CimeBianche #mountainlovers #wildlife #greenwashing #climatechange #glaciers #donoharm #leavenotrace 📷 Mountain Wilderness Germany Link in bio
Twenty young women aged between 15 and 25 took par Twenty young women aged between 15 and 25 took part in the basic course in eco-friendly mountaineering "Girls in Action!" This is one of the many courses Mountain Wilderness has held over time to train locals as guides and give them a livelihood, while protecting the environment, preserving mountains and respecting local culture and traditions. To read more, follow link in bio Many thanks to our partners ISMEO (The International Association for Mediterranean and Oriental Studies), CAAI (Italian Academic Alpine Club), to @scarpaspa for donating 30 pairs of boots as well as to @unmountainsmatter and @banca_sella for their financial support! #empowerment #GirlsInAction #Swat #Pakistan #ecofriendly #mountaineering #wildlife #mountainsmatter #climbing #HKH #cleanclimbing #leavenotrace #donoharm #nationalpark #mountainlovers
Our teams of the Swat Project 2022 are in Swat, Pa Our teams of the Swat Project 2022 are in Swat, Pakistan, right now. Some are blocked in the mountains, due to heavy rainfall and flooding, but safe. The "Girls in Action" course for eco-friendly women trekking guides was completed despite the weather this week, although rain forced trainers to cancel yesterday's field trek. Diplomas will be handed out to the trainees who completed the course tomorrow. We express our deepest sympathy to the people affected by the flash flood emergency and mourn the many dead caused by heavy monsoon rains in Pakistan. #Pakistan #Swat #mountainsmatter #mountainwilderness #mountainlovers #sustainability #livelihood #wildlife #cleanclimbing #donoharm #leavenotrace
In recent decades, via ferratas and equipped mount In recent decades, via ferratas and equipped mountain routes have conquered all the Alps, which count more than 1000 of them: ‘French-style’ ferratas are mainly built for recreational purposes, generously equipped with cables, foot and handholds etc. and, whenever possible, a suspension bridge for extreme fun. Very often, via ferratas lead to diffuse anthropisation impacts, and sometimes even dangerous overcrowding, in particularly vulnerable areas for both fauna and flora, without even measuring the environmental impact they can have before they are built. More on @mountain_wilderness_italia campaign on via ferratas in bio #viaferrata #trail #mountainwilderness #MountainsMatter #wildlife #overcrowding #cleanclimbing #leavenotrace #donoharm
Safe trip and good work! 🙏💪🏔️⛰️🧗‍♀️ 🌲🌳 #swatproject22 #girlsinaction #trekking #mountaineering #Pakistan #HKH #nationalpark #cleanclimbing #leavenotrace #donoharm #mountainwilderness #wildlife #mountainsmatter #mountainlovers Reposted from @mountain_wilderness_catalunya Sortint de BCN cap a l’Hindu Kush pakistanès per participar del #swatproject22 de @mountain_wilderness_intl…
Italian Nature Film Festival #25GPFF calls for gov Italian Nature Film Festival #25GPFF calls for governments and citizens to sign environmental sustainability and nature conservation charter to commit to a more sustainable world and then organises helicopter 🚁 ride in nature reserve - where tourist flights are banned - to Gran Paradiso 🏔 summit for a distinguished roped party to fake ascent to advertise it. Now, was there any need to drop this roped party 🧗‍♂️ along with H.S.H. Prince Albert II of Monaco by helicopter on the shoulder of Gran Paradiso known as 'back of the donkey' just to take a few pics for the press 📷 and make headlines in the name of "sustainability"? Link in bio #granparadiso #gpff #granparadisofilmfestival #ValledAosta #Italy #Alps #granparadisonationalpark #sustainability #climatecrisis #glaciercrisis #whateverittakes #donoharm #cleanclimbing #helicopter #mountainsmatter #mountainwilderness #wildlife #naturereserve #greenwashing
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