Changing Horizons
Where you come from makes all the difference. For Sam Anthamatten, Zermatt, Switzerland has always been home. Tucked beneath 13,000 foot, perennially snow-capped peaks, massive, unforgiving glaciers and the iconic, striking Matterhorn, his village runs rich with big-mountain culture. Alpine guides, ice climbers and mountaineers are deemed celebrities while personal achievements are marked at high altitude. Here, the mountain range is a playground and “out of bounds” only applies to an unwarranted comment off the slopes. Anthamatten, a 30-year-old UIAGM-certified mountain guide, veteran Freeride World Tour competitor and Faction athlete is currently redefining what it means to leave ski tracks in steep, big-mountain scenarios. Descending near-vertical faces at unprecedented speeds, the Swiss-German athlete’s technique links large, swooping turns alongside freestyle tricks in landscapes that don’t allow mistakes. By combining his extensive knowledge of mountaineering skills with the freedom of backcountry skiing, Anthamatten is changing the way riders look at the world’s tallest peaks…
