Under way

Snow crunched under foot. It wasn’t deep, only a few inches of loose snow on top of the hard packed snow. Peter had chosen the well-worn path from the landing site to the peak. The landing sitenow now lay about a mile and a half behind us and was used regularly as a drop off point for all kinds of groups. From guided tours to scientific research parties. I knew that somewhere in the pineforest to our left there should be a small cabin-size research facility, some way off the beaten track. I once sought refuge there during an autumns storm and ended up spending a few nights with the residing research assistent of that year. The path we were following, was the one used all year round, and went up to the peak but nowhere near the researchcabin. Strangely the peak was never named but was known among the guides as airport peak.

After another two hours walk we reached the top of airport peak. All this time, when not enjoying the silence of the mountains, I had the pleasure of seeing four handsome ladies at work. I took every opportunity to check them out. Especially Karen, the daughter, had a very sensual way of walking. Slightly swaying her hips, unconsciously taking on sexy poses when resting or waiting for the others to catch up. She caught me looking at her a couple of times but by uttering some form of encouragement I saved myself the embarrassment of being found out.

Karen seemed the most athletic of our four charges with the twins close behind. The mostly lost time on her because of their somewhat erratic movement. They were constantly fidgeting with their clothes and gear, or staring dreamily at the surroundings. Elisabeth, the mother, who insisted on being called Lizzy, came last but showed no signs of being the one that would lag behind in the days to come.

When I reached the top, Peter was in conversation with the twins about the pros and cons of different types of walking boots while Lizzy and Karen stood together on a rocky outcrop, enjoying the view, taking sips out of a waterbottle and eating a muesli bar. The weather had changed for the better and the whole opposite mountainside was bathing in sunshine, dappling the lower slopes with green splotches of clinging remnants of pineforest. A couple of buzzards were soaring overhead, calling out at each other while drifting up on thermal flows.