Living for the mountains

David Kögler grew up in Kleinwalsertal and works as an Alpine policeman. Even as a young boy, he was fascinated by the mountains on his doorstep. In the new summer film WHERE (Y)OUR HEART BEATS | Chapter 8, he tells how he found his passion for mountains.

How it all started...

David is not only an alpine police officer, but also a passionate mountaineer. His fascination for mountaineering was awakened in early childhood by the influences of his grandfather and father. Books of famous alpinists on the shelf as well as the possibility to grow up in a place where you can be directly in nature and on the mountain from the front door were his first points of reference to alpine sports. Later, in the youth group of the Alpine Club, he got to know and love the different facets of alpinism such as mountaineering, climbing and ski mountaineering in more detail.

His career path from competitive ski mountaineer to alpine police officer is therefore obvious. What fascinates David about the four-year training and his day-to-day work as an Alpine Police officer are the varied areas of operation and tasks, as well as the valuable tips he can take away for his own career as a mountaineer. For David, working for the Alpine Police in Kleinwalsertal is the opportunity to exercise his passion for the mountains in his job as well.

A major goal for his future is to train as a state-certified mountain guide. David wants to pass on his love of mountain sports and his enthusiasm for the mountains to other people.

David doesn't know exactly how old he was when he first climbed the Großer Widderstein. But he likes to remember the incredible feeling when he stood at the summit for the first time. The tremendous view of the Kleinwalsertal, the Allgäu, the Bregenzerwald and the Lechtal Alps is unique, he says. For him, the Großer Widderstein is his local mountain. Both experienced alpinists and climbers as well as hikers find their way to the summit cross via routes of varying difficulty - that's exactly what fascinates David so much about this mountain.

For him, climbing the striking Widderstein southwest wall is always an experience. It clears his head. Concentrating only on the moment, the here & now and the route gives him a unique feeling of peace. Climbing in alpine terrain is very different from sport climbing in the gym. You need experience and a certain feel for the alpine terrain, belay techniques and wayfinding. It is also important to be able to rely 100% on your climbing partner. David is fortunate to have a long-time good friend as a climbing partner - they understand each other with few words and share

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