Hi there!! I'm Andrea Degasparis. Finally I have a moment to sit down and tell you who I am. I live in Alagna…in Ronco, the hamlet built on Tagliaferro, which is my favourite mountain in a way!! Where did this crazy idea to become an Alpine guide come from? My dad was an Alpine guide before I was born and afterwards he decided to become a Park Ranger in the valleys of Mont Rosa. So, as soon as I could walk properly, he introduced me to the mountain, hiking in the midst of forests and rocks, running amongst ibexes and partridges and then always taking me higher up, to the glaciers, where a passion for the mountain was etched into my bones. In 1986, a day with 2 meters of snow, Dad put some skis on my feet, I was only 5!, and launched me into the fabulous world of skiing on fresh snow! And today, as an Alpine Guide I know just about every corner and crevice of Mont Rosa, from summers in the forests, meadows and pastures of the lower valleys to the glacier covered peaks stretching towards the sky; winters where everything is asleep under layers of white snow and like a poem, you can leave your traces in it that can only be covered by wind and more snow. I nearly forgot, did you know that my ancestors were Walser? For this reason I am a real mountain dweller… but don’t worry, when I want I can be a right chatterbox. Enough of this autobiography…I have to put my gloves out to dry and prepare my backpack, crampons and ice axes, because tomorrow I am going to climb a frozen waterfall
