Survival Guide for 2027 (under construction)
This is your survival guide. Read the whole thing! No, really! everything! you lazy hippie! It will redeem your soul from the burden of ignorance and maybe death.
Swiss Inter-Rational Art Isch Guet And Fun!
... the name was a result of a long democratic process and a tie that lead into mixing the final candidates in a way that nobody was happy with.
Event Date and Duration
Build:
13.02.2027 - 17.02.2027
(Saturday to Wednesday)
Event:
18.02.2027 - 20.02.2027
(Thursday to Sunday)
Strike:
21.02.2027 - 22.02.2027
(Sunday to Monday)
👇
👉 All The Links 👈
https://linktr.ee/winterthing
👆
How it Works: The Ten Principles
This event generally follows the principles of Nowhere and Burning Man. Please read them if you are unfamiliar with them (there will be a test at the entrance and you don’t wanna be „that“ person).
Self-expression
Be the person you are. Be the person you want to be. We respect and value you, and expect the same from you. You have the freedom to be yourself. Become who you are.
Self-reliance
You are responsible for you, mentally and physically. Bring what you need, give yourself what you need – and ask others for help when you need it.
No Commerce
Forget about money – there’s nothing to buy. By removing commerce from our community, we create co-operation and participation. We plan ahead and work together. We live without money to remind us of what’s really important.
Leave No Trace
From dust to dust, we leave only footprints.We care for the environment, and we take care of our home. We clean up after ourselves; we leave nothing behind; we leave no trace we were there. From dust to dust, we leave only footprints.
Participation
Get involved – This event is what we make it. The more you do, the more you get back. When you join others in play and in work, you are part of it. Your contribution is more valuable than you realise.
Inclusion
Everyone is welcome at our event. We welcome everyone for their unique contribution to our community. Include others as you want to be included, with respect, consideration and tolerance.
Gifting
We give our time, effort and gifts freely.We give to help others and because it makes us feel good. From a cold beer to digging out a tent pole to a small badge, our gifts are from our heart.
Co-operation
Together we are stronger.From how we work together to how we communicate, co-operation is at our core. If we can make life easier, we will. If we can make life better, we will. Together we are stronger.
Community
A family of individuals, we look after each other. A diverse group of separate self-reliant beings, we are united in our need to be part of something larger than ourselves. Community, others, self – united by tolerance and joy.
Immediacy
Make now count. All this will soon be gone, so enjoy now. Experience, participate, be. This is all there is, so enjoy.
Be a Meister!
We believe that everyone is a Meister! Your personal space bubble has a radius of two meters, it follows you, you’re the Meister of it. Make sure everything within your realm is going smooth and no one is harmed.
Remember: Volunteering is fundamental for our event. All participants are encouraged to contribute. Set up a structure on the snow field (Shnaya) that provides comfort and shelter, bring art, perform, help in the various fields of volunteering like greeting people at the gate or cleaning the toilets.
To learn how to participate, go to "Get Involved"!
Consent (aka "The 11th Principle")
In the open and experimental environment we are trying to create, it is crucial that you always check with others before practicing your self-expression.
Be aware that people from different cultures and generations come together. What’s OK for you might not be for somebody else. And how can you know if you don’t ask?
Consent isn’t just about sexual actions but anything involving another person or their personal belongings.
Helpful short explainer vide: click here 👈.
Remember: A no is a no, always. Even if a yes has been expressed earlier!
On the flipside, however, a yes is a yes and why would you go for anything less than “Hell, YES!”?
Photo Consent
Consent also applies to photography:
Anybody who is identifiable in a photo you take has to be asked for consent. Consent for publishing a photo publicly, especially on social media, has to be given explicitly.
How to Get There
Direct link to house on Google maps
Address:
Domaine de Monteret
1264, Chem. de Monteret 4
1264 Saint-Cergue
its near Geneva, at 1046 meters above sea level.
46.44702 N, 6.17645 E
Arrival by Public Transport
Nearest trainstation is La Chèvrerie-Monterêt (direct link). From there it is a 16min walk to site.
Shuttle
You can organize yourself a shuttle over the “need a shuttle” sheet in the Meisterplan. There will not be an official shuttle schedule. Check the linktree master sheet.
Arrival by Car
Parking
Unloading
(TODO FINALIZE) You will be able to drive to the site to unload (please be efficient, as we only have one dedicated parking spot to unload). Please notice that the street might be snow covered. After unloading, drive to a suitable parking location and return with either a nice person picking you up or treat yourself with a nice walk.
Snow Chains and Parking Alternatives
Not impossible that this might be relevant. It's highly advised to BRING SNOW CHAINS!
Vans
Read the Arrival by Car section and make sure to get a van parking ticket in addition to your outdoor ticket!
Practical Advice and Considerations
Arrival
Arriving during build - Your food and sleeping arrangements
Important: Sign up for build as early as possible, if you are planning to arrive before the official start of the event!
As you all know, there are various sleeping arrangements during the event. You either have a camping (outdoor) ticket, which means you will sleep in a tent, a yurt, an igloo, a camper-van or you share bed with someone who has an indoor ticket... Or you might have a bunk bed (indoor) ticket yourself, which means you will have a bed available to sleep in during the event from Thursday until Sunday (you will still need to bring bed linens and a sleeping bag).
Regardless of which type of ticket you have for the event, if you come early to help with build you will have a bed to sleep in during this time! Please note that there is only limited space and this space is dedicated to people working. Build time is not party time. We get up early in the morning to work. There will be food served to volunteers during this time. If you come for build, you must fill out the build sign-up form - otherwise we won’t know to feed you. You want to eat, don’t you?
On Thursday morning, everybody needs to move out of the bedrooms completely and go to Gate between 10:00 and 12:00 for check-in. Please bring your ticket. You will then receive your wristband and can sign up for your bed if you have a bunk bed ticket.
Arriving during event time (Thursday - Saturday)
(TODO FINALIZE) Please arrive during the Gate opening times:
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Thu 12:00-24:00
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Fri 9:00-24:00
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Sat 9:00-24:00
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Sun Gate Closed
As at every burn, the very first thing when you arrive is to go to Gate and check in with your ticket and ID. Hug your old/new friends (if everyone consents) and maybe even fill your cup with something… (Hopefully you brought your burner cup or it’s going to be a very sad day on the Shnaya for you.)
Sleeping arrangements
Remember to bring your own bed sheet and a sleeping bag!
Vans
(TODO FINALIZE) Vans are allowed on site for everyone with a van ticket.
Outdoor
(TODO FINALIZE)
PWARs - People With A Reason
(TODO FINALIZE)
What to Bring
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Your cup
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Food & Drinks for yourself and to share
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Bed sheet and sleeping bag if you sleep in the house (required by the contract with the landlord!)
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Proper camping gear if you sleep outside, especially if you sleep in a tent. See paragraph "camping guide" in section "Survival in the Snow" for this for more details
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Your avatar and your beloved mind
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Warm clothes, shoes and costumes to put that avatar into! Temperatures can drop as low as -20°C. More on this in section "Survival in the Snow" under "Clothes to Bring".
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anything you need to take care of you mind so it doesn't get lost
Kitchen
(TODO FINALIZE)
Radical self-reliance!
There is one clean, open, communal kitchen (C.O.C.K.) in the main house (Overflow Palace), which is where you will need to make your own food during the event. The C.O.C.K. is not big enough for everyone to use it at the same time - this has strong potential for a cluster fuck.
This years edition, there is another C.O.C.K. in the Satellite Residence.
To make sure there is enough C.O.C.K. for everyone to be satisfied (and avoid gigantic waiting lines), we advise you to organise in groups, bring very simple (one pot) or preferably even pre-cooked meals to reheat, or bring food that doesn’t need cooking at all. Also - sharing is caring (just don’t feed the no-care bears)! There will be no space to store your food inside, so bring smart solutions to store it outside (boxes, etc).
The C.O.C.K. will come equipped with all the usual toys (pans, knives, spatulas, etc) for you to use, but personal items like cutlery and dishes will be locked away - please remember to bring your own. Also remember to always keep your C.O.C.K. clean and leave it ready for the next person to enjoy! Please leave the tools in the kitchen and don't mix it with others.
The Suppenmeisters make sure there is a big pot of soup always ready for everyone during the event. Be a Suppenmeister, sign up to keep people warm, hydrated and energized.
Build kitchen this year is different to the last years and it will be breakfast and dinner for people coming before the event to build and help. For lunch be self-reliant! Fluffer snacks are available.
Showers
(TODO FINALIZE) There are showers in the houses. The water is heated by electricity (normally over night) and stored in large tanks. This system is designed for a maximum of 50 people or 50 showers per day. This means that with about three to four times the amount of persons on site we will almost inevitably run out of hot water at some point.
So we ask you to please, please
a) have short showers, turn off water in-between and
b) not wait for warmer water if it's lukewarm - it won't get any hotter.
Pro Tip: You might have a better chance of getting hot water if you take a shower at a time when the shower hasn't been used in a while - like at 5am. But also then we kindly ask you to use hot water sparingly.
LNT (Leave No Trace)
Trash during the event
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There will be limited central waste management but it won’t have the capacity to take everyone’s trash. Please only bring what you can and will take out again.
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For your convenience, bathrooms and selected areas will have small trash bags for sanitary products and small non-recycle trash. They are not meant to take all your trash. Recyclable trash goes to the LNT station.
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When you gift (leftover) food to the general public, you are responsible for making sure it gets disposed of later unless someone agrees to do it for you.
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Remember to bring a moop bag (“moop” = matter out of place) and a personal carry-on ashtray if you are a smoker.
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Further information on site abilities will be written here if available.
After the event
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If you have a room: broom sweep your room and leave the mattresses and frames tilted against the wall.
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Be so kind and willing to take a trash bag with you when you leave by car and have space.
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(TODO FINALIZE) recycling stations.
Volunteering: The Meisterplan
Be a Meister! As always, there is a volunteer-shift plan. Make the event a pleasure for everyone by volunteering! Sign up for shifts in the shiftplan. We need 2-4 shifts per participants to Meister the event.
Please make sure to double check your shifts during the event (we know it can get confusing in the snow…)
Click here for the MEISTERPLAN
Snow Info
Are you seeking answers to big questions? For example: where are the nearest showers? How many servings of Glühwein you can enjoy? Where is my bed? Does true happiness exist? You've connected to beautiful people during a shift and now want more connections? Then you are right at snow info. We will guide you on the path to discovering your answers and help you unleash your inner magical Sherlock. Come find us.
Emergencies & Medical Care
There will be Snowmads on site at all times during the event. They are sober and will be ready to help you with any kind of emergency situation, so don't hesitate to approach them if you need help! They will also be able to provide for medical help that exceeds the capabilities of your own medical kit (which you should bring anyway).
Survival in the Snow
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Grüezi, it’s Schwiitzerland, it's f...ing cold in winter, especially during night.
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Bring warm clothes, don’t turn into a popsicle. Wear lots of layers, onions are never cold.
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Insulation is the word, especially for your feet. Wear good shoes (no plastic sole), socks are warm too.
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Keep yourself warm and dry, cuddle puddles are a great way for “radiative” heat transfer.
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Eat enough! Energy keeps you warm.
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Drink a lot, but don’t eat snow! Melt the snow and drink it molten.
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Never eat yellow snow!
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Alcohol and other substances may alter your sensitivity to cold. Don’t fall asleep drunk outside, hypothermia doesn’t ask for consent.
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Put sunscreen on and use sunglasses, you don’t want to be that sun-kissed.
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Don’t venture outside by yourself. It’s boring anyway.
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If you consider camping YOU MUST READ our camping guide below.
Camping Guide
Tent
For snow camping, you ideally want a “mountaineering tent” (or “4-season tent”) that’s easy and quick to set up in frigid conditions. These tents are a bit heavier than 3-season backpacking tent but offer better snow/wind protection.
A typical mountaineering tent features:
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Dome shape and an extra-strong pole structure.
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Mostly solid fabric (instead of mesh) for more warmth and strength.
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Dual doors for easy access even in bad weather
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Extra guy lines for more stability in high winds
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A “gear attic” to stow small items and free up floor space
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Large vestibule(s) for wet-gear storage or a sheltered cooking area.
Ovens in Tents
It should be common sense that extra care has to be taken when using ovens or any kind of open fire in a yurt or a tent.
Usually ovens with ducts are pretty safe as the chimney effect cares for any exhausts to be sucked outside. This effect is so strong that it is physically impossible for smoke gasses to leak anywhere else. If, however, your duct rips open, for example through movement of the oven due to melting snow underneath, flue gas can get into your space. These gasses are toxic and can consist of various mixtures of CO2 and CO (carbon monoxide) and might not necessarily occur in conjunction with smoke. Meaning: you could get intoxicated (in a bad way) without even noticing, flue gasses don't ask for consent either.
So please make sure your oven is positioned on solid ground or footing.
Ground cloth
A ground cloth protects your tent from any water that might seep from the snow through the tent floor. Any tarpaulin will work, but a tent “footprint” (sold separately) is lightweight and is custom cut to fit your tent’s dimensions.
Sleeping pad
These provide both cushioning and insulation. For winter camping, be sure to use two full-length pads to keep from losing body heat on snowy surfaces. Pads are rated by R-value, the measurement of insulation, ranging from 1.0 to 8.0. The higher the R-value, the better it insulates.
Tip: Use a closed-cell foam pad next to the ground and a self-inflating pad on top to get the best insulation from the cold ground. The foam pad also serves as insurance in case the self-inflating pad gets punctured.
Sleeping bag
Make sure you use a bag the minium comfort temperature of which is rated at least the coldest temperature you expect to encounter. At our site this should be at least -15° Celsius. You can always vent the bag if you get too warm. Cold- and winter-rated bags are supplied with generous amounts of goose down or synthetic insulation. Down is the most popular choice due to its superior warmth-to-weight ratio. Just make sure to keep it dry (when wet, down loses much of its insulating ability) or use the new water-resistant down bags now on the market.
Winter bags are also distinguished by their draft tubes behind the zippers, draft collars above the shoulders and hoods to help keep the heat in the bag.
Sleeping bag liner
Using a bag liner adds extra warmth, minimizes wear and helps keep your bag cleaner. The extra layer can add 4° to 8°C of warmth.
Clothes to Bring
Hats
You lose a significant percentage of your body heat through the top of your head. Follow the old mountaineering saying: “If your feet are cold, put on a hat.” Consider windproof models such as those made from Gore Wind Stopper fabric.
Gloves & Mittens
Another must. Take extras, too, in case they get wet.
Goggles
Always protect your eyes from sun and wind. There are different lens tints for various weather conditions. Snow blindness is a thing! Bring shades.
Socks
Wear a thin, snug layer next to your skin and a second layer over it, both made of merino wool or a synthetic fabric. The thickness of your second sock is determined by your boot fit. An extra-thick sock will not keep your feet warm if it makes your boots too tight. Take extras.
Worst-Case Scenarios:
What Can Happen to You in the Snow?
Hypothermia
This is the body’s temperature decreasing due to exposure to the cold conditions. It can be life threatening. A person can become hypothermic without even noticing it.
Symptoms:
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Shivering.
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Slurred speech.
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Non-communication.
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Lethargy.
Frostbite
This happens in cold-weather conditions. Frostbite is a freezing of the tissues usually on the fingers, toes, nose or face. It is a result of heat being lost faster than the blood can circulate. In severe cases, appendages may have to be amputated.
Tip: Use chemical heat packs to help stay warm and to avoid getting frostbite.
Symptoms:
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Numbness to an area.
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Loss of sensitivity to touch.
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Tingling that feels like burning.
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Shivering.
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Skin appears red and then white-to-purple
Dehydration
Even when the temperature is low, you can still get dehydrated and that’s not good for your kidneys, heart or brain. So drink plenty of water—even if you’re not thirsty. Drink before you become thirsty.
Tip: Keep the fluids flowing in freezing weather with an insulated reservoir and tubing.
A good way to determine if you’re drinking enough is to check the colour of your urine. If it’s dark, you are dehydrated. If it’s pale in colour, you’re doing a good job hydrating!
Other symptoms of dehydration in extreme temperatures:
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Increased heart rate.
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Dry mouth.
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Dizziness.
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Muscle cramps.
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Confusion.
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Weakness.
Stay warm! Eat enough! Drink water!
Get Involved:
Art Grants, Volunteer Shifts, Workshops, Performances
👇
👉 All The Links 👈
https://linktr.ee/winterthing
👆
The forms to sign up / register for many things will appear on the linktree!
Volunteering
Volunteering is an integral and very central part of any burn and a great way to make new friends and have a great laugh. We invite you to participate by taking some shifts and make this event as fantastic as it possibly can be.
Funding Art (fArt)
Bring your Art !
(TODO FINALIZE) Dear beautiful, creative people
You always had some crazy idea in mind? This is your moment to make it happen.
Do you want to bring an installation or a performance to our event but your project requires financial assistance? Whether you want to dazzle people’s minds with deeper insights, show off your skills or just bring something that looks pretty, we welcome it all! If you have not already secretly started building your art, NOW is a good moment to do so.
🥕Fill out the FArt Form as soon as possible if you would like financial support.
💰Let us have a chat about what you need, there is budget to support artists. The Verein (association) might have some of the materials you need in storage.
Any doubts and questions? Please contact us with your ideas…and we will see how we can make it happen!
So exciting 🔥🤞🌈☃️ love everywhere!
Placement Registration
(TODO FINALIZE) You got a ticket and you will bring your camp, your tent, your art installation, sauna, hot tub or other project? Awesome!! Please fill in the online registration form so we can sort out your placement.
This is particularly important if you plan to bring a yurt or other big structure since outside, horizontal space is limited. In this case please get in touch with placement as soon as possible!
In addition, if you plan to come early, we ask you to fill in the build sign-up form before January 17th, 11pm Swiss time.
Power & Light
Electricity on site is limited. As we don't want to have a "Strommangellage" at our event (aka unplanned power outages, aka end-of-party), we request that you use gas- and wood-based heating and cooking systems (or the available kitchen) - no electricity for heating or cooking. Reasonable sound and light installations are fine, but please tell the power rangers (via placement form)
Workshops
Do you want to share you skills and lead a workshop? Or do you want to give a performance that's not part of the cabaret? We welcome your contribution and are looking forward to what you will bring. To best be able to meet your requirements we ask you to fill in this form and register you workshop! Our workshop coordination Meister*in will then approach you to arrange for a place and time.
Legal Disclaimer
General
This event is wholly organised by volunteers, everybody is a participant and a volunteer (see "2. Principles"). Our budget is very limited.
Therefore, kindly note:
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You are attending the event at your own risk and you are responsible for your own health and safety.
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There is no medical team on site.
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You are responsible for your own medical and accident insurance.
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Be prepared to look after yourself in case of an emergency.
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We take no responsibility for any injuries or damage / loss of property.
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We take no responsibility for any actions of the participants or content of the event.
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THE ORGANISERS – THE VEREIN ZUR FÖRDERUNG DER BURNER SZENE SCHWEIZ („VFBSS“, A SWISS ASSOCIATION) – AND ANY VOLUNTEERS HEREBY EXCLUDE ANY LIABILITY AS FAR AS PERMITTED BY SWISS LAW.
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The contract between the ticket holder and the VFBSS is governed by Swiss law.
Outdoor Survival
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Please carefully read our guidlines on Survival in the Snow!
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If you plan on camping outside, please be especially aware of the risks and familiarise yourself very carefully with the needs in respect to equipment and skills. This is especially important to know for participants who have never been to the mountains or in a snowy environment. Extreme cold is potentially more dangerous than extreme heat.
🥁 Swiss Inter-Rational Art Isch Guet And Fun... what a great name...🥁