Today we are very happy to chat with Lena Stoffel. Lena was our guest last autumn, which is when we got to know each other, and we’ve been working on a joint project ever since.
Today we talk to Lena about her passion for the mountains, nature and adventure. How she went from skiing to surfing and snowboarding. And what impressions the Locanda Mistral and the Valle Maira left on her.
Dear Lena, thank you for taking the time for this conversation and telling our readers a little more about yourself and your love for the mountains. Have you always been a "mountain child" and when did you decide to make this passion your main purpose in life, your job?
I’m happy to take the time to share, thank you very much for your interest.
I grew up in the Allgäu and have been skiing all my life. That means I didn't grow up in the big mountains, but in the foothills of the Alps. But since my parents are also passionate about skiing and both are state-certified ski instructors, it made sense that my brother and I were also on skis from an early age. We also drove a lot to the nearby mountains.
Skiing has been with me all my life. Starting with alpine racing, to freestyle skiing during and after my studies in Innsbruck. Freeriding has always been a part of it and also what I loved to do because it is mostly about connecting with the mountains and nature. The most important thing has always been to be in the mountains and in nature, and to share this with great people. That's why I don't think there was an exact point in time when I decided to make this passion my profession. It all came naturally. And through my many trips for my sponsors and film projects, I have come to appreciate this connection to the mountains, nature and snow more and more, and also discovered my passion for photography and filming.
Last autumn you visited the Locanda Mistral and the Valle Maira for the first time. How did you even discover us and this alpine valley? And what are your impressions from the first visit?
I think a friend once told me about this remote valley because he had heard it from a friend himself. I've never been to this part of the Alps before and had wanted to go for a while to explore the Maritime Alps. I am fascinated by the fact that the Alps stretch as far as the Mediterranean. In general, I am fascinated by the Alps, their unbelievable size and everything there is to discover.
I found it very exciting and interesting to learn that there is this valley that focuses on sustainability. And that people are coming back to the valley today after so much emigration. As soon as you drive into the seemingly endless valley, you immediately feel that there is a lot of history there and in the villages.
I was very impressed by how the landscape of the valley changes from the entrance to the valley head. How more and more high mountains open up and you are brought into beautiful, wild nature.
We felt very much at home in the Locanda Mistral. The family atmosphere and the incredibly good food. The beautiful rooms and the original flair of the house are really great.
You took part in international slopestyle competitions for years: what has stuck with you from that time in professional sports? And what do you enjoy most now, after your professional career?
I wouldn't necessarily say of myself that I'm very competitive, but I enjoyed working towards something, training, having goals and being determined. It often gave me structure in my everyday life and it was fun to drive in the park and be in the air. Accepting this challenge and concentrating on doing things that may seem a bit crazy in some eyes. I think that's what I took away from my professional career: to be determined, to set goals and to be able to deal with setbacks. I also learned to listen to my body well. Even if forced by one or the other injury.
In the last few years I have enjoyed putting my own projects into practice, although this is often not easy either. And skiing without competitive pressure, and being more in nature and in deep snow rather than in parks.
Traveling and discovering new places is also one of your great passions. Last year this was only possible to a limited extent. Have you gained new insights during this time, what will you take with you in the future, what will you keep?
For the first time ever, this winter I was only skiing in Tyrol due to Corona. Thank God that was possible here, almost without restriction. It was good for me and showed me how much there is to discover here in my close environment. I got to know a lot of new people and lots of new mountains and ski tours.
What I've learned: you really don't have to fly or drive that far to get to know and explore new things. And of course I consider myself lucky to be living here. I have also learned to have a little patience, not always having to be where there is the best snow, but to make the most of what is close and to enjoy it.
Back to the Locanda Mistral: Sustainability plays a major role for us and the Valle Maira is a destination that has been spared from mass tourism. How do you generally rate the status quo in the Alpine region in terms of sustainability, overtourism, etc.? Has anything changed here in the last few years?
This year it was only really clear to me what a difference tourism makes, especially here in Tyrol, and what it is like without it. But I'm not sure if anything has really changed in the last few years.
What I believe is that the desire for sustainability is growing and that there is increasing pressure from society and sometimes also from politics. But on the other hand there are still the cable car lobbies and those who always want more.
That is why I think it is very important to show this sustainable path and to find solutions that improve what is already there (e.g. the entire infrastructure) instead of expanding it more and more.
What are you personally looking forward to most when you think about your next stay at Locanda Mistral?
I'm looking forward to the beautiful nature, to the self-baked bread for starters (the best bread I've ever tasted), and to either beautiful hikes or, hopefully, beautiful ski tours, enabling me to experience the landscapes in winter. Maybe on a powder run in the larch forests :-)
Thanks for talking to us, Lena. Is there anything else we forgot to ask? Something that you would like to give our readers to take along with them?
I think you mentioned everything. :-). In any case, it is really worth a trip to the Locanda Mistral. I look forward to coming back soon.
About Lena Stoffel: Growing up as the daughter of two ski instructors, Lena has been skiing her whole life. She covers all disciplines of skiing, studies health and competitive sports in Innsbruck and is a state-certified ski instructor.
After Lena ended her long and successful career in slopestyle skiing following two serious knee injuries, she started concentrating on inspiring photo and film projects.
With films such as “WAY NORTH”, “WAY EAST”, “WINTEROX” and the latest film “CIRCLE OF THE SUN”, she has been able to travel to many inspiring, scenic and culturally impressive places. These projects showed her her passion for photography and film.
As a Patagonia Ambassador and POW (Protect our Winters) ambassador, Lena is also involved in nature conservation projects and tries to show how valuable it is through her passion.
“The mountains and the snow have always played a big role in my life. I covered all disciplines of skiing. In competition, but also in my free time. It was my passion and my career that enabled me, now as an athlete, but also as a filmmaker and photographer, to travel to places that fascinate me very much. The experience of nature is also what makes sport so wonderful for me. The mountains and the sea. The skis, the snowboard, and the surfboard are incredibly great boards that allow me to experience nature so intensely and valuably."