But at the heart of this unpicturesque village 200 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle, with its trailer parks and mining-town architecture, burns the pioneering spirit of mountain adventure that far predates the cookie-cutter chalets and sophisticated lift systems that have come to define the modern mainstream ski holiday.

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Heidi is a national symbol, representing the feisty spirit of the mountain people and the Swiss love of nature.

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Between the outdoor pools and fountains and treatments like the Mountain Spirit Purification with its clay body mask and juniper-sage massage with hot stones, it delivered all the relaxation this resort promised.

FORBES: First Look

He started with the small quatrefoil lights of the Holy Spirit and the crucifixion, proceeding down through the main panels of Christ and his followers on the mountain, with all the way the white shaft of God's transfiguring light growing broader through the fire-and-storm colours of the glass.

ECONOMIST: Michael Lassen

All too often Everest hits the news for the wrong reasons - climbers left to die high on the mountain, or piles of rubbish littering the slopes - but for Luanne such rescues show the spirit of Base Camp.

BBC: NEWS | Health | The highest hospital in the world

In the spirit of "The Lord of the Rings, " my publishing house put together a fellowship to tackle the mountain.

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