Outdoor photographer Rainer Eder got a gig with Swiss mountain sports brand Mammut to capture images of traditional alpine athletes in unexpected environments. From construction cranes to sewers to gondola cables, Eder snapped away to capture surreal yet thought-provoking images for the spread and perhaps his most favorite location was a paper recycling plant in Büren, Switzerland where Swiss professional alpinist Jonas Schild dug his axes into a towering mountain of scrap. Despite the unusual terrain, Schild attacks the route with the same precision and determination as on a frozen waterfall:
While the still shots are undeniably cool there is an underlying message to the project, on that hints at a possible the future where ice climbing as natural ice becomes less reliable.
“Inspired by the question: What could my sport look like if it had to adapt to an ever changing environment? This series shows our athletes climbing, running, skiing, and performing with unwavering focus, no matter how surreal or demanding the world around them may appear. A playful yet powerful reminder of resilience— and the world we’re shaping.” -Mammut
