He shoots things his way
Clarissa is a woman who lives contrast.
Anyone who meets her today in her adopted home of Hopfgarten in the Brixental would hardly guess that her original roots lie in hectic Düsseldorf. In a world where appearances and the judgment of others often matter most, she dared to make a radical break.
“It was like night and day,” she recalls of the moment when she first traded the anonymous fashion city on the Rhine for the mountains of Tyrol. Today, she has found her place – as a passionate huntress, mountain hiking guide, and a person who loves silence just as much as warm-hearted chats with guests.
From Competitive Sport to the Mountains
Her path was anything but straight. Originally at home in the demanding world of competitive sport, Clarissa raced bicycles in Germany’s national league. But the mountains called louder than the asphalt. A period of searching followed: an early end to her training as an educator, a stint in her father’s law office, work in retail. Yet her longing for nature was always there. Even as a child in the big city, she would borrow the neighbor’s dogs just to have a reason to escape into the countryside.
A serious stroke of fate – a cancer diagnosis and, almost at the same time, the loss of her three beloved dogs – became a turning point for her. “For a moment, you think life is punishing you,” she says openly about that difficult phase. But Clarissa is not someone who gives up. Out of the crisis grew the strength for a new beginning. She completed her hiking guide training and devoted herself with renewed intensity to her calling in nature.
Sunrise: when the wWorld is still at rest
Today, Clarissa guides guests through her new homeland. Sunrise hikes in particular have captured her heart. When the first light creeps over the peaks and the wildlife is still peacefully grazing on the mountain meadows before the bustle of the day begins, she is in her element. “Wild animals have an instinct. They know every corner, they know exactly when the gondola starts running,” she explains. For Clarissa, hiking is far more than just exercise. It is time out for the soul, a path to inner peace.
For her, it does not always have to be the highest summit. The experience of nature and the journey itself matter more than pure elevation gain. When she reaches the summit cross, she gives it a quick pat and pauses – a small moment of gratitude that she also wants to share with her guests. “Afterwards, you see everything with completely different eyes,” she is convinced.
Regional quality you can taste
The theme of responsibility runs through Clarissa’s life all the way to her plate. Hunting is not a new hobby for her, but has been a fixed part of her life for 17 years now. She completed her hunting training back in 2007 – out of deep conviction and as a form of practiced animal welfare. As a huntress, she knows exactly where her meat comes from. “It doesn’t get more organic than that,” she says proudly. An animal that has grown up in freedom, without stress and without long transport routes – for her, that is lived appreciation for creation. She finds the same honesty at the Kraftalm, her personal favorite place. There, where the bread is still baked in-house and the eggs come from the farmer next door, she feels at home.
A Tyrolean with a Rhineland heart
Although she has changed her citizenship and is fully integrated into the Tyrolean community, now and then the “stubborn streak” shows through – something she appreciates in the locals as well. “I like it when people speak plainly and directly.” The initial skepticism toward “the German woman” has long since been softened by her Rhineland wit and her hands-on nature.
Clarissa has found her source of strength in the mountains. When she speaks about her path in life today, there is a deep sense of contentment in her voice. She does not need luxury, only the vastness of the mountains, the green of the forests, and now and then a good coffee in an alpine hut. For the future, she wishes for only one thing: that her health will remain and that she may continue to inspire people with the beauty of her adopted home. Because of one thing she is sure: nothing will ever draw her back to the big city.
