For Lucas Swieykowski, winter is never over. It simply moves between hemispheres.
As the season begins to fade from the Swiss Alps, Lucas starts looking south. Thousands of kilometres away, winter is arriving in the Southern Hemisphere, bringing a new opportunity to explore uncharted ridgelines. This year, that pursuit took him from the Engadin in Switzerland to Bariloche in Argentina, two very different landscapes connected by the same reason he continues to travel: a desire to experience the mountains in new ways.
For nearly two decades, Lucas has built his life around skiing. He has travelled across some of the world’s most remarkable mountain ranges, but the places that stay with him are often the ones that offer something beyond the descent. A particular landscape. A different perspective. A connection to a place that makes him want to return.
This is his Endless Winter.
The Engadin
High in southeastern Switzerland, the Engadin stretches between mountain peaks, alpine lakes and villages that have existed among the mountains for generations. It is a landscape Lucas knows well.
The region has a character of its own. The high valley opens beneath the surrounding peaks, with frozen lakes extending across the valley floor and the Bernina Massif rising in the distance. The light is distinctive, changing the appearance of the mountains throughout the day and giving the landscape an almost otherworldly quality.
For Lucas, the attraction is not simply the opportunity to ski. It is the combination of terrain and place, and the familiarity that comes from returning to an environment he has spent years exploring.
“The Engadin has everything I look for as a skier and mountain guide: incredible landscapes, diverse terrain, and endless opportunities to explore the mountains throughout the year. I have always been drawn to places where the mountains shape everyday life, and the Engadin is exactly that kind of place. What I love most is being able to combine my profession, my passion, and my everyday life in one place: the mountains. There is always something new to discover, whether it’s skiing the resort, ski touring, hiking, climbing, or simply exploring the mountains, and that is what makes this valley so special and keeps me here.”
There is also a rhythm to skiing here that suits Lucas. A day in the mountains can mean moving between different elevations and conditions, from the valley floor into the high alpine, with the landscape constantly changing. It is the kind of environment where outerwear must work without becoming a distraction. For Lucas, that means finding a balance between protection, breathability and freedom of movement as the day evolves. It’s a philosophy KJUS knows well.
The relationship between Lucas and KJUS has developed over the past 17 years, with experiences in places like the Engadin helping shape the way both approach skiing. Technology matters, but only because of what it allows him to do: move comfortably through the mountains, adapt to changing conditions and stay focused on the experience itself.
“I spend a lot of time in the mountains, often in demanding and unpredictable conditions. I need clothing I can rely on, whether I’m skinning uphill, skiing down, or spending hours exposed to the elements. What I appreciate about KJUS is the combination of technical innovation, functionality, and design. From ventilation and breathability to protection and freedom of movement, every detail matters when you spend a full day in the high alpine. When your clothing works as it should, you can focus on what really matters: the mountains and the experience.”
But the apparel is only one part of the experience. The real reason Lucas keeps returning is the location itself. The Engadin offers a rare combination of scale and intimacy. The mountains feel immense, yet the valley below brings everything together. Lakes, forests, villages and peaks exist within the same landscape, creating a setting that feels distinctly different from other parts of the Alps. Eventually, every winter must come to an end. And when it does, the next chapter has already begun. For Lucas, that means changing hemispheres.
Southbound
The journey from Switzerland to Argentina is more than a change of scenery. It is a change in season. While spring begins to take hold in the Northern Hemisphere, winter is arriving in Patagonia. Located on the shores of Nahuel Huapi Lake, Bariloche sits within a landscape of forests, mountains and open water. The Andes rise around the city, creating an environment where skiing is inseparable from the larger landscape.
“Bariloche is home. It’s where I grew up, where my passion for skiing began, and a place I will always feel deeply connected to. The landscape is incredible, with the lakes, forests, and the wild mountains of Patagonia. Skiing in the Alps and Patagonia are two very different experiences, and I love both for different reasons. But Patagonia has a wilder, more unpredictable character that makes every day an adventure. You learn to adapt to the conditions and take what the mountains offer. No matter how many places I ski around the world, Bariloche will always be the place I love the most. It’s not just my home resort; it’s home.”
This is not simply another destination on the map. It is a place where Lucas has history. A place where skiing is part of the fabric of the region and where the mountains feel connected to everyday life. The experience is different from the Engadin, but that difference is exactly what makes the journey worthwhile.
The terrain has its own character. The forests create a different perspective on the mountain. The presence of Nahuel Huapi changes the way the landscape feels. Patagonia has an openness and scale that can make familiar movements on skis feel completely new. For Lucas, following winter is not about trying to recreate the same experience in another part of the world. It is about finding something different. A new line, a new ridge, and a destination that brings its own terrain, culture and rhythm. The mountains ask different things of you, and they offer different rewards in return. That is part of what keeps him moving.
KJUS is built around the same curiosity that draws people to the world's most extraordinary places. Our apparel is designed to perform in those environments, but the clothing is only a means to an end. The real goal is freedom: when Lucas no longer has to think about what he is wearing and can focus entirely on the landscape around him and the adventure unfolding ahead.
“Spending time in different mountain environments, from the Alps to Patagonia, and experiencing the mountains through skiing, ski touring, mountaineering, climbing and other activities, has taught me how important the right equipment is. Every environment brings different challenges, and my clothing needs to adapt to changing weather, temperatures, and levels of physical effort. Over the years, I’ve learned to understand what I need from my clothing depending on the conditions and what I’m doing. This is where KJUS stands out for me. The combination of advanced fabrics, intelligent ventilation, lightweight construction, and freedom of movement makes a real difference throughout a long day in the mountains. I appreciate that the technology is designed around how we actually move, allowing me to focus on the experience rather than what I’m wearing. After 17 years with the brand, I have seen the products and technology evolve, and that long-term relationship gives me a real understanding of what I can expect from the equipment. It’s also why I trust KJUS when I’m out in the mountains doing what I love.”
One Winter, Two Hemispheres
The Engadin and Bariloche could hardly feel more different. One is a high alpine valley surrounded by the peaks of the Swiss Alps. The other stretches along a vast Patagonian lake beneath the Andes. Yet both offer something Lucas continues to seek after nearly twenty years of travelling through the mountains: a sense of discovery.
That might mean returning to a familiar place and seeing it differently. It might mean exploring terrain he has never experienced before. Or it might simply mean standing somewhere surrounded by mountains and realising there is still more to discover. That is the idea behind an Endless Winter. Not simply skiing more days, but continuing to follow the places that inspire. To move when the season changes. To cross borders and hemispheres in search of new terrain, new perspectives and new adventures.
For Lucas, the next destination is always somewhere ahead. Winter may end in one place, but there is always another mountain waiting somewhere else.
Technology That Moves With You
From the high alpine environments of Switzerland to the mountains of Patagonia, Lucas experiences some of the most demanding and remarkable places in the world. His perspective helps inform the continual development of KJUS technology, where movement, protection, and comfort come together to support the experience rather than distract from it. Because in the end, the destination is never the product itself. It's the freedom to stay present, embrace the unknown, and see where the mountain leads next.
