This past Veteran’s Day weekend, Christopher Nystuen enjoyed his morning coffee atop Mt. Watzmann, the third highest mountain in Germany.

Amid the climb through the Bavarian Alps, his new hip worked perfectly. Three months prior, Nystuen had total hip replacement surgery performed by Dr. Richard Berger.

As a Veteran, he originally injured his hip while on active duty in the Army. It was the result of an avalanche in St. Anton am Arlberg, Austria that lead to the need for a hip replacement in summer 2018.

Nystuen promised to be more careful of avalanches on this latest backpacking trip, but didn’t let his past experience, or his hip, hold him back from embracing a new adventure.

The only obstacle he faced this time around was running out of drinking water on day two of the hike. Fortunately, he was surrounded by plenty of snow to melt as back up.

Beyond his performance, Nystuen’s overall perspective has changed since having his hip replaced. He is looking again to possibilities that he thought were forever lost. Whether taking a simple dance class or a winter snowshoe trek through the Austrian Alps, his new hip will help him take on any opportunity that presents itself.