The Alpine Summer Crossing retrospective draws on an adventurous mountain theme to help teams reflect on their journey, discover improvements, avoid pitfalls, and celebrate what’s working.

When to use this template

Use this format when your team is midway through a big project, after a sprint packed with challenges, or when gearing up for a new quarter—it’s especially motivating during seasonal transitions.

How to facilitate

Frame the session with a brief introduction, asking everyone to imagine they're on a summer Alpine crossing together.

Review the three columns so everyone understands the metaphors: starting new trails (innovations), avoiding crevasses (pitfalls), and keeping ascending (strengths).

Invite everyone to add reflections and ideas to the respective columns individually or in small groups, focusing first on personal insights before sharing aloud.

Cluster similar items together and discuss as a team—prioritize which 'trails' to blaze, which 'crevasses' to avoid, and which 'paths' to continue climbing.

Facilitate a discussion to generate concrete action items from each column, emphasizing safe and bold steps for the team.

Wrap up by celebrating accomplishments, acknowledge risks avoided, and agree on how progress will be tracked for the next leg of your journey.

Pro Tips

Encourage short stories, not just one-word answers, to bring the Alpine journey metaphor to life and deepen understanding.

Prompt newer team members to participate; fresh perspectives can highlight unseen obstacles or new trails.

Make action items small and manageable, matching the idea of safe steps along a tricky trail.

Anchor follow-up conversations to the most impactful items; don’t try to tackle every suggestion at once.

FAQ

How do I help the team engage with the mountain metaphor?

Share a quick story or example at the start, and encourage the group to use outdoor language. Visual cues or music can also reinforce the mood.

What if the conversation focuses too much on obstacles?

Redirect to strengths and ideas for improvement. Remind the team every journey has tough parts but also great progress and achievements.

How can we make sure action items aren’t forgotten?

Assign an owner for each action and schedule a short check-in at the next retrospective to report on progress.

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At a glance

Duration
30–45 min
Team Size
4-10 people
Columns
3 columns
Base Format
Start, Stop, Continue

Ready to get started?

Use this template to run your next retrospective

🏔️☀️ Alpine Summer Crossing

Strap on your hiking boots! Together we embark on an Alpine crossing, conquering peaks and valleys in our project. Let’s reflect on our path so far, plan safer routes, and keep climbing to new heights this summer!

Template Columns

🧭 Start New Trails

❄️ Avoid the Crevasses

⛰️ Keep Ascending

About this template