What is it with you Amercians and hiking?

Yesterday I was at a friend's apartment. One of his roomates was there, a law student from Geneva. Thinking he might, oh I don't know, maybe take advantage of growing up surrounded by mountains, I asked him if he did any hiking. My Chilean friend (also from somewhere well endowed with mountains) over heard and said, "What is it with you Americans and hiking?"

Hmm. I don't quite understand why hiking is not a big thing for the Swiss. (or maybe it is, and I haven't come into contact with enough Swiss people). Certainly in mountainous areas of the U.S. people are generally into out-doorsy stuff. Raised by exlied Californians, I grew up having 'wilderness vacations' cross country skiing and backpacking. It seems (to me) like it would be logical to go up to the mountains for an afternoon every two weeks or so, living in Switzerland.

My search for a hiking buddy continues. As my classmates plot what they will do for the two weeks between the end of the language course and the start of university, I've heard people going to Turkey, Israel, home to Russia, etc, but I might like to just wander the Alps a bit...