Utiger was born in Kleinhöchstetten near Rubigen (BE). Although he was more technically inclined, he graduated from the Muristalden teacher training college in Bern from 1911 to 1915. In 1916 he became a teacher in Bleiken near Oberdiessbach and from 1925-1961 a teacher for the upper middle classes at the elementary school in Gümligen, where he was very committed to the manual occupation of the youth. In 1921 he graduated from the mountain guide school in Andermatt. In the summer, he alternated between being a mountain guide or guiding tourists over the Brünig, Grimsel and Furka passes, and was thus able to supplement his teaching salary. As a highlight of his craft activities, he created a five-square-meter relief of the Oberhasli power plant’s catchment area.

[1] This article bases on Mair, Toni. Grieder, Susanne. Das Landschaftsrelief – Symbiose von Wissenschaft und Kunsthandwerk. Mit Schweizer Reliefkatalog. Verlag hier+jetzt. Baden, Schweiz. 2006. S.169.