Chamonix, Ecrin, Kitesurfing, Dolomites

Plans are slowly taking shape. If all goes well, I'm picking up my bus this week. Before I leave, I'll drive it around some to get the hang of the thing. The quirky book "How to keep your Volkswagen Alive: a manual of step by step procedures for the compleat idiot" should help! After stocking up on some gear and food, I'll hook my mountainbike to the back and head out around the 4th of July.

First stop.. Chamonix. Since the Aiguille du Midi has always tickled my fancy, I'm hoping to do something on its south face, perhaps the (10 lenghts 5b/c with 6a+ crux) Rebuffat route.

Also looking to do some routes on the Aiguille Rouge on the other side of the valley. Apparently there are some stunning routes with stupendous views accross Chamonix towards the Mont Blanc massif. The Envers des Aiguilles is also on my list.

Then around th 21st July, I'm heading for the Ecrin where I hope to meet Bas, Sas and Rogier. One of the classics in the area is the Dibona pillar, which is certainly on my list:

After a few weeks of hard climbing, its time for some sights and sounds. Hopefully my cousin Niels will join at this point. Amongst others we will try to get the hang of kitesurfing at one of the many north-Italian lakes.

Then heading for the Dolomites with Jeroen, Bas, Rogier and Walter during the 11th - 18th august:

And that is where my planning ends, though I will be in Croatia mid Oct to join the crowd at Paklenica. What I do after the Dolomites is still open. Probably down the lenght of Italy, maybe Sardegna, Sicily and then either directly (by ferry) to Croatia or first to Greece.