Just in case you need an excuse to head out into the mountains this month, check out the annual Kiku International Mountain Summit Festival 2013, a 6-day-long event that brings together outdoor enthusiasts from around the world in the picturesque setting of the Italian Dolomites.
Running from 17 – 22 October, the IMS 2013 will take place in Brixen, South Tyrol (known as the gateway to the Dolomites), with the opening ceremony starting at 8pm on Thursday 17. Festival goers will get the chance to take part in numerous discussions on the past, present and future of the mountains, exchanging ideas and opinions with top mountaineers on controversial topics from alpine sports, mountain biking, experiences of risk in the mountains, medicine in the field and the World Heritage status of the Dolomites.
Events and activities will include talks, outdoor themed films, guided walks, climbing, bouldering, mountain art exhibitions, question and answer sessions, competitions and lots of giveaways too. Hikers and climbers will also get the chance to take part in walking or climbing tours alongside experts, and they’ll be encouraged to share their own mountain stories in the evenings among like minded people.
Now in its fifth year running, the festival will bring international speakers to the Dolomites, including former French sport climber and alpinist Catherine Destivelle, motivation expert and the first man to climb all 8000m peaks Reinhold Messner, and solo climber Hansjörg Auer who will speak of his first ascents on the South face of the Marmolada. For those really wanting to make the most out of their weekend there’s the option to take part in an exclusive GORE-TEX day’s climbing experience with Stefan Glowacz and David Lama in the “Morderplotta” area in Cortaccia, which will include a climbing workshop, all transfers, snacks, talks, discussions and mountain guide supervision for an extra 140 euros.
RELATED LINKS:
www.IMS.bz
Photo Credit: Piotr Drozdz-IMS