August 2000, we have made a heavy gletschertour through the Oetztaler Alps, together with my old rowing mates Aad Rombach, Alec Serlie and Jan Rombach and the Austrain Mountain Guide Lex. With his 67 years of age, he still was as fast Oetzi himself must have been in his best years.... 

When arriving in the Schöne Aussicht hütte, just over the Italian border and therefore called Rifugio Bella Vista on the map, we asked our guide whether we should talk Italian that night. The answer was very clear: "Southern Tirol belongs to us", according to Lex. So we decided not to touch that subject again that week...

Picture gallery Oetztaler tour