Drytooling in St. Jodok

12.11.2024

The ice climbing team from Liechtenstein paid us a really cool visit in the Wipptal in the fall. This immediately raises a question: Ice climbing in the sunny fall with temperatures around +10°C???

This is where the term DRYTOOLING comes into play, climbing with ice tools and crampons in the rock. In other words, dry training and preparation before the winter really gets going and the waterfalls freeze over.

Back to our world-class visit. The team, consisting of two women and seven men led by coach Harry Benz(https://www.alpenverein.li/verein/ressorts-1/nachwuchs-bergsport/eiskletterteam), is a frontrunner on the global ice climbing stage in the World Cup and Youth World Cup. As a change from their usual training routine in the gym and on artificial climbing facilities, they planned a trip in the form of a training weekend in the Wipptal.

After traveling by train to Innsbruck, the team went drytooling on the Drachenfels at Bergisel(https://www.bergsteigen.com/touren/eisklettern/drachenfels-mixedwand-bergisel/). The journey then continued to St. Jodok in the Gasthof Geraerhof, where the sauna, dinner and team discussions were on the agenda. The next day started with drytooling in the Toolpark on the Stafflacher Wand, followed by the drytooling multi-pitch tours Höhenfieber, Höhenrausch, Pfeilerweg and Volltreffer. In the end, everyone was able to travel home by train with happy faces and tired forearms.

A sport for all weather conditions

Even though drytooling is a niche sport, this alpine form of play has a few key characteristics for the region, for the sports enthusiasts themselves and for alpinism. No matter what the weather, drytooling is always possible. Wet rock does not interfere with the experience, as you are out and about with crampons and ice tools. This non-dependence on conditions is an important criterion, especially in the context of climate change adaptation. Apart from that, it is simply a lot of fun to move around in challenging terrain with crampons and ice axes.

We wish the athletes every success for the coming competition season. We look forward to seeing you again next year for a weekend! Perhaps more drytooling routes will have been added by then - there's a good chance of that ... :) 

Picture credits: ICECLIMBING LIECHTENSTEIN

To imitate

If you also fancy steep rock with crampons and ice tools, you can find information about the routes here: https://www.wipptal.at/eisklettern

If you want to experience the whole thing with professional supervision by a mountain guide, as a taster day or as a multi-day course program, you can find all the information here: https://www.bergfuehrer-wipptal.at/drytooling-kurs/

A detailed article about drytooling in the Wipptal by Susi (Berghasen) can be found here:

https://berghasen.com/2022/11/22/drytooling-klettergarten-wipptal/

In recent years, several dry-tooling climbing gardens and tours have been developed on the Stafflacher Wand in St. Jodok. Behind all of this is Werner Gürtler and his many helpers, whose tireless efforts have transformed the Stafflacher Wand into a versatile climbing paradise.

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