• ENDE

Just

until the next event!

GERMANY’S ONLY DRYTOOLING EVENT

DRYTOOLING WINTER OPENING December 5 – 6, 2026

Two days of hooking and jamming to the limit of what your forearms and ice tools can handle! This is your chance to get a taste of this fascinating sport over an entire weekend. Here you can show what you are made of! On both days, you will have the opportunity to rent the latest ice tools and crampons and put them through their paces.

The appeal of drytooling is a combination of the technical elements of ice climbing with the athletic movements of rock climbing. This requires tactical skill, good self-assessment, determination and stamina. It involves complex sequences of movements, precision and a strong mind to execute moves in seemingly impossible positions – a fascinating mix of delicate and powerful climbing movements.

Program

Saturday, December 5, 2026 (10am – 3pm)
Drytooling workshop with plenty of tips

At Saturday’s drytooling workshop, you will get plenty of tips on movement techniques, efficient tool handling, secure placements, hooks and footholds, as well as tricks for fine-tuning your kit.

Sunday, December 6, 2026 (10am – 6pm)
Drytooling event and competition

Sunday features a day of drytooling in a relaxed atmosphere – a true gathering of the climbing community – along with the Kick ’n’ Pick drytooling competition with great prizes, as well as food and drinks available at cost price.

Important: A separate registration is required for each of the two days!
The number of participants is limited on both days!

Details

Cost

The event is free of charge on both days. However, donations to help cover event costs are appreciated (see FAQ below).

Prerequisites

Essential climbing equipment

Equipment rental

Ice tools and monopoint crampons with lever-lock bindings can be hired on site free of charge (subject to a deposit).

Catering

On Sunday, vegetarian food and drinks will be available at cost price.

Venue

Kletterbunker in Gießen: SPITZBUNKER.ORG
Location: Ernst-Toller-Weg, 35394 Gießen

FAQ

What is included in my ticket?

Sunday (Drytooling Event & Competition):
– Starter kit for all registered participants
– Free rental of crampons and ice tools
– Prizes for the winners of the women’s and men’s competitions
– Hot drinks
– Warm vegetarian lunch
– Delicious coffee and cake
– Use of all top-rope lines
– Cleaning of rental equipment by the organiser

Saturday (Drytooling Workshop):
– Free drytooling training led by experienced instructor
– Rental of crampons and ice tools as needed
– Use of all top-rope lines
– Cleaning of rental equipment by the organiser

Why is the event free, and what about donations?

This event aims to inspire interested climbers to take up the fascinating sport of drytooling and to further promote the sport in our region. We are well on the way to achieving this.

The event is generally free of charge, as we want to make it possible for everyone to take part.

However, the event naturally costs us a significant amount of money, which we try to cover through donations over the weekend. We therefore rely on your voluntary donation. The event can only succeed if sufficient donations are made and the annual cycle for pre-financing the next event functions effectively.

Suggested donation:
To give you an idea of how much you could donate to make a meaningful contribution, we suggest 20 €. A fair amount in return for everything you get from us at the event, don’t you think?

As mentioned, this is just a guideline, as participants often ask us how much they should donate. If you are short of cash, you can of course still take part. And if you would like to donate more, you can be sure the money will be put to good use – 100 % of every Euro donated goes towards the event at the Kletterbunker.

We use the donations to cover all the running costs for the event weekend, to promote the event (posters, website, server hosting), and to enable the ongoing expansion of the routes.

The alternative to donations would be an entry fee upon registration. However, this would mean more administration, accounting work, taxes, additional charges and, consequently, even higher overall costs, which we wish to avoid.

Where can I register?

Registration for the DRYTOOLING WINTER OPENING is only available via this website during the registration period. Places are limited and the event sells out within a few days (the workshop within a few hours)) – so it is recommended to register as soon as the registration period opens.

Can I register on site?

Due to high demand, registration on-site is not possible.

I am a sport climber, but I have never tried drytooling before. Would it be worth taking part?

Absolutely! This event is perfect for getting a taste of drytooling. We have plenty of experts on site, so there will definitely be someone there to introduce you to the sport. However, it is important that you meet the prerequisites regarding partner belaying and bring the necessary equipment listed above.

Can climbers under the age of 18 take part in the event?

Climbers under the age of 18 can participate in the event on Sunday if they register and are accompanied by a parent.

If the accompanying parent also wishes to climb, each person must register individually.

Can I bring my children who do not climb along to the event?

Children are not ideally suited to this climbing event on either day.

The area around the Spitzbunker is unsuitable as a playground during the event and is heavily used by climbers. There is also a risk that an ice tool could fall down during a climbers fall and injure a child.

Can I come along to watch, even though I have not registered?

Of course! It is a public event, and anyone is welcome to come along and cheer on.

Where can I find information about the drytooling routes at the Kletterbunker?

You can find detailed information and the latest topos of all the routes in the digital climbing guide “Klettern am Spitzbunker”: www.vertikale-welten.de/link/spitzbunker-en

Where can I park on site or stay overnight in my camper or van?

All participants will receive full details of the current parking situation and free overnight parking spaces by email in good time during the week before the event.

Is it possible to arrive a day earlier or leave a day later so that I can do more climbing whilst I am there?

That is possible – you can climb at the Kletterbunker 24/7 all year round.

The only restriction:
If you have only registered for the event on Sunday, you will not be able to climb at the Bunker on the Saturday before, as the drytooling workshop is taking place there on that day and all routes are reserved for the workshop.

Are there toilets on site?

Yes.

If you have questions that have not been answered here, please contact the email address below.

Registration for the next
DRYTOOLING WINTER OPENING
opens here on 1 November at 10am.

Drytooling location Spitzbunker

Drytooling at the unique Kletterbunker – right in the city!

Find all information about the Kletterbunker, a topo download with all current routes, access to climbing groups, and much more at:

SPITZBUNKER.ORG

Misc

Competition results from previous years

» Competition Winners Lists 2021 –2025

Recaps of recent events in German language

» Report 2025

» Report 2024

» Report 2023

» Report 2022

» Report 2021

UIAA Drytooling events

» UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup

» World Cup 2026, Cheongsong, Korea

» World Cup 2026, Saas-Fee, Switzerland

» Ouray Ice Fest 2024 Finals

» Drytool Cup 2023/24, Brno/Czech Republic

» North American Championships 2022, Ouray/USA

» Elite Mixed Climbing Competition 2021, Ouray/USA

UIAA Resources

» UIAA ICE CLIMBING WORLD TOUR

» UIAA ICE CLIMBING Competition Rules and Regulations

Location

Kletterbunker Giessen
Ernst-Toller-Weg
35394 Giessen

Contact

An event by DAV Wetzlar

Alpine Climbing & Mountaineering Group
Sportparkstraße 3a, 35578 Wetzlar

Organization and implementation

Micha Rinn // VERTIKALE-WELTEN.DE