In the winter of 1999, after a few years of not using ice axes and crampons, I heard news of the first "dry tooling" route opened in nearby Slovenia. I was so excited that I went to see it for myself.
Twenty metres of rock and another twenty of suspended ice.
I didn't know how to use the equipment on the rock so I hung the ice axes to my harness so I could climb with my hands free. The heat of my fingers melted the veil of ice on the holds so I could climb without problems up to the column of ice where, stuck between the ice and rock, I was able to use ice axes to climb the second part of the route.
Once I had finished, I was really enthusiastic, but my companion suggested that on those kinds of route it was better to also use the ice axes on the rocks because it made the climb all that easier! Or at least that's the way it seemed in the photos of specialist magazines.
From that day on, I was hooked on this new sport, so much so, that in winter instead of going skiing I prefer climbing sheer rock cliffs with columns of ice suspended in the air and I think I will as long as I get a kick out of it... then we'll see.
 

Movie (4,64 Mb)
 
 		 

 

DRY TOOLING

REPEATS
 Mont Blanc du Tacul: 
         Vol de nuit   on sight M8-
Prisojnik (Slo): 
         Kost za glodanje   on sight M7
         Trije zbegani dnevi   on sight M7+
         Torno subito   on sight M6+/7
Val di Cogne (Ita): 
         X-Files   M10    > image
         Empire strikes back   M10+/11    > image
Val Savaranche (Ita): 
         Welcome to the machine   on sight M9    > image
         "009"   M9    > image
         Madness   on sight M7
Val Freissinieres (Fra): 
         Quartier Nord   on sight M10
Colorado-Vail (Usa): 
         Octopussy   on sight M8    > image
         Amphibian   M9+    > image a  b  c
         Fatman and Robin   M9    > image
         Reptile   on sight M10    > image a  b  c  d
Thunklamm (Aut): 
         Electric Blues   on sight M8-
         Happy together   on sight M8
         Barenkralle   M9+
         Traumfanger   M9+
Valpelline (Ita): 
         Farina del tuo sacco   on sight M6+
         Petiu Pitey   on sight M7+
Val di Landro (Ita): 
         Fly in the wind   on sight M10    > read
Ueshinen (Ch): 
         Vertical limits   M12    > read
Cineplex (Canada):   > read
         Musashi   M12
         The Game   M13
         Rocky Mountain Horror Show   on sight M11+

NEW ROUTES
 Martuljek (Slo): 
         Luis Cifer   M8
Prisojnik (Slo): 
         Colpo di coda   M7
         Lampadario   M7+
Val Dogna (Ita): 
         Ronin   M9
         The Fly   M8-
Valsavaranche (Ita): 
         Never say never   M8+
         Mission Impossible   M?    > read
Val di Cogne (Ita): 
         Twin Peaks   M9    > image
         Candles in the wind   M8    > image
Valmalenco (Ita): 
         No more leashes   M8
         Gravity Games   M9
Val di Landro (Ita): 
         La via è bella        > read
Sappada (Ita): 
         Musica e magia   M10    > read

  		 
     
    Game over (Innsbruck)
 
    Bats with ice axes and crampons
 
    Mister Big Ben (Landro, Italy)
 
    Grotta Caterina (Trieste, Italy)
 
    Laghel (Arco, Italy)
 
    Arco 2004 (Italy)
 
    Cineplex (Canada)
 
    Ueshinen (Switzerland)
 
    Musica e magia
 
    La via è bella
 
    Fly in the wind
 
    Mission impossible
 
     

Pount Rouge (Quebec)
 

 
 

Reptile (Veil)
 

Reptile (Veil)
 

Reptile (Veil)
 

Reptile (Veil)
 

Fatman and Robin (Veil)
 

Octopussy (Veil)
 

Amphibian (Veil)
 
 
    Photos by Andrea Gallo