Ice Climbing and Dry-Tooling

Ice climbing and Dry-tooling are new sports in the region of Gheorgheni. While in the Alps and on the frozen waterfalls in the United States the climbing with special tools has been very popular for more decades, in the region of The Red Lake the climbing of ice-rapids was attempted only at the end of the year 1990. For ice climbing there is a need for icepicks, ice-screws, and crampons. The most suitable ground for ice climbing is in the Bicajel gorge, where we can find two important ice-rapids in wintertime. Several program-organisers from Gheorgheni recommend ice climbing tours, in which the adventure lovers can try out the ice climbing under the guidance of specialists.

Dry-tooling is very close to ice climbing; it is a training-form practised in ice-free periods,  which by today grew into a self-dependent sport. Its essence is, that with mountaneering equipment (icepicks and crampons) you climb on dry cliff. Dry-tooling requires refined technique and good condition, it's a perfect training for preparation for ice climbing and mixed routes (iced and cliffed). We have to mention, that the metal climbing tools destroy the cliff and the grips of the climbing routes, therefor dry-tooling is not permitted everywhere. The frontiersmen of this sport were Florian Mastacan (Kobe) and his mates, who constructed several routes on the cliffs of the Bicajel gorge.