Ice Climbing Festival at Eispark Osttirol, Austria

At the start of January Austria's Eispark Osttirol will host its annual Ice Climbing Festival to which everyone is invited. Located at an altitude of 1500m close to the historic Matrei Tauernhaus, below Grossglockner in the Nationalpark Hohe Tauern, the Ice Park is a venue developed specifically for ice climbing. In 2016 it became the first of its kind in the country thanks to two local guides, Vittorio Messini and Matthias Wurzer, who came up with the idea of transporting water from River Tauern to the lip of the crag and spray this onto the rock, and every year when it comes into condition the Ice Park hosts approximately 50 artificial icefalls of all difficulties, including a flurry of drytooling routes. The 2024 Festival will take place from 11 - 14 January and is open to all, while the Austrian Ice Climbing Championship will take place on

EISPARK OSTTIROL FESTIVAL PROGRAMM 2024
MATREIER TAUERNHAUS
Parking lot and starting point

EISPARK OSTTIROL
During the ice climbing festival you can reach the Ice Park by a well prepared road in approximately 20 minutes. It goes along the Innergschlöß forest path and then branches off to the left towards Wohlgemut Alm. Following the right side you finally reach the extensive gravel area at the exit of the Gschlöß Gorge. Here the Tauernbach is crossed using a small pedestrian bridge and you can reach the ice park directly.

Thursday 11.01.2024
19:00: festival begins with a presentation of ice climbing equipment and a product show. Group division for the ice climbing workshops

Friday 12.01.2024
For everyone: free ice climbing
All day: heated tent of the mountain rescue team; product test of the exhibiting companies
Live: artist Harald Weiskopf creates an ice and snow sculpture
09:00 ice climbing workshops in groups
11:00 handing out of the start number for the state championship
11:30 qualification for the state championship on 2 different routes
19:30 Matreier Tauernhaus: talk with extreme climber Simon Gietl

Saturday 13.01.2024
8:30 - 10:30 gear drop-off "Winter Flea Market AV Matrei"
All day: heated tent of the mountain rescue team; product test of the exhibiting companies
Live: artist Harald Weiskopf creates an ice and snow sculpture
09:00 ice climbing workshops in groups
10:00 - 13:00 igloo building for 10-15 year olds with Astrid Walser
10:00 - 14:00 private coaching with Simon Gietl
13:00 speed climbing competition "East Tyrolean Ice Master"
13:00 - 15:00 igloo building for 5-10 year olds with Astrid Walser
15:00 final - state championship
17:00 winter flea market
20:00 Award ceremony and auction of valuable prizes
21:00 Iceclimbers party with band "History of Rock" (with Gabriel Forcher)

Sunday 14.01.2024
For everyone: free ice climbing
On request: Multi Pitch Workshop at nearby icefalls or in the ice park (for an additional charge)

FESTIVALPASS 2024
Price: 285 euro (not included: overnight stay). Included:
- 2 day ice and mixed climbing workshops (12.01 and 13.01) led by a professional mountain guide
- equipment teaching and product show
- lecture by extreme climber Simon Gietl
- 1 meal and 1 drink voucher for the mountain rescue tent
- participation in the "East Tyrolean Ice Master"
- ice Festival T-Shirt
- ice climber’s party with rock band "History of Rock"
- free toll for the return journey through Felbertauerstrasse (receipt for the outward journey + stamp Matreier Tauernhaus)

Registration until December 31st: www.bergfuehrer-kals.at