Dry-tooling, an exciting yet controversial adventure sport




I’ll admit that when I first heard the name dry-tooling I thought it was some kind of maintenance and repairs technique. In reality, it is a type of rock climbing that involves using ice axes and crampons to traverse areas without any snow or ice. Apparently, the techniques for dry-tooling were developed on winter routes in Canada where “sections of rock had to be crossed in order to link icicles or ice smears”. The range of techniques created as well as the necessary skill required allowed dry-tooling to become a sport of its own. While many love the recreational activity for the adrenaline rush it gives them, others look at it as nontraditional and controversial as it can cause long-term damage to certain types of rock formations.

Want a better idea of dry-tooling? Check out the video above.