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Drytooling Camp in
Tuyuk-Su
Tuyuk-Su
February 2027
Drytooling Camp in
Tuyuk-Su
February 2027
DRYTOOLING
Drytooling is a form of mixed climbing that is performed on bare, ice-free, and snow-free, climbing routes. As with mixed-climbing, the dry-tooling climber uses a pair of ice tools and wears crampons to ascend the route. They will use normal rock climbing equipment for their protection on the route; many modern dry-tooling routes are now fully bolted as with sport climbing rock-climbing routes.
MIXED CLIMBING
Mixed climbing is an ice climbing discipline used on climbing routes that do not have enough ice to be regular ice climbs, but are also not dry enough to be regular rock climbs. To ascend the route, the mixed-climber uses normal ice-climbing equipment throughout (e.g. double ice tools or ice axes in their hands, and crampons on their feet), but to protect the route, they use both ice and rock equipment. Mixed climbing varies from routes with sections of thick layers of ice interspersed with sections of bare rock, to routes that are mostly rock but which are "iced-up" in a thin layer of ice and/or snow.
About the Camp
This program is designed for climbers who want to improve their drytooling and mixed climbing skills and experience winter climbing in Central Asia.
We will start with the basics and create a safe learning environment.
If you already have drytooling experience, we will focus on improving your technique and moving on to more challenging routes.
The camp consists of two main parts: a 5-day training block and the Almatymix climbing festival on the weekend. Please visit the Almatymixt festival page for more details.
We will stay at Tuyuk-Su Alpine Camp in cozy huts with full board meals. During the camp, we will climb in three different locations with pure ice, mixed and drytooling routes.
We will start with the basics and create a safe learning environment.
If you already have drytooling experience, we will focus on improving your technique and moving on to more challenging routes.
The camp consists of two main parts: a 5-day training block and the Almatymix climbing festival on the weekend. Please visit the Almatymixt festival page for more details.
We will stay at Tuyuk-Su Alpine Camp in cozy huts with full board meals. During the camp, we will climb in three different locations with pure ice, mixed and drytooling routes.
- DatesFebruary 2027
- Duration7 Days
- LocationAlmaty, Kazakhstan
- Suitable forClimbers with basic experience and above
-
DatesFebruary 2027 -
Duration7 Days -
LocationAlmaty, Kazakhstan -
Suitable forClimbers with basic experience and above
Details
This is a group program with fixed dates
Early booking: 1,250 EUR per person
Standard price: 1,350 EUR per person
Early booking is available until 2 months before the program starts.
Please check the booking and payment terms
What's included:
Not included:
Early booking: 1,250 EUR per person
Standard price: 1,350 EUR per person
Early booking is available until 2 months before the program starts.
Please check the booking and payment terms
What's included:
- English-speaking instructors
- All transfers: from Almaty to the camp and back, as well as transfers to the festival venue
- Accommodation in Tuyuk-Su Alpine Camp in 4-6-bed rooms
- Meals: full board
- AlmatyMixt climbing festival fee
- National park fee
Not included:
- Accommodation in Almaty before or after the program
- Transfer from the airport or hotel to the meeting place in Almaty
- Rescue / travel insurance
- Activities on rest days
- Personal gear (see gear list)
- Day 1 – Arrival in Almaty: We will pick you up in the city and take you to Tuyuk-Su Alpine Camp in the evening. We'll check your equipment and form groups based on your experience.
- Day 2–3 – Climbing days. We’ll start the program with drytooling at a crag about 20 minutes from the camp. We’ll show you the basics, and you can try your first routes. If you already have some experience, this will be a good warm-up. Then we will continue training, adding more challenging routes and working on climbing technique. We will climb in three different locations — two near Tuyuk-Su and one at Butakovskiy Waterfall. Together, there are around 40 ice, mixed and drytooling routes available.
- Day 4 – Rest day
- Day 5–6 – Climbing days. Keep climbing. Move on to more challenging drytooling and mixed routes.
- Day 7–8 – Free days. You can rest at the camp or go skiing at Shymbulak, which is about half an hour from Tuyuk-Su. You can also explore the city or go for a walk around the campsite. We can arrange a city tour for you.
- Day 9 — First day of the Almatymix festival. In the morning, we will take you to the competition venue. Please check the festival page for all the details. In the evening, we will bring you back to the camp.
- Day 10 — Second day of the Almatymix festival. In the morning, we will take you to the competition venue. For all the details, please check the festival page. In the evening, we will return to Almaty.
We provide group climbing equipment such as ropes, slings and quickdraws. You will need only personal climbing equipment and clothing:
If you do not have all the necessary equipment, we can provide rental gear
- Ice tools suitable for drytooling
- Fruitboots or automatic crampons
- Replacement frontpoints for crampons or fruitboots
- Harness
- Helmet
- Locking carabiner
- Belay device
- Backpack
- Headlamp
- Trekking poles (if you use them)
- Thermos, 0.7–1 L
- Boots compatible with automatic ice crampons (any boots if you climb in fruitboots)
- Clothing appropriate to the season
- Membrane jacket and pants
- Warm jacket for belay
- Gloves for climbing
- Gloves for belay
If you do not have all the necessary equipment, we can provide rental gear
The program is not suitable for complete beginners. To participate, you should have some rock or ice climbing experience and be familiar with basic knots and belaying techniques.
Previous ice climbing or drytooling experience is beneficial for this course. If you are familiar with the basics, you can try more challenging lines and improve your skills.
Previous ice climbing or drytooling experience is beneficial for this course. If you are familiar with the basics, you can try more challenging lines and improve your skills.