Sport climbing

For quite a few years now climbing has not been the sole preserve of a young and capable elite. Climbing has now become very popular not only as a leisure or professional sport but also as a family day out, as a school sport and as a means of keeping fit and healthy. This trend is very much reflected in the construction and use of climbing gyms, and the number of climbing gardens throughout Tyrol is growing year by year.

Government funding of climbing gardens

For most climbers what matters is both the exercise involved in sport and the experience of nature. It is no wonder, then, that Tyrol’s climbing gardens are attracting more and more, a trend which, in addition to many positive factors, can also lead in some cases to conflicts.

With the BERGWELT TIROL - MITEINANDER ERLEBEN project the Province of Tyrol is trying to take some simple measures to anticipate conflicts and maintain the attractions of climbing as a sport.

To enhance the quality and safety of sport climbing, the quality handbook Climbing points in the right direction and offers a wide-ranging overview of the current standards of climbing gardens, and it is compliance with these standards which is the precondition for government funding.

What does it offer?

The government funding of climbing gardens is an effective measure in avoiding conflicts. The gardens are constructed after specific criteria have been contractually agreed.

This means that visiting a funded climbing garden has the following advantages for you:

Qualified staff set the route and assess the difficulty
Compliance with quality standards based on the safety guidelines of the Austrian Alpine Safety Board
Checking belay points at the prescribed intervals
Contractual usage agreements with the landowners both of the climbing garden as well as the access paths and car parks
Provision of adequate parking space
Provision of sanitary facilities in areas subject to particularly heavy use

Man climbing up a rock wall; secured with rope.

Applicable to all the climbing gardens ...

Climbing is done at one’s own risk
To access, use only the paths, bridges etc. provided for this purpose
Respect fences and other closures
Try to avoid making any sort of noise
Take all your rubbish back home with you
Please keep your dog on a lead
Camping and open fires (except in the areas reserved for this purpose) are forbidden

Both with regard to the local climbing community as well as tourists, it is our aim to maintain the agreement of the landowner and to ensure use of the climbing garden in the longer term.

In order to achieve this aim together, responsible and considerate behaviour on the part of all people involved and compliance with certain rules - as mentioned above - have fundamental roles to play.