From December 31, 2014, to January 3, 2015, the extreme ice climbing event organized by the professional outdoor brand KAILAS concluded successfully in the Shuangqiaogou area of Mount Siguniang. Over a hundred beginners and experienced ice climbers enjoyed engaging ice climbing and dry tooling activities amidst the area’s stunning and abundant ice walls. The event was also strongly supported by numerous brands including SUNREE lighting headlamps, VAUDE, UDJAT, and Nubia smartphones.
Team members explain the technical usage of KAILAS’s new ice screw product (Swift) to beginners
Among the highlights, TEAM KAILAS members Marcos Costa and Jon Otto shared their experience on the evening of “KAILAS Unclimbed Peaks Project—First Ascent of Crown Peak,” creating a lively atmosphere. Their insights benefited participants greatly, as they shared how they evolved into independent climbers through accumulated experiences and mindset shifts in climbing.
A month before the event, TEAM KAILAS had already prepared and cleared multiple ice and rock routes in the valley, especially Marcos (nicknamed the “Son-in-law of Shuangqiaogou” because he climbs and develops routes there every ice season, making him well-known among locals). During the event, he enthusiastically ensured everyone got to experience the dry tooling routes he and his partner (Enzo, a 15-year-old French prodigy who has redpointed a 9a climbing route) had developed.
In China, dry tooling is still in its early stages. KAILAS has hosted two consecutive DRY TOOLING competitions and also provided dry tooling experiences and training during the Shuangqiaogou ice climbing event, aiming to promote the development of climbing culture together with outdoor enthusiasts. We look forward to KAILAS’s next ice climbing season in 2016.
Ice Climbing in Shuangqiaogou
Shuangqiaogou is the most beautiful valley in Mount Siguniang, featuring snow-capped peaks, pastures, grasslands, and forests. It is an ideal destination for mountaineering, skiing, ice climbing, and photography, often referred to as the “Alps of China.” The valley is home to numerous mountain glaciers, and peaks above 5,000 meters are extremely challenging to climb.
There are over a hundred ice walls in Shuangqiaogou of Mount Siguniang, including more than 30 suitable for beginners, with the rest ranging from medium to high difficulty. It is the only place in China that offers a wide variety of ice walls at different difficulty levels and with convenient access, making it a mecca for ice climbers. Every year during the ice season, climbers from both China and abroad come here to learn, train, and experience.
To promote the development of amateur climbing, since the first “Kailas Siguniang Ice Climbing Festival” was successfully held on New Year’s Day 2010 by the Mount Siguniang Scenic Area Administration in collaboration with the professional outdoor brand Kailas, the “Ice Climbing Festival” has become one of the biggest annual events in Siguniang.