The ice climbers and dry toolers are almost here.

For Longmont Climbing Collective, the Ice Climbing and Dry Tooling World Cup is just around the corner. The competition, set for Feb. 22 and 23, will see athletes from around the world dig their axes into the terrain of Longmont.

Last summer, the gym at 155 Pinnacle St. announced that it would host the competition. With the World Cup now just over two weeks away, LCC is focusing on nailing down the details, like securing the proper equipment for the athletes and getting the climbing walls ready.

“There’s definitely an increased sense of urgency since the first of February,” said Shauna Hylenski, co-founder and director of programs at LCC. “But I think that it’s all going to come together. We have such an amazing staff and team, and there’s a lot of excitement for what’s coming up.”

The competition involves around 100 athletes representing countries including the Czech Republic, Japan, Liechtenstein, Mongolia, the Netherlands, Poland, South Korea, and the U.K.

Longmont is the fourth stop in the Ice Climbing and Dry Tooling World Cup series, which started last month. The athletes recently competed in South Korea, Switzerland and France. After the Longmont event, the culminating competition will be held in Canada.

“We’re really excited to host climbers from all over the world, and bring more awareness to the sport of ice climbing, as well,” Hylenski said. “It’s awe-inspiring to see these athletes climb. It’s a really entertaining sport, and fun to watch and spectate.”

LCC’s massive outdoor climbing wall will be used for the dry tooling part of the competition. The wall will be set with wood and holds for the sport, which involves climbers scaling rock with axes and crampons.

LCC is currently building its ice pillar, which will sit next to the outdoor wall. The pillar will be between 45 and 50 feet tall – just shy of 60-foot outdoor wall. The ice pillar will also be used for a speed climbing event on the first day of the World Cup.

LCC has embraced the ice climbing and dry tooling communities in advance of the World Cup. The gym has hosted several introductory ice climbing and dry tooling classes over the past few months. LCC also held its own dry tooling competition last year, which was open to all levels of climbers.

Climbing Collective members will get to meet the participating athletes on the eve of the World Cup, as well.

“We’re trying to make sure that our members feel like they’re especially invited to this really unique experience in their very own home gym,” Hylenski said.

The field behind the outdoor wall will be converted into a “vendor village” with roughly 40 booths. Spectators will be able to play pickleball or visit food trucks in between watching some of the world’s best climbers in action.

Tickets are free, thanks to the competition’s sponsors. Hylenski said 1,400 tickets have already been reserved for the event, and the outdoor venue can hold around 5,000 people.

“There’s no charge for admission, and that has been something we feel really excited about bringing to Longmont,” she said.

To reserve tickets or view the schedule, visit Eventbrite.

Read the full article here.