To get to climbing destinations, most of us require a car. To help save the planet during the climate emer- gency, we need more eco-friendly ways of getting about to pursue our hobbies. But what impact does our sport have on our carbon footprint anyway? And what climate-friendly means of transport exist for climbers? The future could lie in a new option – the Ecopoint.

The carbon budget – perhaps the end to the climate crisis

To reduce the effects of the climate emergency, such as heat waves, floods, forest fires and food insecurity, to a tolerable level, the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement decided to limit global warming to 1.5°C . To achieve this target, only a defined quantity of emissions, known as the carbon budget, are allowed. If this allowance were to be distributed equally to everyone, each of us would have a climate-friendly footprint of approximately 1.3 tonnes of the carbon budget.

Impact of a climbing project on the climate-friendly footprint

If we examine the impact of a single climbing project on our cli- mate-friendly footprint, it quickly becomes plain that just getting to and leaving the destination accounts for most of our footprint al- ready (see graphic). As a result, a project like this can already cost us up to 9% of the footprint. That’s a lot when you consider that this is just one climbing project. And that’s before other aspects such as commuting to work, food, living space and consumption are considered.

The Ecopoint concept

This is where the Ecopoint comes in. Climbers know all about red- points, but the Ecopoint is all about getting to your destination by public transport, bike or on foot. Climbing by fair means – not using anything that causes a lot of pollution.

In theory, Ecopoint sounds like a good idea, but what’s the story in practi- ce? When I decided to drive less to go climbing two years ago, I wondered exactly the same thing and decided to find out.

Getting started is the hardest part. First of all, I had to leaf through guide- books and study train and bus timetables. I gradually found some climbing areas that were easy to reach by public transport. I even discovered places I hadn’t heard of before, which was quite a bonus. However, I quickly realised that most climbing areas were far away from train stations or bus stops. I realised a bike was a must. So I duly purchased a gravel bike and a season ticket for public transport. Since then, I’ve been regularly taking the train and bike to a range of climbing areas around my adopted home- town of Innsbruck. Biking makes getting to places easier and it’s a good complement to climbing too. Even on short routes, you see a lot more of the surroundings than you do by car. You take more time overall and auto- matically arrive in a less rushed frame of mind.

Train ride for climbing to Kufstein, Foto: Johannes Ingrisch

One of my favourite new areas is the Geisterschmiedwand crag near Kufstein, which I didn’t really discover until I changed my travel options. It takes a good hour by train and another quarter of an hour by bike from the station to the crag. The slightly overhanging wall with a wide range of gra- des promises an enjoyable experience and strong forearms. The Kalypso route is a classic and has definitely earnt its reputation – with a maximum strength boulder moves on slopers, ledges, and a mono, followed by end- urance climbing. An ideal expedition for an Ecopoint.

After a few days working the route, I managed the boulder moves and was able to clip the belay after the last few exhausting metres. My first 8a Ecopoint! All in all, a wonderful climbing experience that we rounded off by devouring a pizza in Kufstein’s pedestrian zone while waiting for the train.

Lena Marie Müller’s doing a PhD in ecology at the University of Innsbruck on the impact of climate change. In 2020, she was the first German to manage the Prinzip Hoffnung trad E9/E10 climb and mostly took the train to get to the location. To encourage sustainable means of transport during the climate emergency, she and Sofie Paulus want to introduce the Ecopoint concept to the climbing community.

Ecopoint: the bottom line

Using public transport or biking to climbing spots allows people to discover old and new climbing areas in an eco-friendly way. Along- side reducing their own personal footprints, there are also other benefits, such as relieving traffic congestion in the valleys and cutting noise and fine particle pollution. Therefore, the Ecopoint is an ideal way of ensuring planet-friendly climbing. Getting to and from climbing locations for an Ecopoint does usually take slightly longer, but the time on the train can also be spent usefully.

In view of the climate crisis, the adoption of the Ecopoint concept is maybe just a matter of time.