UIAA

UIAA General Assembly 2025
2025-10-23 - 2025-10-26
The 2025 UIAA General Assembly takes place from 23-26 October in Kosovo. The event will be hosted by the Kosovo Mountaineering and Sport Climbing Federation.
The annual UIAA General Assembly is the largest, and most important, gathering of UIAA member federations, commissions, representatives and partners. At the General Assembly, hosted by a national federation, key decisions are made concerning UIAA’s role, its activities and budget and elections are held.
Please visit the GA page for further details.
The programme for the GA is still under development. However the current outline is:

23 October: Arrivals & MB Meeting
24 October: GA Information Session & Climate Change Summit
25 October: GA Voting Session
25 & 26 October: Mountain Sports Symposium (details to follow) and GA Cultural Activities (optional)

2nd UIAA Mountain Sports Symposium
2025-10-25 - 2025-10-26
Together with the hosting association, the Kosovo Mountaineering and Sport Climbing Federation (FBNSK), the UIAA will hold a second edition of the Mountain Sports Symposium, from 25-26 October 2025, and running alongside its General Assembly.
The Symposium is targeted primarily at climbers and mountaineers, whether beginners or experts, from Kosovo and neighbouring countries in the Balkan region, who wish to explore mountain medicine and safety topics from an international perspective. The event is partnered by the Petzl Foundation.
After a successful inaugural event last April in Bariloche, Argentina where the UIAA Medical Commission together with experts on training, and safety topics imparted their knowledge and know-how during a three-day course, the UIAA was approached to hold a similar event in Kosovo and as part of its General Assembly programme.
Please register from the following link. The event is open to a maximum number of 70 participants, and on a first come, first served basis. Further details here.
The official website page for the event is here.
Photo credit: An image from the mountains in Kosovo. Photo credit: FBNSK

IFMGA General Assembly
2025-11-06 - 2025-11-08
The International Federation of Mountain Guide Associations will host its annual General Assembly from 6-8 November in Vienna, Austria.
Further details will be available on the IFMGA website.

Siurana Climbing Festival
2025-11-15 - 2025-11-17
Experience three days of activities and clinics led by athletes, mountain guides, instructors, climbing developers, photographers and equipment specialists, along with climbers from all over the world, to celebrate sport climbing in one of the most emblematic places.
The 2025 edition will take place from 15-17 November.
Website
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This event has been selected as one of the profiled Rock Climbing festivals approved to appear on the UIAA’s annual calendar of rock climbing festivals worldwide. A dedicated website page about the UIAA’s work in rock climbing will be available shortly.

UIAA Mountain Protection Commission meeting
2025-11-25 15:00 - 17:00 (Europe/Zurich)
The UIAA Mountain Protection Commission will hold its final online meeting of 2025 on Tuesday 27 November from 15:00-17:00 CET.
The meeting will be held online.
For any questions please contact mountainprotection@theuiaa.org

Bozeman Ice Festival
2025-12-10 - 2025-12-14
Get ready for the 29th Annual 2025 Bozeman Ice Climbing Festival. It will be held from 10-14 December.
The Bozeman Ice Climbing Festival is the signature event of the Montana Mountaineering Association (MMA). Our mission is to support the Montana community with education and mentorship regardless of economic background, previous experience, gender, age, sexual orientation, race, or ethnicity. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we fulfill our mission by offering a variety of instructional experiences and educational programs focused on alpine endeavors. We are excited to elevate our mission and continue championing the ice climbing community in Montana—and beyond.
Website
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This event has been selected as one of the profiled Rock Climbing festivals approved to appear on the UIAA’s annual calendar of rock climbing festivals worldwide. A dedicated website page about the UIAA’s work in rock climbing will be available shortly.

2025 International Mountain Day
2025-12-11
Celebrated on 11 December annually, the United Nations’ International Mountain Day is an international observance day whose goal is to raise awareness about the role that mountainous regions play in the lives of people and their importance to our planet.
The theme of the 2025 celebration is:
Glaciers matter for water, food and livelihoods in mountains and beyond”
International Mountain Day 2025 is an opportunity to highlight the importance of glacier preservation for agriculture, water security and the livelihoods of vulnerable mountain communities.
Glaciers, vast reserves of ice and snow found across the planet, are far more than frozen landscapes – they are lifelines for ecosystems and communities. Yet, these critical components of the Earth’s systems are undergoing rapid and alarming transformations with profound consequences for us all.
The United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation to raise awareness on the vital role glaciers, snow and ice play in the climate system and water cycle, as well as the far-reaching impacts of rapid glacial melt. It aims to promote global collaboration, strengthen scientific research, and promote policies and actions to protect glaciers and cryospheric systems.
Glaciers and ice sheets hold around 70 percent of the world’s freshwater. Their accelerated melting represents not only an environmental crisis, but a humanitarian one, threatening agriculture, clean energy, water security and billions of peoples’ lives. Their retreat, driven by rising global temperatures, is a stark indicator of the climate crisis. Melting glaciers and thawing permafrost increase risks such as floods, glacier lake outburst floods, landslides or enhanced erosion and sediment, endangering downstream populations and critical infrastructure.
Economically, sectors like agriculture, hydropower, mountain tourism and transportation feel the strain of glacier changes. For many Indigenous Peoples, glaciers are sacred, and their disappearance signifies a loss of identity and connection to nature.

Information about the UIAA’s own activities on 11 December will be published shortly.

2026 UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup - Cheongsong, South Korea
2026-01-09 - 2026-01-11
The UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup season opens on 9 January.
Cheongsong, South Korea, a traditional stop on the World Tour will again play host from 9-11 January.
The UIAA will offer livestreaming from the competition which will crown winners in the lead and speed disciplines.
The event is organised in collaboration with UIAA member association, Korean Alpine Federation (KAF). The weekend also includes the Asian Championships.
Full details here.

UIAA Executive Committee Meeting
2026-01-20 12:30 - 14:30 (Europe/Zurich)
The first UIAA Executive Committee meeting of 2026 will be held online on Tuesday 20 January.
The meeting will take place from 12:30-14:30 CET.
For further details please contact the UIAA Office.

2026 UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup - Saas-Fee, Switzerland
2026-01-22 - 2026-01-24
Round 2 of the UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup season will be held in Saas-Fee, Switzerland from 22-24 January. The programme also includes the European Championships.
The iconic ice tower in the Swiss Alps has hosted competitions since the early 2000s.
The UIAA will offer livestreaming from the competition which will crown winners in the lead and speed disciplines.
The event is organised in collaboration with UIAA member association, Swiss Alpine Club (SAC).
Full details here.

2026 UIAA Ice Climbing World Youth Championships - Malbun
2026-01-29 - 2026-01-31
The 2026 UIAA Ice Climbing season continues with the annual UIAA Ice Climbing World Youth Championships in Malbun, Liechtenstein.
The UIAA Ice Climbing World Tour is partnered by Fixe.
Please visit the UIAA Ice Climbing website for further information.

UIAA Executive Committee Meeting
2026-02-10 12:30 - 14:30 (Europe/Zurich)
The second UIAA Executive Committee meeting of 2026 will be held online on Tuesday 10 February.
The meeting will take place from 12:30-14:30 CET.
For further details please contact the UIAA Office.

2026 UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup - Longmont, USA
2026-02-20 - 2026-02-22
Round 3 of the 2025-2026 UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup season takes athletes into North America with the second competition in Longmont, Colorado, USA. The programme will also include the North American Championships.
The UIAA will offer livestreaming from the competition which will crown winners in the lead and speed disciplines.
The event is organised in collaboration with UIAA member association, American Alpine Club (AAC).
Full details here.

2026 Youth Ice Climbing Camp
2026-02-22 - 2026-02-28
The UIAA Youth Commission has confirmed details of its first associated event for 2026.
The popular annual Ice Climbing Camp in Guillestre, Hautes Alpes (France) will be held from 22-28 February.
The main goal of this ice climbing camp is to allow youngsters to practice many forms of ice climbing – single pitch, or routes with multiple pitches, and also how to manage training. The camp is open to international climbers aged between 16 and 26. A maximum of four places are available for any UIAA member associations interesting in registering young climbers.
The full programme and application details can be found here.
Photo credit: UIAA/Philippe Quintart

UIAA Executive Committee Meeting
2026-02-24 12:30 - 14:30 (Europe/Zurich)
The third UIAA Executive Committee meeting of 2026 will be held online on Tuesday 24 February.
The meeting will take place from 12:30-14:30 CET.
For further details please contact the UIAA Office.

2026 UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup - Edmonton, Canada
2026-02-26 - 2026-02-28
The final round of the UIAA Ice Climbing World Cup season will be held in Edmonton, Canada from 26-28 February. It is the third time Edmonton hosts a UIAA competition following a World Championships (2024) and a World Cup (2025).
The UIAA will offer livestreaming from the competition which will crown the World Tour winners in the lead and speed disciplines. This after four World Cup rounds on three continents.
The event is organised in collaboration with the Alpine Club of Canada (ACC).
Full details here.

Wānaka Crag Fest 2026
2026-02-27 08:00 - 2026-03-01 17:00 UTC
New Zealand Alpine Club and Wānaka Climbing Club are excited to bring you the 2026 Wānaka Crag Fest! This sustainable, inclusive rock-climbing festival celebrates community, skill-building, and exploration in one of New Zealand’s premier climbing destinations.
Website
Tickets
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This event has been selected as one of the profiled Rock Climbing festivals approved to appear on the UIAA’s annual calendar of rock climbing festivals worldwide. A dedicated website page about the UIAA’s work in rock climbing will be available shortly.

UIAA Management Board Meeting
2026-03-06 13:00 - 16:00 (Europe/Zurich)
The UIAA Management Board will host its first meeting of 2026 on Friday 6 March.
The meeting will be held online from 13:00 – 16:00 CET.
For further details please contact the UIAA Office.

Tubbalunganer Exposé Climbing Festival
2026-03-20 - 2026-03-22
The 2nd edition of the Arc’teryx Tubbalunganer Exposé returns to Mount Buffalo, Victoria from 20-22, March 2026. The event is built around three pillars: community, safety and stewardship, which guide a vision of a gathering that is adventurous, inclusive and environmentally positive.

Between days on the granite, the festival comes alive through shared meals, lakeside coffees, gear chats, films, music, and long conversations that run well past sunset. Think campfires, cold beers, demo hubs, repair cafés, panel talks, and impromptu hangs where beginners, locals, guides and lifelong climbers all mix freely.
You don’t need to know anyone when you arrive — that’s the point. EXPOSÉ creates space to meet partners, swap stories, learn from each other, and feel part of a climbing community that values openness, respect, and good times as much as movement on rock. Come for the clinics. Stay for the people.

Event website (including information on clinics, programme and prices)
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This event has been selected as one of the profiled Rock Climbing festivals approved to appear on the UIAA’s annual calendar of rock climbing festivals worldwide. A dedicated website page about the UIAA’s work in rock climbing will be available shortly.

World Day for Glaciers
2026-03-21
The United Nations declared 2025 as the International Year of Glaciers’ Preservation, accompanied by the proclamation of the 21st March of each year as the World Day for Glaciers starting in 2025. This is an opportunity to raise global awareness about the critical role of glaciers, snow and ice in the climate system and the hydrological cycle, and the economic, social and environmental impacts of the impending changes in the Earth’s cryosphere.

Further information here.

UIAA Commission Presidents' Meeting
2026-03-25 13:00 - 15:00 (Europe/Zurich)
A dedicated meeting of the UIAA Commission Presidents & Management Board will be held on Wednesday 25 March.
The meeting will be held online from 13:00 – 15:00 CET.
For further details please contact the UIAA Office.

UIAA Executive Committee Meeting
2026-04-14 12:30 - 14:30 (Europe/Zurich)
The fourth UIAA Executive Committee meeting of 2026 will be held online on Tuesday 14 April.
The meeting will take place from 12:30-14:30 CET.
For further details please contact the UIAA Office.

UIAA Safety Commission Annual Meeting
2026-05-01 - 2026-05-06
The UIAA Safety Commission will host the first of its major meetings of 2026 in Kalymnos, Greece from 1-6 May.
The event will be organised in collaboration with UIAA member association, Hellenic Federation of Mountaineering & Climbing.
The programme will include a plenary session with manufacturers & other stakeholders, internal meetings, working group meetings as well as workshops and bolting sessions.
Information specific to the Bolting Workshop on 2-3 May can be found here.
Further details will be confirmed in due course.

Melloblocco – International Bouldering Festival
2026-05-06 - 2026-05-09
Melloblocco is an international bouldering meeting which in Val Masino finds one of the most interesting and evocative places in the Alps for climbing on granite, from blocks to large walls
Location: Val Masino & Val di Mello, Lombardy, Italy
Website: https://www.melloblocco.it
Overview
Melloblocco is one of the world’s largest outdoor bouldering gatherings, attracting hundreds of climbers from across Europe and beyond to the granite valleys of Val Masino and Val di Mello. Climbers explore hundreds of problems across multiple sectors while sharing knowledge and experiences in a relaxed community atmosphere.
Everyone can participate, from young to old, from World Cup athletes to amateurs. It is a gathering, not a competition, which takes place on the many granite boulders scattered in the magnificent natural scenery of the Val di Mello and Val Masino, among woods and meadows, on the edge of streams and waterfalls.
A meeting where the participants try the boulders together with the best specialists in the world, sharing a healthy, vital passion in the open air. For environmental reasons the organisers decided not to add any new areas to the immense existing bouldering park, to support the recovery of a part of the area.
Workshop style / programme

Athlete talks and climbing presentations
Movement and technique sessions
Yoga and recovery sessions
Informal mentoring between elite climbers and amateurs
Outdoor community gatherings and evening events

Green travel / sustainability

Focus on low-impact climbing in protected alpine valleys
Environmental protection messaging and crag maintenance
Event philosophy emphasises protecting the natural environment and existing boulder areas rather than expanding infrastructure

Accommodation

Campsites in Val Masino
Local guesthouses and small hotels
Campervan areas and climber camping during the festival

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This event has been selected as one of the profiled Rock Climbing festivals approved to appear on the UIAA’s annual calendar of rock climbing festivals worldwide. A dedicated website page about the UIAA’s work in rock climbing will be available shortly.

UIAA Executive Committee Meeting
2026-05-07
The first in-person UIAA Executive Committee meeting of 2026 will be held in Bergamo, Italy on Thursday 7 May.
For further details please contact the UIAA Office.

UIAA Management Board Meeting
2026-05-08 - 2026-05-09
The UIAA Management Board will host its second meeting of 2026 from 8-9 May in Bergamo, Italy.
For further details please contact the UIAA Office.

Flashy Foxy Mini Fest
2026-05-15 - 2026-05-17
Flash Foxy originated to empower women climbers and offer a virtual space to connect over climbing, being outside together, and building community. The inaugural Women’s Climbing Festival in 2016 helped establish an alternate climbing space in real life that did not center cisgender men.
The climbing community is not static and Flash Foxy has adapted over the years to meet the needs of its membership as they grow, change and continue to self-actualize. Presently, Flash Foxy stands with women and genderqueer climbers – including trans and gender non-conforming folks – who need a space to pursue their love of the sport without having to deal with historic barriers to access.
Its Mini Fest takes place from 15-17 May in Red River Gorge, KY.
Website
Registration
Programme
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This event has been selected as one of the profiled Rock Climbing festivals approved to appear on the UIAA’s annual calendar of rock climbing festivals worldwide. A dedicated website page about the UIAA’s work in rock climbing will be available shortly.

UIAA Medical Commission meeting & 2026 ISMM Congress
2026-05-17 - 2026-05-20
The UIAA Medical Commission will host its annual meeting as part of the programme of the International Society of Mountain Medicine Congress from 17-20 May, 2026.
The event will take place in Hathersage, Peak District, UK.
Further details will be communicated in due course.

UIAA Member Federation Update
2026-05-22 13:00 - 15:00 UTC
The UIAA will host two member federation online meetings in 2026. These meetings are designed to provide members with an informal update about UIAA activities and provide an opportunity to members to raise topics and questions. The first meeting will be held on Friday 22 May, 13:00-15:00 CEST. One of the specific objectives of this session will be to provide UIAA members with updates ahead of the 2026 General Assembly.
The agenda can be found here.

Hvar Climbing Festival
2026-06-04 - 2026-06-07
The Hvar Climbing Festival is a growing international climbing gathering that highlights the limestone sport climbing of Croatia’s Adriatic islands.
4–7 June 2026
Hvar Island, Croatia (festival base around Jelsa)
Overview
A relatively new festival on stunning sea cliffs such as Vela Stiniva and Lučišća. Ideal for enjoying a relaxed festival atmosphere. Climbing has been developed there by a strong team of invested locals, some of whom offer accommodation. There will be a climbing marathon held on Vela Stiniva. At Lučišća there are routes starting from 5c but the majority are in the Fr 7a-9a range. Participants registering by 30th May receive a 30% discount on the ferry from Split to Starigrad and 10% on the Mina Camp.

Accommodation

Festival base camp at Camp Mina (Jelsa)
Apartments and guesthouses in Jelsa

Website
https://www.hvarclimbing.com
https://visitjelsa.hr/en/dogadanja/4-hvar-climbing-festival/
Registration
https://forms.gle/PaZZRs9nRLRHyMfH6
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This event has been selected as one of the profiled Rock Climbing festivals approved to appear on the UIAA’s annual calendar of rock climbing festivals worldwide. A dedicated website page about the UIAA’s work in rock climbing will be available shortly.
