UKC

After a pretty good Internet, and UKClimbing, search for the Czech Sandstone, I am still a little confused about the very best place to stay. I will only have four days, and I am with my family, so we will need to be in a guest house or hotel, of which there are plenty in Czech.

My research really talks about either Jicin or Decin as the two main bases. Can anyone who has been to the Czech sandstone, be exact about which crags they were at and where they stayed exactly? The town of Decin it seems it close to what appears to be normally bolted sandstone, but the real towers, with all the horrors of knotted slings and old iron rings, is around the town of Jecin and the nearby Cezky Raj (Bohemian Paradise).

Anyone with experience of crags and locations to stay?

We will be going in late April.

Thanks an advance.

Simon

In reply to simonfoley:

Hi Simon

I live in Teplice about 25 miles from Decin. I've not done much climbing since living here but here are a few observations.

A good summary of the climbing that is available can be found at:

http://www.nakovarne.com/en/climbing_czech_switzerland.php

Some good pictures too. You can see that you will not be short of choice and the area has immense scope.

The area is very accessible as it is close to the motorway between Prague and Dresden.

I wouldn't describe any of the climbing as "normally bolted". Sure there are some routes that only need quick draws and have modern bolts but these routes are not in the lower grades and the bolts tend to be quite widely spaced. To really appreciate the area, you'll have to take on-board the local protection ethic; if you can cope with this, you will have a wonderfull time. There are modern guidebooks but they are all in Czech.

I would suggest you stay in Tisa where there is a good selection of hotels and guest-houses. The crag at Tisa is massive in scope (probably as much climging as the Roaches, Hen Cloud and outlying areas together!) only a 5 minute walk from the village. There is also a climbing shop there that can sell you a Czech sandstone "rack". Decin is a city and I wouldn't choose to stay there personally. Another alternative would be Hrensko, in the Elbe/Labe valley close to the German border.

It's worth knowing that there is also climbing on volcanic rock available locally if the sandstone ethic gets a bit too much. You can use any gear you like on these crags. There's some fully bolted stuff too. The most notable crag is on a hill called Boren close to the town of Bilina. The rock is basalt. 100's of routes there.

Chris

In reply to Chris Shorter:
+1 for Tisa. At the southern end of the crag (as short bushwhack from the parking lot in the curve behind the village) there are some slabby, bolted routes (difficulty around French 6b).

The sector at the eastern end of the crag (called "Englischer Garten" in the German guide books, access along the power lines from Sneznik hotel) is a good introduction into sandstone climbing, where you can practise placing knots and slings while there are reasonably spaced bolts as well.

Anyway, unlike in Saxony climbing is not restricted to free standing towers, so setting up top ropes is both tolerated and easy (nice big anchors on most cliffs).

Christian

edit: The classic destination for the full Czech sandstone crack horror trip would be Adrspach a bit further to the East.

In reply to simonfoley:

+1 for Tisa there are some reasonably protected sport routes along the Elbe but we think most people would find them quite sporty!
Watch the weather April last year was still winter & Tisa is quite high
It would be very easy to visit the east German sandstone towers (if only to look).
Adrspach is the most impressive crag we have visited it is just the standards are quite high (ethics)

have a great trip

T&S

In reply to Tony & Sarah:



"High ethical standards" translates as first bolt 15 or 20m off the deck, with no protection before that but pretty, colourful knotted slings that will make a nice decoration around your crater if you slip...

In reply to cb294:

And the no chalk ethic as for gear we really like the slings & knots. It will be very interesting to see the effect of the ufo (a cam made from nylon tape)
We normally climb on the German side but we have climbed fairly extensively in Adrspach Tisa & Czech side of the Elbe (Labem In Czech)

In reply to Tony & Sarah:

Have you tried the ufos yet? I have played with a set at a stall at the Dresden mountain film festival a couple of years ago, but haven´t seen anyone place them in rock or, even better, take a fall on one.

I hope they will turn out to be trustworthy. I would love to do Südriss on Falkenstein, but getting on that thing with knotted slings only is a scary prospect. The little plaque, cross, and candle at the start don´t help with my confidence either.

The lack of chalk doesn´t bother me too much, as the rock is normally grippy enough. Holds usually fall off before they get polished....

Cheers,

Christian

Great input, just what I was looking for.

Having climbed at other places in the Czech Republic, the comments like

"High ethical standards" translates as first bolt 15 or 20m off the deck, with no protection before that but pretty, colourful knotted slings that will make a nice decoration around your crater if you slip"

make me laugh nervously in recollection. That is not to mention that one or two bolts were definitely made about the time of the Prague Spring, by some budding young climber with no access to anything but some iron and a hammer.

Thank you, everyone, for a great response. I feel I know where to go now. Let's hope for sunshine.

Simon

In reply to cb294:


No brought one for a friend, no pun intended.

I would love to do Südriss on Falkenstein, but getting on that thing with knotted slings only is a scary prospect. The little plaque, cross, and candle at the start don´t help with my confidence either.

This is one of the few routes we have climbed multiple times. The knots & slings are easy to place and well protected if you do the ordinary finish.

The lack of chalk doesn´t bother me too much, as the rock is normally grippy enough. Holds usually fall off before they get polished....

We climb here a lot, with the Freitaller and Radeberger Clubs. Don't have a problem with no chalk, what does worry us is the use of chalk and consequential damage to the rock which is happening on the Czech side of the border.


Tony & Sarah

In reply to Tony & Sarah:
Do you have a picture or link to these UFO cams please ?

If not do you know who manufactures them ?

I suppose you know that a double figure of 8 knot tied in the end of a rope sling will expand when loaded. It tries to distort into an L shape (in side elevation) which means the knot expands a bit. Needs to be tight in a crack to work though.

Ian

In reply to IPPurewater:


http://www.czechclimbing.com/clanek.php?key=10426&nazev=ufo_-_soft_webing_f...

Tony
We are very familiar with expanding knots

In reply to Tony & Sarah:

Thanks Tony. A nice simple design !

Sorry, I wasn't addressing the expanding knot comment at you. Just trying to point it out to anyone who doesn't know about it.

Ian

In reply to IPPurewater:

No problem

In reply to Tony & Sarah:

Guess I have to summon up my courage then...

CB

In reply to simonfoley:

The climbing is epic. knotted slings work well one pokes them in with a peace of wood! I would find some local climbers to climb with. I met lots of local climbers and they were all helpful but you would need permission too climb at Teplice.