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To climb or not to climb? That is the question…

The region of the Karkonosze, Rudawy Janowickie and Izerskie Mountains has been explored by rock climbers since the mid-twentieth century. Although the first paths were equipped with permanent belay only in the mid-90s by Tomasz Szałowski, the place became a Mecca for fans of this sport.

Rock climbing can be divided into several types: rope climbing “on the lead” and “on the rod”. The first is that the climber is tied to the rope and hooks it higher and higher on successive belaying points. There is a second person on the ground (tied to the same rope) who belay the climber. Climbing “with a fishing rod” consists in the fact that the rope to which the climber is attached is suspended on the top of a rock or a climbing wall. The method is always used when climbing against the clock.

 

CLIMBING REGIONS:

A very popular and interesting rock group are Krucze Skały near Karpacz and Szklarska Poręba. It is a sequence of several rock projections, made of granite-gneisses, rising from the slope of Płomnica. In some places, the height of the rocks reaches up to 30 meters. In the last few years, the climbing routes have been equipped with permanent passages and climbing positions. Thanks to this, people who do not have so much experience in climbing rock peaks can also climb. On Krucze Skały, there is an extreme sports center – the “Quasar” Mountain School.

Under the supervision of an instructor, you can do rock climbing, take a zip-line, jump on a pendulum or walk over an abyss on the rope bridge. It is also worth visiting the area of ​​Rudawy Janowickie. Here you will find trails for beginners and very experienced climbers. All routes are well secured and vary in difficulty. Sokoliki (Sokolik Duży and Sokolik Mały) in the Sokole Mountains are very popular. The nearby Sukiennice, Krzywa Turnia and Jastrzębia Turnia are also gaining popularity. In the heart of Rudawy Janowickie we can find: Skalny Most, Piec, Starościńskie Rocks and Skałki.


Famous climbers: Wanda Rutkiewicz, Jerzy Kukuczka or Aleksander Lwow started their climbing adventure here – says Mateusz Caban, Tourist Service Inspector from the Janowice Wielkie commune, representing the Karkonosze brand. An interesting rock formation is Przedmoście – a granite wall in the Janówka Valley. It offers 7 climbing lines of various difficulty levels, and its walls are up to 15 meters high. There are also places perfect for climbing in the Izerskie Mountains range near Szklarska Poręba. Athletes can choose from 18-meter Piekielnik, Beaver Rocks (there are as many as 60 climbing routes to choose from!), And Szwedzkie Rocks nearby. Getting to the top is a real challenge, because their walls are practically vertical.

 

EQUIPMENT:

Rock climbing is gaining more and more popularity because it does not require extensive equipment resources. The basic and most important element is the right shoes. The basic selection criterion should be size – shoes should be at least 2-3 numbers too small! You should also have a chalk bag, which prevents your hands from sliding off the rock. Equally important is the harness, which is an elementary safety equipment. The purchase of a new harness is a considerable expense, fortunately you can easily rent it.

 

An important element of the equipment is a rope – choosing the right one is quite difficult and it is good to do a thorough research before buying. Depending on the form of climbing, the ropes are different – static or dynamic. It is also worth getting a carabiner, a figure eight and a quickdraw for belaying while climbing. An alternative form of climbing is the so-called Bouldering, i.e. climbing without a rope and no additional belaying. Bouldering can be practiced even in the city – climbing walls, walls, buildings, etc. True climbing fans say that conquering skyscrapers is not the same as climbing mountain peaks that provide an adrenaline rush like no other sport. It is worth finding out for yourself …

 

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