[jwi]

Allright,  I'm going to Adrspach-Teplice a week in September.  I have climbed a few days in Bielatal (sp?) on the German side of the border so I know a little about what I can expect, although it's clear from the photos I've seen that Adrspach has much less featured rock and that the towers are way taller.

Anyone been there?  Route recommendations? Judging from the photos again, there seems to be some very good cracks all over the place.

[Fultonius]

Can;t help you with info, other than to say - that looks bloomin awesome!!

[SA Chris]

Bolted cracks! not in my day etc.

Agree it does look brilliant, look forward to hearing back.

[T_B]

I have been. It's probably the most exciting rock climbing area that I've been to anywhere in the world.

The guidebook is rubbish unless you are a bird flying above the towers.

What we ended up doing is simply walking around and looking at what looked 'doable' and you won't die on (i.e. there are some rings or it's a crack that's not too wide). There is hardly anything easier than British E3 or 5.10b ish.

To really get the most out of the area, it felt like you needed to have a very strong head and be comfortable leading E5 in the UK.

We had an E9 leader with us who didn't lead anything!!

Classic E4? Guillotine
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.html?id=69303

E3 ish but all on knotted slings.
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.html?id=69253

7c arete at Teplice
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.html?id=69250

Emmental 7c
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.html?id=69254

Incredible 40m 7c pitch
http://www.ukclimbing.com/images/dbpage.html?id=69252

Take lots of 11mm rope to cut up and make knotted slings from. Enjoy!

[SA Chris]

Exciting as in inspiring, or exciting as in fucking scary? Or both?

[jwi]

 
Thanks! Cool to get some solid recommendations, that's why I keep reading this forum.

I've been climbing on knots in Bielaltal so I think I have an idea how to tie them. Trusting monkey-fists was nigh on impossible though...

I should have added (but it look so boorish written down...) that I'm quite comfortable with running it out on hand-, fist-, and low-angle offwidth-cracks.

[Fultonius]

I'm quite comfortable with running it out on hand-, fist-, and low-angle offwidth-cracks.

Clearly not a Brit then! 

[T_B]

I should have added (but it look so boorish written down...) that I'm quite comfortable with running it out on hand-, fist-, and low-angle offwidth-cracks.

You are going to be in seventh heaven then. There is an amazing fist crack / offwidth, dead obvious from the main path at Teplice, that has a reasonable number of rings on it too. Looks incredible. Lots of stunning wide features at Teplice come to think of it...

[tomtom]

Every time I see pictures of the place it gives me cold sweats....

Looks fantastic, but scares the shit out of me!

[grimer]

I went there one time with my wife, not climbing. It was over a weekend, the weather was perfect, and never saw anyone climbing.

[SA Chris]

My main concern about the place is figuring out how to pronounce it.

[andy_e]

Ard-spack?  Arch-pack? Address-batch?

[SA Chris]

That's just the half of it.

Tip-lice?
Tep-lish?
Tiplick?

[jwi]

My main concern about the place is figuring out how to pronounce it.

I'll just call it 'Adersbach' in my most affected german accent. Teplice (ˈtɛplɪtsɛ) is even easier to pronounce: it's called 'Weckelsdorf'

[T_B]

We saw a few climbers, though not many. Saw some guys putting up a new route placing rings on lead, which was pretty interesting.

Think it's 'Ard-spack' and 'Tep-leetza'.

Some more photos.

Nic on an 'E4' that Nic sent me up, that I backed off... then he did. Felt more like E6!
http://www.jagged-globe.co.uk/images/dbpage.html?id=6145

A rare 'easy' climb
http://www.jagged-globe.co.uk/images/dbpage.html?id=6146

One of the first routes you come across at Ardspach. E2?
http://www.jagged-globe.co.uk/images/dbpage.html?id=6149

Sport route. 7b? Hidden o'er the back at Teplice.
http://www.jagged-globe.co.uk/images/dbpage.html?id=6150

Amazing 7c arete visible from the path at Teplice. Heartbreaking bouldery hugging at the top - v gritstone
http://www.jagged-globe.co.uk/images/dbpage.html?id=6142

Brilliant spicy 7b+
http://www.jagged-globe.co.uk/images/dbpage.html?id=6147

V cool looking line at Teplice with something fixed in it and a ring to head for! Think there was a ring in the chimney that you break out of at the start.
http://www.jagged-globe.co.uk/images/dbpage.html?id=6144

Wide boy action
http://www.jagged-globe.co.uk/images/dbpage.html?id=6148

Quite a lot to go at
http://www.jagged-globe.co.uk/images/dbpage.html?id=6151

[Danny]

All of which look amazing. Considering going in October myself. By the way, what's the deal with chalk there? I see it in some of those photos, but though it wasn't allowed? 

[jwi]

There are some areas on the Czech side of the border where chalk is tolerated (but on new-ish harder routes) Elbtal and Teplice among them.  In Ardrspach chalk is absolutely forbidden afaik.  The same ban on chalk holds for all areas on the German side of the border.

[Danny]

Czech out these camming devices:

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

[jwi]

Damn! Rated to 10 kN...  (In what kind of slot, one ask...)

Here is a courageous gear-tester

[Danny]

Bomber. With this sort of equipment available the area could become a sporty trad destination, like Indian Creek...perhaps.

[jwi]

Ok no I have tested the limits of what I am prepared to run out on vertical cracks on unfamiliar stone and is glad to report that I only lost my head on a section of awkward high-foot-low-foot above a nasty landing. I'm sure the route I bailed from (Hlaska) was done in 1967 or whatever...


Combined tactics by Jonas Wiklund, on Flickr
Me using combined tactics to leave the questionable belay and getting in to the off width on the old route of mayors wife.  It is not clear why I carry slings.


sandsten-51 by Jonas Wiklund, on Flickr
Wet, green, fun!


sandsten-52 by Jonas Wiklund, on Flickr
Up....

sandsten-53 by Jonas Wiklund, on Flickr
....and up.

With team Finland on our heels:

sandsten-31 by Jonas Wiklund, on Flickr

To reach the top of Mayor's wife:

Mayor and wife by Jonas Wiklund, on Flickr


Teplice also got lots of nice cracks like e.g. Převislá

Corner crack, Teplice by Jonas Wiklund, on Flickr

And this crack, which name escapes me at the moment, but it had something to do with whip. Makes sense. Follows a beautiful corner with two rings up to a 40 degree overhanging perfect, but unprotected, handcrack.

Otokar climbs Whiplash, Teplice by Jonas Wiklund, on Flickr

Teplice is of course also famous for its "Sport routes".  I can recommend a shorter one called Matrix, which was good for warming  up the head (always bring slings).

This one is short and super-safe on Martin wall but the name escapes me:

sandsten-84 by Jonas Wiklund, on Flickr

Bariera is very good for long sporty routes:

sandsten-82 by Jonas Wiklund, on Flickr

The best "easy" route on Barrier is called "Stroboskop". Mandatory introduction. Very safe with 6 bolts and 4-5 bomber threads in 50 fantastic meters.

[jwi]

I found a pic of the whiplash thing (Prásknutí bičem, VIIIb). It is mandatory for crackoholics:



Photo stolen from : piskari.cz

[jwi]

Haha! Location scout for fantasy-movies sounds like a great job!

[jwi]

OK, since I'm so on top of things, I wrote down a longish trip report in 2013, but never sent it anywhere. Anyway its on my blog now if anyone wants some info about Adrspach/Teplice

http://steepground.blogspot.fr/2016/03/czech-sandstone-meet-2012.html