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Slideshow (45 photos)

Elbsandstein (Germany) (map)
 

By the end of the trip, Rayko's tips were bleeding

 

Standing in front of the second Bergsport Arnold store, this one in Bad Schandau

 

Nordwand: Rayko attempts the second pitch, but is off route on a 5.10c

 

Nordwand: Folling the first pitch, which had cracks, but no gear (if ONLY I had a cam)

 

Goldsteigkante: Following the first pitch, very pumpy here with poor gear

 

Südwand: Following the honeycomb section of the second pitch, just before the traverse

 

Südwand: Following the honeycomb section of the second pitch

 

Alter Web: To get off one tower, we rappelled into a gap and climbed another tower which had the rappel line

 

Direkter Südwestweg: Prepping for a hard lead

 

Direkter Südwestweg: Scoping out the route ahead, very steep here

 

Südwand: Following the chimney topout, very scary to lead

 

Knirpelwand Direkte: Another honeycombed face protected with hourglasses

 

Dinner in the basement of the town hall; pretty good food, but not as good as in Velden

 

Standing in front of the Bergsport Arnold store in Hohnstein

 

Türkischer Honig: Runout to the first bolt, then more reasonable and juggy

 

Talweg: Looking down at Rayko at the first belay

 

Talweg: Looking down at Rayko at the first belay

 

Talweg: Rayko is on top of the main wall, on an isolated island summit

 

Talweg: In a sea of towers

 

Talweg: Following the first pitch, removing a thread

 

Talweg: Super featured rock on the first pitch

 

Talweg: Following the second pitch

 

Talweg: Nice slung flake, but it feels like it might rip off

 

Herkules Rippe: Rayko at the first pitch belay

 

Herkules Rippe: Rayko far below at the P1 belay

 

Direkte Südwestwand auch: More knot climbing

 

Südwestwand: Rayko laybacks around a flake at the top of the pitch

 

Rayko looking for his name in the route book

 

Dampflok: The initial moves, protected by a small jammed knot

 

Talweg: Second pitch squeeze chimney

 

Rappelling the backside of the tower down to the grass; the terrain is comfortably navigated with bare feet because of the sand

 

Ostkante: Belaying from a giant hole in the top of the tower

 

Leaving one tower and climbing the next one over, in search of a rappel line

 

More rappelling from rings; nice redundancy

Frankenjura (Germany) (map)
 

Igor: An open but amazingly dark forest with a pretty good crag. Rayko runs it out to the first bolt.

 

Bergzigeunerweg: Rayko gains big holds after a pumpy traverse. Notice the route book midway across the traverse.

 

Trebbla: Signing the route book at the top of the tower

 

Trebbla: Starting up the tower above Lungsdorf

 

Schwarzer Riss: In the rain, we lucked upon this severely overhanging amphitheater with several dry routes

 

Südwestwand: This free-standing tower, to our surprise, was about 10" thick

 

Südwestwand: Rayko straddling the top of the tower

 

Buying strawberries and other vegies

 

Purchasing the daily supply of lunch meat

 

Corazon: A difficult and long route with several cruxes. Too bad it's out of focus.

Ostrov (Czech Republic) (map)
 

Hanging out in the coffee shop (the one attached to the climbing store) waiting for the rain to stop