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Slideshow (45 photos)

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

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.

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