Climbing area
A climbing area is a region with opportunities to practice climbing . In addition to the geographical proximity of the climbing opportunities, the characteristics of the climbing requirements and the development are also used to delimit climbing areas .
Demarcation
Climbing areas are often not clearly demarcated, so that different competing systems based on different criteria can be found in the literature. Furthermore, climbing areas can be hierarchically divided into individual subgroups, climbing rocks, climbing gardens or sectors and can have very different sizes. In many cases, the definition and area delimitation, including the division into sub-areas, is carried out by the respective climbing guide authors . In other cases, however, there are also generally recognized classifications, which can also be stipulated by official regulations with regard to environmental protection. In Germany, the classification in the rock information system of the German Alpine Club is often used.
Climbing areas are mostly maintained by local organized groups. This includes setting up new climbing routes and maintaining and refurbishing old ones . Climbing guides are also published and updated.
history
One reason for the development of independent and distinct climbing areas can be found in the different geological and natural geographic conditions. Since, for example, different rock heights and different rocks such as limestone , sandstone or granite require different climbing techniques and styles as well as safety techniques adapted to the respective circumstances, there were very independent developments in climbing in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains , in the Lake District or in the 19th century Fontainebleau Forest . The isolation of these widely separated areas solidified the emergence of independent climbing cultures with specific customs, levels of difficulty and techniques.
In the course of increasing mobility, distance as a criterion became less important and there was a stronger exchange of regional characteristics. The discussion of different climbing cultures was sometimes quite controversial. So the popular in France was about sport climbing with good protection by bolts as controversial as the question of the technical climbing , and some climbing areas attached great importance to a conscious differentiation from other areas with a competing climbing ethics. Today, areas with different characteristics are often just next to each other. It is considered common among climbers to respect the prevailing customs.
Today, the concerns of nature conservation are an essential driver for a uniform recording, zoning, development and regulation of climbing areas. The conflicting interests of climbers and nature conservationists, as well as the development of regulations for the care of climbing areas, have been addressed above all by regional interest groups ( IG Climbing ) and some alpine clubs. There is no uniform approach to climbing. The practical implementation ranges from complete, controversial rock closures to mutually agreed regulations and self-regulation.The Austrian state of Tyrol promotes climbing in many areas with the Climbers Paradise project , while climbing is restricted on Hohen Ifen in Vorarlberg , for example .
Classification criteria
Climbing areas differ in terms of their properties according to:
- Rock ( sandstone , granite , limestone etc.)
- Development history
- Climbing style ( sport climbing area , alpine climbing area, bouldering area )
- Character of climbing ( overhangs , cracks , intersections , slabs)
- Options for securing the routes: e.g. B. bolts or clean , quality and spacing of the securing points , seriousness
- Length of the routes (boulder, short sport climbing routes, multi-pitch routes )
- Difficulty of the routes ( Plaisiergebiet , Hardmovergebiet )
- Difficulty scales used and peculiarities in the evaluation in climbing guides
- Rules and customs: mostly informal agreements, but e.g. B. In the climbing area Saxon Switzerland inclusion of the climbing rules in official ordinance
- Infrastructure (accessibility, frequency of use, restrictions, child-friendliness)
List of climbing areas (selection)
Germany
Important sport climbing areas in Germany:
- Altmuehltal
- Battert near Baden-Baden
- resin
- Ith in Lower Saxony
- Climbing area Kochel
- Konstein
- Königshain Mountains near Görlitz
- Northern Franconian Jura climbing area
- Saxon Switzerland climbing area
- The Swabian Alb with the areas
- Ostalb, between Aalen and Geislingen an der Steige
- Lenninger Alb in the Lenninger Valley, near Kirchheim unter Teck
- Uracher Alb in the Ermstal near Bad Urach
- Upper Danube Valley near Sigmaringen
- Stone forest in the Fichtel Mountains
- South Palatinate climbing area
- Zittau Mountains climbing area
Switzerland
- Basel Jura
- Lehnfluh
- Ponte Brolla
- Saint Loup
- Handegg
- Obverse (Magic Wood)
- Cresciano
Austria
- Peilstein , Vienna Woods, Lower Austria
- Flatzer Wand , Lower Austria
- Schleierwasserfall , Going am Wilden Kaiser, Tyrol
- Martinswand , Tyrol
- Bürser Gorge , Vorarlberg
Rest of Europe
Important sport climbing areas in Europe:
- Freÿr , Belgium
- Calanques , France
- Céüse , France
- Dentelles de Montmirail , France
- Fontainebleau , France
- Verdon Gorge , France
- Climbing area Massone near Arco , Italy
- Finale Ligure , Italy
- El Chorro , Spain
- Siurana , Spain
- Adršpach-Weckelsdorfer Felsenstadt , Czech Republic
- Velebit , Croatia
- Kalymnos , Greece
- Meteora , Greece
Outside of Europe
Important sport climbing areas outside of Europe:
- Yosemite National Park (USA)
- Mount Arapiles (Australia)
- Red River Gorge (USA)
- Rocklands (South Africa)
- Smith Rock State Park (USA)
- Squamish (Canada)
- Krabi (Thailand), especially the Rai Leh peninsula .
Literature list for climbing area guides
Web links
- Worldwide overview of climbing areas
- Extra-alpine climbing regions in Germany - rock information system
- Page no longer available , search in web archives: "KletterWiki" ) (
Individual evidence
- ^ Frank M. Hannich: Destination brands in special interest tourism: illustrated using the example of climbing tourism . DUV, 2007, ISBN 978-3-8350-0883-0 , pp. 35 ( books.google.at ).
- ↑ ( page no longer available , search in web archives: dav-felsinfo.de )
- ↑ a b c Peter Grupp: Fascination Mountain: the history of alpinism . Böhlau Verlag, Weimar 2008, ISBN 978-3-412-20086-2 , p. 102-103 ( books.google.at ).
- ↑ a b Peter Grupp: Fascination Mountain: The History of Alpinism . Böhlau Verlag, Weimar 2008, ISBN 978-3-412-20086-2 , p. 254–255 ( books.google.at [accessed June 18, 2011]).
- ↑ Hans-Joachim Schemel, Wilfried Erbguth: Handbook Sport and Environment . 3. Edition. Meyer & Meyer, 2000, ISBN 978-3-89124-623-8 , pp. 317 ff . ( books.google.at [accessed June 18, 2011]).
- ↑ ( page no longer available , search in web archives: Bundesverband IG Klettern )
- ↑ Climbers Paradise