This summer we had the absolute pleasure to experience climbing at 'Elbsandsteingebirge' in Eastern Germany. Matt and I were psyched to link up with master climber @robert.leistner who showed us around his home crag by the German/Czech border. In many ways climbing is unique there. The old traditions are taken very serious in Elbsandstein. This includes no metal "trad" protection allowed, such as stoppers, cams, etc (to avoid damage to the soft sandstone). Instead, different diameter of rope pieces for different sized cracks are used and tied into a sling with a knot (usually just an overhand or a figure 8) to then be 'stuffed' and 'jammed' into the cracks for protection. On a closer look you can see a stick on a carabiner on Robert's rack for setting, adjusting and removing placements (which, compared to removing cams turns out quite tricky when following). Despite the many obligatory "trad"/knot placements, there are a few bolts on many routes which are often run out and by most people considered scary leads.Other ethics include no chalk and historic free ascents were totally valid as a team effort. Climbing on the shoulders, hips, or thighs of your team member's bodies to reach a hold or enter a crack system is totally legit and considered a free ascent. See the vintage b/w pics from one of the many official climbing clubs that still play a significant role in maintaining the traditional climbing ethics. Most towers have rappelling options with probably the fattest bolts and rings I have seen outdoors (rappelling off one bolt/ring is standard). Summit registers are part of the climbing experience because only free standing towers (providing quite the summit experience) are legally open for climbing.Despite the absolute excitement to finally get to climb at this unique place, our day was mellow and relaxing! A heat wave had just hit Germany and scorching temperatures at over 100 degrees let us focus on other beautiful things such us bathing in the river and eating ice cream in the village nearby.Thanks to Robert's motivation and general passion to show us the area, we still managed to gear up for 3 pitches.
Happy customers
Highly recommend Fabi! He is super organized, friendly and safe. He was on time, prepared with everything we needed, fully explained everything we needed to know and made sure we felt safe during every step. He’s super encouraging and really knows what he is doing!
Anna T.
What an amazing experience! We took the beginners class, and so happy we did, Fabi was very knowledgeable, breaking instructions down step by step making it easier and fun to learn! After learning all the important safety steps we got to climbing right away, with fabi right there giving us pointers on the best route to take. I left class feeling more confident in my abilities to climb. Fabi has such a chill, friendly, and encouraging way of teaching, it felt like we were learning with a friend. I highly reccomend. Thank you for sharing your knowledge Fabi!
Kailyn F.
Had such an incredible time doing my first trad rock climbing multi pitch! Coach Jakob was extremely professional and taught my friend and I so much. We went up over 2,000 feet and got to the top of a stunning mountain in Idyllwild. He was informative and we felt completely safe the entire time. It was a fun and beautiful adventure. We would highly recommend Jakob and Chillino Rock Climbing Group for your upcoming adventures!
Valerie H.
My partner and I just finished an intro climbing class with Chillino and it was fantastic! Our guide was Fabi and he was knowledgeable, friendly, encouraging and always put safety first. A great introduction to outdoor climbing with an emphasis on learning basics the right way and having fun, whatever your skill level. We started with an overview of equipment, a short hike in Mission Hills and a thorough training on using the equipment. We had the chance to do several lines at our own pace. All were a good challenge! Overall, a great class and highly recommend :)
Grace M.
Absolutely incredible experience! I hardly have any experience as a climber and Fabian did a great job at showing me the basics and making sure I knew how to safely and adequately climb. There was plenty of time for me to get my hands dirty and the location was beautiful! The team that came along was very positive and encouraging! Would definitely recommend Fabian's climbing options!
Tiffany C.