HandiCamp 2015

It’s not easy for all of us. It’s never been. But what counts is not to give up. And that’s what matters. In life, in climbing. It is not without a reason that the Singing Rock arrow points up, which means higher for some and further for others. After a couple of previous events when the weather was not on our side, we chose a different tactic.

Two consecutive September weekends, in a hope that at least one must work out, even at the cost of considerable organizational discomfort. Unfortunately, things happen differently than one plans; eventually only one date was left and the weather forecast a few days before was uncertain. So cancellation it is. Actually not cancellation, only a two-week postponement. And the postponement paid off.

The 9th year of the HandiCamp climbing event, organized mainly by Singing Rock and the Masaryk University’s Teiresias Centre, took place at the weekend of 2 - 4 October 2015. Already in an advanced time of year, but in the end with a nice weather. Not only the hands were not freezing and it was not moist, but also those who did not have warm sleeping bags survived in their tents and in the morning they could warm themselves up in booths with heaters of those “lucky” who booked them first . All this in the premises of the Riding Club Blatiny. Yes, after years we are back to a proven site in Vysocina, close to Dratnik and Ctyri palice. This is, to a place where climbing can be enjoyed not only by beginners but also advanced climbers and, most importantly, those for whom their disability prepared totally different possibilities for their lives and climbing (isn’t it the same thing? :). We know in advance the rocks will be packed but hopefully we will share the space somehow, hopefully our 30-head group will fit somewhere...

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To the surprise of us more experienced who know the situation, sometimes we were there all alone, which is incredible. Everything runs smoothly at Dratnik on Saturday, we prepare the routes, make a ropeway between Sokol and Orel... and, most importantly, enjoy it all day long. The ropes are available also to other climbers, and are used by many of them. Who is lucky enough to immediately start climbing and also save their own rope... erm, I wanted to say try new Singing Rock products? We conclude this great day with a get-together with projection of photos and stories from Kilimanjaro ascent, but some of us already start falling asleep. So let’s jump to our sleeping bags and sleep tight.

It’s foggy in the morning but warmer, so even those with summer sleeping bags slept well and were not cold. We pack out stuff quickly a after breakfast we are off to Ctyri palice. There are more climbers but we don’t disturb each other and all can fit in. And again some “strangers” use the opportunity and “test our products”. Those who have had enough climbing discuss with mountain guide Tonda Volek about technical climbing and its classification, try to tie some knots, belaying, etc. Such as six-year-old deaf Tony with a belay on a loop around a stone happy how his adult aunt goes down the rock pretty fast when the rope is loose... :)

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Indeed, there was so much fun with Tony, the youngest HandiCamp participant. “That gentleman does not have an arm, he is handicapped. And that lady is missing an arm too and her other arm is crooked, she is also handicapped”, he openly comments, in sign language, on people in our group. “And you, Tony, since you can’t hear, you are not handicapped?” “No, I am not handicapped. But those who can hear are handicapped!” “How come they are handicapped, Tony?” “Because they don’t know the sign language. They are handicapped...”

Morning turned into afternoon and it’s about time we return to all parts of the Czech Republic. We take all the materials, put the baggage from one car to another, move from one car to another depending on who has some free seats and where they are going. And we also say we could meet each other at Vir on the ice wall. And, most importantly, at the next HandiCamp, which could be on the sand. It will be a jubilee 10th round year (as round as the tops of sandstone towers), so maybe there will also be a climbing birthday cake. And do you know what such a cake looks like? It has several floors, but overhanging ones...

- Saša Zvonek -

HandiCamp IX. (2015)

SINGING ROCK in cooperation with Teiresias and other partners invites you to the weekend event designed especially (but not only) for climbers and mountaineers with disabilities, HandiCamp IX. This time we will meet at favorite climbing area Dratnik and Čtyři palice, Vysočina

HandiCamp 2015

Date: weekend 2nd - 4th October 2015, event will take place in any weahter conditions. If the weather forecast is really bad, we will announce extra weekend.

Location: climbing area Drátník and Čtyři palice at Vysočina. On Friday 2nd October 2015 at 7 p.m.
we will meet in the campground Milovy http://kempmilovy.cz/

Transportation: arrival individual, for those registered in advance we will try to coordinate it somehow (picking up at train station Nové Město na Moravě– lift by a car, etc.)

Accommodation: campground Milovy http://kempmilovy.cz/, in cabins for 2 - 4 persons (reservation needed) or in own tents; sleeping bag necessary, the participants pay the accommodation on their own expenses.

Food: your own; for those interested there will be a possibility of a common dinner on Saturday evening (to be specified); near the camp there is a restaurant where we organize and pay a dinner.

Gear: sport clothing and shoes to any kind of weather (there is no good and bad weather, only good and bad equipment...) If you have your own climbing equipment, please, take it with you otherwise there will be possibility to borrow harnesses, helmets, belay devices etc.

Schedule:

Friday: meeting in the campground Milovy at 7 p.m., introducing the organizers, programme, the climbing area etc.

Saturday: climbing at Drátník area, UIAGM guide metodology, belaying, rope ascent etc.

Sunday: climbing at Čtyři palice area, rescue techniques for climbers etc.

Registration and more information:
Saša Zvonek zvonek@teiresias.muni.cz
Honza Zámečník honza@singingrock.cz
Petr Musálek petr.musalek@seznam.cz

Looking forward to seeing you at HandiCamp IX.
SINGING ROCK Team