T-shirt Stories: Czech sandstone jumps

Our next Rafiki T-shirt JAY a SLACK with the motive "sandstone jumps" is based on the famous jumps between sandstone rock cliffs, which at one time were a very strong climbing discipline of Czech climbers. Although jumps are still a frequent and discussed topic among modern climbers, today it is more of a relic of ancient times. This is also evidenced by the fact that many jumps have no further repetitions at all, at least for now.

The oldest ever recorded jump is the jump from Oybina Castle to the Schluchwächter called "Circusák" in the Lužické hory. This feat was jumped without shoes and without belay, straight there and back and is rated with V grade, but more on that later.

The reasons for the creation of rock jumps were mainly practical - the jumps made it possible to quickly conquer a new, virgin tower and at the same time often facilitated the descent. At that time, it was easier to jump to the tower with an abseil ring than to forge a new ring bolt.

Undoubtedly, the Czech sandstone areas are land with the perfect environment for jumps, mainly because of their tower-like character, which literally tempts you to jump it!

The first recorded jump called "Polensprung" was performed by a Polish artist in 1837.

Just like climbing routes and boulder problems, jumps have their own difficulty grade scale. Today's open "jump scale" has five classification grades (I to V). Open means that as soon as anyone comes with a more difficult jump, it can be expanded by further, more difficult grade.

The length of the jump, the elevation between jumping places, the size and quality of the area of impact or the (in)ability to run off are taken into account in the evaluation of the grades. Jumper jumps either from the tower to the tower, but often also from the tower directly to the climbing wall. A jump is acknowledged only if the jumper is belayed from behind (means from the jumping point) or if he/she jumps free solo - without a climbing rope.

A jump is acknowledged only if the jumper is belayed from behind (means from the jumping point) or if he/she jumps free solo - without a climbing rope.

Among the jumping elite belonged Milan "Kyslík" Zdvořilý. Milan's jumps, such as "Kyslíkovo rogalo V" from Zběnčická tower to Pernikářka in Teplické skály (also known as Paragliding) or the "American Jump V" from Fortnýř to Pošťák in Adršpach, are some of the most difficult ever!

Milan's performance "American jump" has been recorded in the American documentary movie "JUMP!". A multiple award-winning documentary about famous jumping on Czech sandstone towers from the year 2001. In the movie, you will see also Petr and Zorka Prachtels, who were (not only) among the top elite jumpers.

Probably the most famous jump is called "Hobišhop" graded as IV. Karel Šimek jumped for the first time from Herynk to the Polární trůn in the Teplické skály, thus ending the series of many unsuccessful attempts by jumpers who tried it before. Behind that you can imagine broken heads, bones (including the pelvis), chipped toenails and often all of these mentioned together.

"Hobišop" starts with a run-off uphill and the jumper has to overcome a length of four meters directly into the climbing wall at the same height as the starting point

If you want to see how these most difficult V-grade jumps might look like, we recommend you to watch 50-minutes documentary movie called JUMP!, where the phenomenon of jumps is recorded.

If this article and a specific sandstone discipline interested you, then go for it! Get yourself a suitable belayer with strong nerves, get a sufficient rope slack, take a deep breath, bounce and just fly...

However, keep in your mind that even this activity carries great potential risks of injury, so do not overestimate your strength and skills!

Note: neither the author of the article nor Rafiki bears any responsibility for possible injuries and any harm to health. Likewise, we do not encourage any dangerous or life-threatening mountain climbing and other outdoor activities.