Winter Hiking in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains

By |February 15th, 2015|Europe, Germany, Journeys, Outdoor, Rock, Winter Sports|

"To hell and back" was our hiking weekend's motto. "Wild Hell" is the name of a hiking trail that ended with a heavenly view. Although I've already heard of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, I have to admit, it would not have occurred to me to go hiking there. Unfortunately, I am one of those people [...]

“Feel the Dolomites”

By |July 31st, 2014|Europe, Italy, Journeys, Outdoor, Rock|

... was the motto of the climbing festival MOVE which I got invited to by the Val Gardena Tourism Organization last weekend. For me right now, the Dolomites feel like sore muscles, the result of an adventurous presstour with via ferrata as well asalpine rock climbing and hiking tours. http://youtu.be/Utnu01okJT4 As contrast to the packed [...]

Is Switzerland the new Lake Garda?

By |June 20th, 2014|Europe, Journeys, Outdoor, Rock, Switzerland|

To start with, the name sounds unfamiliar: "What is it called again, Bierwaldstättersee?" Simone asks on the phone. - "No, not beer, but Vierwaldstättersee", I repeat, as I describe the destination, the Lake of Lucerne. Therefore, later, the Lake is always referred to as "Biersee", translated "Beer Lake". My VW bus friends from Munich had [...]

Dry-Tooling in Chunkurchak

By |April 13th, 2014|Asia, Central Asia, Journeys, Kyrgyzstan, Outdoor, Rock|

As I understand it, "dry tooling" is ice climbing without ice, using ice axes and crampons on the rock. They say, it was originally developed to bridge rocky passages in order to reach free hanging, frozen waterfalls. I had not heard about it, and when my Russian friend Katya suggested to visit the competition at [...]

Via Ferrata Rino Pisetta

By |September 28th, 2012|Europe, Featured, Italy, Journeys, Outdoor, Rock|

When I clipped the first carabiner on the iron rope, a rain drop fell on my nose. A couple of seconds later, it started pouring down. "Oh, great!" - I got up early in the morning, I drove forty-five minutes by bus from Arco to Sarche and spent an hour (30 minutes ascent, [...]