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The area of Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska is divided into the northern and southern parts, but this is
just a conventional division for climbers' needs. The northern part is larger and includes the Częstochowska
Highland and the Smoleńsko-Niegowonickie Hills. Some rocks are isolated and others form large groups on
hills (e.g. Zborów Hill, Rzędkowice Rocks, Podzamcze Rocks). The southern part includes highlands
around Kraków, where rocks appear on slopes of valleys (Kobylańaska Valley, Będkowska Valley,
Bolechowicka Valley and others) and on tops of plateaus (e.g. near Jerzmanowice). Climbers also explore abandoned
quarries in and near Kraków (Krzemionki, Zakrzówek).
From the climbers' point of view we can distinguish the following rock areas of Jura Krakowsko-Częstochowska:
The crags of Jura are limestone, the main type being so called 'rocky limestone'(?) - solid, unstratified, quite resistant to degradation, forming single rocks (pinnacles?). Some crags, especially in the valleys in the south of Jura, are built of a looser type of limestone, more liable to erosion. Quite often both types coexist within the same crag. For climbers the most important difference between them is the rock surface - resulting in different types of holds. Erosion of 'rocky limestone' forms holes, hollows and pockets, and the looser type cracks and forms characteristic cubes. Apart from the types of limestone mentioned above, there are many intermediate ones.
The rocks (or rather their weathered surface) are usually white, with grey and black parts coloured by lichens. Yellow, pink, red and brown colours are caused by iron compounds. The rock is usually solid, in some places becoming loose, especially in places where extensive vegetation causes faster erosion. The rock surface is not really rough and easily becomes slippery, especially on more popular routes. Slabs and vertical faces are dominant formations. Some of them - absolutely smooth - are a real nightmare for climbers. But even in such places you can sometimes come across a route that appeared when its author chopped the rock face which had no natural holds otherwise. Such 'corrections' of natural rock features are generally not approved though. Overhangs are not very common, and sometimes overhanging rocks with enough holds are absurdly packed with climbing routes (e.g. Pochylec at the valley of the Prądnik River).
Rock heights and route lengths do not usually exceed 30 m, in most cases they vary between 15 and 18 m and routes of 20 m are considered quite long. The crag Jastrzębnik at Kroczyce rocks (40 m) and Sokolica at Będkowska valley (70-80 m) are the exceptions. At the latter there are routes which have up to 50 m in one pitch (e.g. new versions of Direta and Kurtykówka). Currently (1999) most routes are bolted and some (still the minority unfortunately) have abseil stances. More and more bolts with the UIAA certificate are being placed under the supervision of Polish Mountaineering Union (PZA).
Routes are graded according to Kurtyka's grading system (a.k.a. Kraków system), which is a compromise between an 'open' and 'limited' system. It develops grade VI of the 'limited' system by adding higher grades, for instance VI.1, VI.2 etc. Currently (1999) the hardest routes reach the grade VI.7. Some routes originally graded VI.7 have been downgraded (are now considered easier). This grading system is quite difficult to convert to other systems because of the rather unique character of climbing in the rocks of Jura. Approximately VI.1 = VII- (UIAA) = 6a+ (French), VI.2 = VII+ = 6c, VI.3 = VIII = 7a, VI.4 = VIII+/IX- to IX = 7b to 7b/b+, VI.5 = IX/IX+ = 7c/c+. Here are some routes considered as standards for the given grades:
Author:
Grzesiek Zieliński
Translation by Kamil Weinberg