Bytosť (Pôrodná), grade VI+, Zvon Ostrvy, 1756 m
A grade-III warm-up pitch, followed by a hard pitch that needs no gear placements.
Characteristics:
Turning from a person into a climber can, in its inner transformation, resemble a small birth. A human being enters completely different conditions - a stable environment that dampens stimuli is replaced by cold and intense light. Among other things, in this new environment you have to rebuild a positive relationship with the world even after frustration. It isn't easy, but successfully getting through the birth is reason to celebrate - if nothing else, because afterward we can slowly start to climb.
Bytosť is one of seven varied, well-protected, and beautiful routes ranging from grade III to VI+ on Zvon Ostrvy. It's an ideal spot for climbing in the afternoon.
Approach to Zvon Ostrvy, to the Srdce Zvonu col
From the benches in front of the chapel at the Symbolic Cemetery, walk past the memorial plaques for Bachleda and Budzák, and right after them turn onto the path behind the railing. Keep following the path, which brings you out onto a southwest-facing moraine of large rocks. Go straight up over the boulders, then follow the path below the Left Tower of Galéria Ostrvy. Ahead of you are the "black flames" - a section of the wall overgrown with dark lichen. Here turn left and go along the base of the wall to a tiny cave below a gully, where two flat, wedged boulders are visible even from a distance. From Popradské pleso, at a brisk pace, this takes 30 minutes.
Past the cave, the path curves east, to the right, into the gully. Climb up the gully, keeping close to the wall on your right almost the whole way. Past the third free-standing large boulder, don't miss the turnoff for the descent route from Galéria - invisible from below, but marked by cairns. Turn off and climb the "descent route," which dips up and down twice. Walk carefully - part of Galéria Ostrvy is below you. After 5 minutes you reach a small col. Ahead of you is the imposing wall of Zvon, rising on the opposite side of the gully. On the left, right in the col, you'll spot a chain. Continue in the direction the chain points, straight up, then five metres down onto a faint path disappearing into the dwarf pine. From there, traverse (a second chain) into the gully leading all the way to Nižná Ostrvová bránka. Turn right here, and a rising traverse brings you to the small col called Srdce Zvonu. From below Galéria Ostrvy, this takes 20 minutes.
Route description
Pitch 1, grade III, 25 m, 2 bolts
We start climbing at the large rock above the approach path to Srdce Zvonu. Climb up stepped, monolithic slabs. The last one has a curved little crack shaped like the letter C in the middle - ideal for placing a small cam. It brings you, past B1, onto a grassy ledge below a second slab, B2. Above it, traverse left along a tiny ledge to the anchor, which sits on a boulder weighing several tons. There's only one bolt at the anchor - a few suitable cracks can be used as a second point of protection. Climbers can see each other the whole time. The anchor is clearly visible from the start.
Pitch 2, grade VI+, 22 m, 7 bolts
From the anchor, climb up a corner (grade VI-), past B1 through B3, up to an overhang (B4, grade VI+), which you climb through to the right (B5). Then up a wall with a slight indentation to the anchor (B6, B7, grade VI-). Climbers can see each other the whole time. The anchor is clearly visible from the start.
Descent:
With an 80-metre rope you can rappel without a mid-station. The rest then needs to be down-climbed carefully. When rappelling, don't forget knots at the rope ends and a backup with a prusik!
Time required, from Popradské pleso
- Approach to the base of the wall: 55 minutes.
- The climb: depends on the routes chosen and your pace.
- Descent: 55 minutes.
These times apply to a two-person climbing team. For a party of three, or for beginners, it may take several hours longer!
Gear
- a sit harness and chest harness
- a helmet
- a single 60 m / 80 m rope, or alternatively a 30 m / 40 m twin or half rope
- 8 to 10 quickdraws
- 6 locking carabiners and HMS carabiners
- a belay/rappel device for each climber
- a set of cams
- slings and a prusik cord
- climbing shoes
- topos and route descriptions
Your pack at the base of the route should also have:
- a first-aid kit with a thermal reflective blanket
- a headlamp
- enough fluids
- food for the field
- clothing to protect against cold and rain
- a mobile phone with a charged battery
Characteristics of Zvon Ostrvy:
A sixty-metre-high wall of monolithic granite with loose boulders stacked on its ledges. It sits above Galéria Ostrvy and forms the middle section of Ostrva's west face. Seen from Popradská poľana, its shape resembles a giant church bell (zvon). Together with the start of the gully leading up to Vyšná Ostrvová bránka, it holds seven routes - thirteen varied, well-protected, and beautiful pitches ranging from grade IV- up to VII-. On most of them you'll need to place your own protection between the glued-in bolts. The approach from Popradské pleso is short but exposed. Climbing on Zvon Ostrvy requires mountaineering experience - it isn't suitable for absolute beginners! Before visiting Zvon, beginners should first do at least Anjelský hang, Protiprúd, and Velický zub.
Don't climb above the anchors of the second pitches - there are a lot of loose rocks on the ledges up there, and moving through that terrain is an extreme risk for everyone! Only the route Dospelosť reaches the summit of Zvon. On every route, the way down is a comfortable rappel.
Below Zvon there's a small col called Srdce Zvonu. It's a magical and comfortable spot to gear up and drop your packs.
The routes are dedicated to the different stages of human life, from conception to its final stage. Ontogenesis - in this case meaning climbing all the routes in a single day - is a solid climbing achievement. The sun doesn't reach Zvon until midday. It warms the rock first on the right, at Blaženosť, and slowly moves "in retrospect" from the end of life back toward its beginning - the last rays belong to the route Bytosť. The exception is the route Tvorivosť (Sliping Bjuty), set off to the side in the gully leading to Vyšná Ostrvová bránka - a good warm-up right before reaching Zvon itself.
This page has been translated using AI and may contain errors.