Protiprúd, grade III, Vodopád Skok 1789 m

After leaving the marked trail below the waterfall, instead of heading into the distinct corner on the left (to the right of the main branch of the waterfall), we climb (grade II) a little channel to its right, onto a grassy little balcony. It's a beautiful, comfortable spot close to the secondary branch of the waterfall. Two cairns mark the route. From there we continue 5 m (grade III) diagonally up and left to a ledge with an anchor bolt. A less experienced climber should be belayed through this section!

The first anchor is on a small ledge. The anchor's protection is a bolt, to which you need to add a cam placed in a vertical crack a metre above it. Where American-sized cams are used, a blue #3 fits; from Kouba's sizing, a purple #5. The second climber can be belayed up from there from the grassy little balcony (grade II to III). Roughly a metre and a half above the cam mentioned there's a horizontal crack for a large cam. We don't climb straight up, but traverse 4 m from there to the right along the ledge. Halfway through the traverse is this pitch's only protection bolt. At the end of the traverse we continue straight up a rounded pillar that resembles the back of a giant elephant, up to a small ledge below the anchor. There are excellent gear-placement options throughout the pitch.

Zuzana Hermanová, concentrating at the start of the “elephant's back”

The anchor is best clipped from the grassy ledge on the right. A clove hitch lets you adjust the rope so the climber can stand comfortably on the ledge and see the second climber. While climbing the second pitch, the climber and belayer can then both move onto the grassy ledge on the right.

Climbers can see each other, if the first on the rope stands in the right spot at the anchor. Anchor 2 isn't visible from Anchor 1.

Jarka Brezovská placing a cam on the first pitch.

With a small weight difference, belaying directly off your harness works fine. With a bigger weight difference, thanks to the fixed early protection, the route allows using an Edelrid Ohm assist device. Belaying from the central point or from the anchor itself can also work well. The anchor's upper bolt, about 2 metres from the belayer, serves as the first piece of protection. From the anchor we traverse 7 m along a grassy ledge to the right (the first bolt) and slightly down. Once the protection bolt in the traverse is clipped, it's a good idea to unclip the lead climber's first protection point at the anchor. This improves rope management and contact with the lead climber. Children and shorter climbers can't reach the bolt in the traverse with their feet on the grassy ledge. The best solution is to use a "long arm." A long quickdraw, for instance the "Tricky" from Climbing Technology, works well here. After clipping this bolt and crossing a wet spot, we continue up granite ripples, straight up and slightly diagonally left (grade III). In the crack, often washed by water, there are two good spots for tiny cams. Use them, since higher up the rock offers no further options for your own protection.

Above this spot you can already play around (grade II) in the granite ripples, with protection well below you, all the way to the second bolt. You'll find it on a slab, seven metres below the second anchor, on the left, near the dwarf pines.

Climbers are in sight of each other only up to the crack for tiny cams. The first on the rope can see the second climber from the third anchor, if they extend the rope with a clove hitch and stand roughly 6 metres below Anchor 3.

Karin placing a tiny cam on the second pitch.

We continue up a pillar to the right of the grass and dwarf pines (grade II). After about 17 metres we find large rocks that form clock-like shapes in two spots. 120 cm slings work well for protection here. Above this spot we climb a low-angle slab to the anchor, which is on the left near the dwarf pines (grade III).

Climbers can see each other. Anchor 3 isn't visible from Anchor 2.

Lenka, Paťa and Lukáš on the third pitch

The final part of the climb consists of enormous, almost horizontal rock slabs. It's walking terrain, but it can be treacherous if the slabs are wet or coated in a layer of ice. That's why, about 10 metres from the third anchor, there's one more protection piton on the fourth pitch, still in walking terrain. At the very top of the waterfall there's no more protection at all. If needed, the climber has to build their own.

Moments of joy on the summit

At the anchor, the lead climber first secures themselves with a clove hitch into the upper bolt's carabiner. This lets them adjust their distance from the anchor. Using a daisy chain-style sling as a tether isn't recommended. Next comes the command "Off belay!", to which the belayer replies with the intermediate command "Taking you off!", then waits a moment and listens for any objection from the lead climber. They then take the climber off belay and announce it with the command "Off!". The lead climber must confirm receiving the information that they're no longer belayed with the command "OK" or "Got it."

The lead climber pulls up the rope. They clip it correctly into their belay device (see the video) and clip that device with a second carabiner into the anchor's lower ring. Belaying this way is self-locking. It rules out the error of not holding the rope, but doesn't allow the second climber to be lowered easily. Wherever there's a chance you might need to lower the second climber, always choose a Munter hitch and an HMS carabiner instead!

Beginners belaying a second climber from the anchor usually make two fatal mistakes. They belay off their harness (not from the anchor), or they clip the belay device into the anchor with a single carabiner, without a self-locking effect. Both mistakes can cause the second climber's death, even from something as simple as weighting the rope!

After checking the belay, the belayer gives the second climber the command "Belay on!" and confirms it by simultaneously pulling in the rope to its maximum. The second climber replies with "Climbing!", removes their clove-hitch tether at the anchor, waits for the rope to be taken in, and starts climbing. They never climb before feeling that the lead climber is actually taking in the rope!

With correct anchor setup on the Protiprúd route, the lead climber always has eye contact with the second climber. But you need to set up the rope and your position at the anchor correctly for that. Shout commands loudly, with eye contact, facing your climbing partner. Otherwise, because of the roar of the waterfalls, and sometimes the wind too, you won't hear each other!

Once at the anchor, the second climber secures themselves with a clove hitch. They hand the gear to the lead climber and clip themselves into the belay. They confirm this with the command "Belay on!". The lead climber checks the belay and switches the anchor's first bolt from the clove hitch to become the first piece of protection (removing the clove hitch). When belaying off the harness, the first piece of protection should be roughly two metres from the belayer's belay device.

This procedure repeats at every anchor. Always use locking carabiners for belaying and for tethering in!