A long weekend on the Finnish granite cliffs!
GROUP IS FULL! It is possible to register for the waiting list.
The tent camp, located under a pine forest in Repovesi National Park, offers a view of Lake Olhava and a granite cliff that rises straight up from the water's edge. The reflection of the evening sun from the water's surface casts an iridescent play of light on the stone wall. The climb may even last all night, because it is the summer solstice and there is light until morning.
Hendrik climbing “Kantti” 6a, 38 meters.
Let's take a quick trip to the nearest decent one in Tartu to the crag, to Olhava Rock. To do this, we pack ropes, tents, camping kitchens and travel together by minibus to the Helsinki ferry and from there to Repovesi National Park. After hours of hiking, we reach Olhava Lake and the camping site, where we spend the next three nights in a climbing camp.
Olhava Rock is Finland's most renowned natural climbing spot with 74 routes ranging in difficulty from easy levels 4 and 5 to the extremely difficult 8a. Most of the routes there are unbolted. trad routes that we climb with top protection so that we start from the top edge of the cliff and descend to the water's edge. The granite rock of Olhava cliff is characterized by crimps, praoroning and slobbery balancing moves that provide a challenge for climbers of all levels. More information about the routes and their difficulty levels can be found FROM HERE.
We will spend the time between climbing in a lakeside tent camp or in the surrounding national park. We will travel there in a 9-seater minibus, departing from Tartu on Friday afternoon. In order not to arrive at the campsite too late at night, we will make minimal deviations on the way and only stop at roadside gas stations.
NB! Previous rope climbing experience is required to join the trip. Having a belay card is not mandatory and we will learn the necessary ropework techniques on site. However, if you have little climbing and belaying experience, it is possible to participate before the trip. Elamus+ trainings, information about which is shared on our social media channels.
View of Lake Olhava from the camping site, with the Laatta rock sector and the “Kantti” trail visible on the left.
Overview - short & sweet
Goal: rock climbing trip to Olhava, Finland.
Dates: 21.-24.06.2024
Activity: rock climbing
Accommodation: tents
Adventure guides: Ralf Jurgenson ja Hendrik Erikson
Technical difficulty level: 2/5 (previous rope climbing experience required)
Physical difficulty: 1-3/5 (according to the goals you set for yourself)
Group size: 9 (including 2 adventure guides)
Price per person — €275
Please note: For community members discount -5% (260 €) applies
Travel cost
Price includes
A seat on a minibus departing from Tartu
Bus fuel, tolls, parking fees
Ferry tickets Tallinn-Helsinki-Tallinn
Travel arrangements and on-site guidance
Group equipment: ropes, station materials, top-rope safety equipment, pharmacy
Good/bad weather and awesome photos of you in the project
Price does not include
Meals in the camp (it is possible to order camping food packages through us)
Food on driving days
Insurance (travel insurance and MANDATORY sports insurance suitable for climbing)
Personal hygiene products and medications
Personal climbing equipment (can also be rented if needed) Elamus Pluss)
Unscheduled excursions, transportation, etc. (or if you want to do something extra)
Registration for the trip
Before registering, please read travel conditions. To secure your place on the trip, a prepayment (3%) must be paid within 30 working days of receiving the confirmation and invoice by e-mail. If there are less than 30 days left until the trip, the total cost (100%) must be paid. Read more: frequently asked questions ja package tour information sheet.
Schedule
Day 1: Drive to RepoVes National Park
We start at 13.30:17.30 PM in Tartu heading for Tallinn to catch the ferry departing at 4:XNUMX PM. We arrive in Helsinki by XNUMX AM, from where we drive three hours to Repovesi National Park. We make a few gas station stops along the way to replenish our energy reserves. Late in the evening we arrive at the national park parking lot, from where we need to hike about XNUMX kilometers to the camping site.
Days 2 and 3: CLIMB!
Saturday and Sunday will be spent entirely climbing. We will take a short hike from the tent camp to the cliff, where we will build either a natural station or a bolted station, depending on the route. The climber will descend from the station along a rope and then climb top rope back up safely.
Day 4: Final climb and drive home
We do our last climbs in the morning. By 21.15 o'clock we have packed up camp and hike back to the parking lot on the minibus. We drive back to Helsinki, from where the ferry leaves at XNUMX:XNUMX pm back to Tallinn, we stop for a fast food stop on the way. Since it is a holiday weekend, we allow extra time for the return trip. We arrive back in Tartu around XNUMX am.
NB! There may be minor (or major) changes to the schedule and planned activities — for example, due to weather and conditions or passenger requests.
Accommodation, food and special equipment
Accommodation is in tents, which you must bring with you or share with another participant on the trip. The tents have a drinking water well, dry toilets, and campfire sites.
There are no shops or restaurants near Olhava, so you have to bring all your own food for the trip. Depending on the weather in June, there may be a ban on making fires in Olhava, in which case we will cook our meals on firewood. We can share the firewood if no one has their own. To spend less time cooking, we plan to order camping food together for breakfast and dinner. You can indicate your wish to join the group order of discounted MEKI camping meals in the registration form., you can find a list of hiking foods FROM HERE. Before the trip, we ask what packages someone would like. For lunch, everyone takes something with them to the cliff edge.
For climbing, you will need a personal climbing harness, helmet and climbing shoes. It would also be a good idea to bring your own rope and belay device, but you can also use the shared equipment on the trip if necessary. For more information about equipment and its rental, see the equipment list.
👉 SEE EQUIPMENT LIST HERE 👈
Don't worry, let's do it!
I've never climbed natural rocks before. Can I still do it?!
If you're not unfamiliar with belaying and belaying, or at least climbing with belaying, then you definitely can! Rock climbing is not much different from climbing on interior walls, the only difference is that instead of a predetermined path consisting of colorful blocks, you have to find a suitable rock curve for yourself by feeling it out with your hands.
I really want to come on the trip, but I don't know how to do this security stuff. Can I still come?
However, you need to learn how to belay in order to be able to climb rocks. If you don't know how to do it yet, you can take a training course at the climbing factory rope hall in Tartu. Follow the training courses on our social media.
But I don't have any personal climbing equipment. Where can I get it and what kind is suitable?
It is possible to rent or buy the climbing equipment. When renting or borrowing, keep a critical mind. The lifespan of climbing equipment is 8-10 years. If you find used old equipment somewhere, it is worth remembering that your own life depends on it. If things seem to be in good condition, renting can really save you some money by bringing it with you for one trip. The equipment rented by Elamus Pluss is safe and has already been inspected by the adventure guides, so there is no reason to worry when renting from us.
It is wise to definitely try on the equipment when buying. A climbing harness and slippers should be comfortable. When buying a rope, it is worth choosing a dynamic rope that is 60-100 m long, weatherproof and of suitable thickness. The thicker the rope, the more difficult it is to climb with it. At the same time, a thicker rope has a longer lifespan. If you are a confident climber and are missing a few things that you need advice on when buying, feel free to ask the tour guide for advice.
Read more also frequently asked questions.
Travel documents and footnotes
The participant is responsible for the validity and condition of their travel documents. For this trip you will need:
ID card/passport;
sports insurance suitable for climbing (read more on the FAQ page). A suitable sports insurance policy must be carried and is a prerequisite for participation in the trip;
travel insurance.
Plan your trip early and start training for it. If you haven't encountered rock climbing before, now is the right time to familiarize yourself with the terms: eight-knot, express, station, backstep and belay device. It would be a shame if you couldn't come along just because you don't have belaying skills. If necessary, we can arrange some private training to reinforce safety techniques when climbing a big wall. Read more FROM HERE. ;)
Although at the end of the day everyone is still responsible for their own actions and consequences, we do our best to mitigate the risks associated with climbing. As a result, the group leader has the right to make ongoing decisions about the competence of the participants, the suitability of their equipment, physical fitness, etc., and, if necessary, prohibit access to certain routes if it endangers the health of the group or the participant themselves. Hopefully, of course, there will be no need for this.
Read also travel conditions.
