The Lokomotive (German for "locomotive") is a striking

climbing rock A climbing rock (german: Kletterfelsen; regionally also ''Kletterfels'' or '' Klettergipfel'') is a term used especially in Germany for an individual rock formation, rock face or rock group on which climbing is permitted. Designated climbing rocks ...

north of

Kurort Rathen Rathen is a village in the Elbe Sandstone Mountains, in Saxony, Germany, about southeast of Dresden. The village occupies both banks of the river Elbe and, as of 2020, has 339 inhabitants. Rathen is a popular tourist destination, the main sigh ...

Saxon Switzerland Saxon Switzerland (german: Sächsische Schweiz) is a hilly climbing area and national park around the Elbe valley south-east of Dresden in Saxony, Germany. Together with the Bohemian Switzerland in the Czech Republic it forms the Elbe Sands ...

in Germany. The rock, which resembles a steam locomotive in appearance, is also known as ''Große Ruine'', is about 30 metres high and is divided into two parts: known as ''Lokomotive-Dom'' ("Locomotive Dome") and ''Lokomotive-Esse'' ("Locomotive Chimney"). The ridge between the two is called the ''Kesselgrat'' ("Boiler Ridge"), the rock teeth next to the Esse as ''Pfeife'' ("Whistle"). For a short time there was a weather vane on the dome in the shape of a wheel. The Lokomotive rises on the massif of the ''Honigsteine''. The Dome of the Lokomotive was first climbed in 1886 by Friedrich Hartmann and Robert Kappmeier. In the history of

free climbing Free climbing is a form of rock climbing in which the climber may use climbing equipment such as ropes and other means of climbing protection, but only to protect against injury during falls and not to assist vertical or horizontal progress. Th ...

in Saxon Switzerland the climb of the Esse on 7 June 1903 by Albert Kunze and

Oliver Perry-Smith Oliver Perry-Smith (October 11, 1884 in Philadelphia – 13 May 1969''Proceedings of the Club: Secretary report for the year 1969'', AAJ 1970, pp. 224, lines 6-8 (for pdf version, see External links)) was an American rock climber, mountaineer and s ...

was the first ascent of the Esse and the first step in climbing the open face. Until then climbers had focussed on

chimneys A chimney is an architectural ventilation structure made of masonry, clay or metal that isolates hot toxic exhaust gases or smoke produced by a boiler, stove, furnace, incinerator, or fireplace from human living areas. Chimneys are typic ...

and crevices. The first ascent of the

grade Grade most commonly refers to: * Grade (education), a measurement of a student's performance * Grade, the number of the year a student has reached in a given educational stage * Grade (slope), the steepness of a slope Grade or grading may also ref ...

V ''Lokomotivüberfall''

climbing route A climbing route is a path by which a climber reaches the top of a mountain, rock, or ice wall. Routes can vary dramatically in difficulty and grade; once committed to that ascent, it can sometimes be difficult to stop or return. Choice of rout ...

on the Esse unleashed an intensive period of climbing in Saxon Switzerland that lasted until 1910, during which climbers like Kunze, Perry-Smith and

Rudolf Fehrmann Rudolf Fehrmann (22 June 1886 – 1947), a German, was a pioneer rock climber at Elbsandsteingebirge near Dresden. Climbing career He began climbing at the age of 17 and was soon at the leading edge of the fledgling sport. He and Oliver Perry-Sm ...

made the first ascent of many important

climbing peak A climbing peak (german: Klettergipfel) may refer to a mountain or hill peak or a rock formation that has to be ascended by climbing. The term is common in Germany where it is specifically used of free-standing rock formations in the climbing region ...

s, like the

Barbarine The Barbarine is the best-known free-standing rock formation in the German part of the Elbe Sandstone Mountains. It is a rock pinnacle, high, and is the symbol of Saxon Switzerland. It was first climbed on 19 September 1905. Location The Barb ...

, the ''Große Herkulessäule'', the ''Jungfer'' or the Teufelsturm.Däweritz, p. 26 ff.

Sources

* Karl Däweritz: ''Klettern im Sächsischen Fels'', Sportverlag Berlin, Berlin, 1979. * Dietmar Heinicke (ed.): ''Kletterführer Sächsische Schweiz, Band Wehlener Gebiet/Rathener Gebiet/Brand'', Dresden, 2003, * Rudolf Fehrmann: ''Der Bergsteiger in der Sächsischen Schweiz'', Verlagsanstalt Johannes Siegel, Dresden, 1908.

References

External links

Rock information by the German Alpine Club: Lokomotive-Esse – Rathener Gebiet

Rock information by the German Alpine Club: Lokomotive-Dom – Rathener Gebiet
{{Coord, 50.965974, N, 14.084505, E, type:mountain_region:DE-SN, display=title Rock formations of Saxon Switzerland Climbing areas of Germany Rathen