Moravian Karst

The Moravian Karst is a protected karst landscape north of Brno, noted for its caverns, gorges and a large number of subterranean features; the area’s geology creates unusual climbing settings that differ sharply from typical alpine crags. One of those settings is the Macocha abyss, a deep sinkhole whose bottom and arches have become the site of an unconventional big‑wall problem.

The film First Free Climb of Underground Big Wall in Macocha documents Adam Ondra’s ascent of a line called Příklepový strop at the bottom of that abyss. The piece frames the climb through the variables that make it exceptional: cold, humid and wildly overhanging rock; sparse and aged protection; and a very limited access window—permission to work the line is available only during a five‑day period each December. The film also gives space to the Czech climbers who found and worked the line before Ondra and makes visible the logistical constraints and local history behind the attempt. Viewers interested in performance will note the graded pitches strung together for the route (the film lists the pitches and their grades), while those curious about setting will get a clear sense of climbing in an underground, cave‑like environment.

Because of its focus on place and process, the film is as much about the conditions and the team who enabled the ascent as it is about a single climber’s performance.