Zorka Prachtelová RIP (Czech)

[JosephH]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.horyinfo.cz/view.php?cisloclanku=2011020021&nazevclanku=zorka-prachtelova

[ConorB]

Thanks for sharing this.

[genepires]

while I can't read Chek, from the photos in the link, it looked like she had a very good life and started climbing in 1961 or earlier.

[dberdinka]

I can't read Chek either but I'm pretty sure I saw the words Smokin Hot in there. Cool photos.

[ConorB]

google translate helped me make some sense of it

[wfinley]

A life well lived.

 

Here's the google translation.

 

 

16. 1. 1943 + 29. 1. 2011

 

Beginning this year, is unhappy, she left us another legend, a friend of Zorka Prachtelová. How to write about her time in the past, but still can not believe it?

 

 

Beautiful and talented blonde Zorka Mayer began at the turn of the fifties and sixties in the mountaineering section Slavia Prague University, where he circled around her and sought her favor the whole pack of local Alsatian. Vain. For it was a fateful chance meeting with Peter on Prachtelem Ihle Ostervě in the High Tatras in winter 1961.

 

Na Varhanách u Kamenického Šenova

The organ at Kamenický Šenov

 

A year later, she became fascinated by Peter, put it together and it turned out, it has become a lifelong inseparable duo Peter & Zorka. Zorka full speed climbing was "born" when Peter, which was already known to the "enfant terrible" of Czech mountaineering, climbing took seventh trip to the Valley bandleader. In 1964 he climbed with his stick, then maybe nejpověstnější trip in the Tatra Mountains and Zorka as the first woman in the winter! Then it nearly cost him his life when, after turning the weather had proklepat night in the wall "on the stand-up" and unlined. Even then, Zorka showed great mental strength and immunity to cold.

 

Zorka v Neuer Weg na Hoher Torstein

Zorka at the Hoher Weg Neuer Torstein

 

Zorka climbing managed to graduate from the "college" and become an agricultural engineer. Certainly could be agronomkou from the collective farm in the village of departmental or even get an apartment house (as if the managerial cadres of the custom) to settle down and lead the offspring. Nothing like that, threw herself fully into the climb, and has devoted his entire life.

 

Zorka v Oldřichovském lomu

Zorka at Oldřichovské quarry

 

Zorka, of course, was initially seen only on "the better" end of the rope, but the very next summer after the stick has climbed in the front - and on nothing else than the famous R-variant of a monk in the Tatras! It started with the "myth-busting", which showed Zorka, as in the mountains and rocks capable woman. Seedbeds for Hrubici literally shocked when, as deputy gentle tribe climbed to Ocun Bloody Claw. Then he dared her to or not so much threadworms, and now a girl like a pod! Its share - as well as throughout Zorčině life - it was on the "impresario" and after a secret wedding husband Peter, who was able to whip up vyhecovat and top performances.

 

Zorka byla zakládající členkou APK

Zorka was a founding member of APK

 

 

Zorka bez lana a bosa při sestupu ze Sfingy normálkou po sólu Plátkárny, 1970

Zorka without a rope and barefooted on the descent of the Sphinx normálkou solo Plátkárny, 1970, photo by Vladimir Prochazka

 

Zorka would otherwise climb "just for comfort", which does not mean climbing over meaningless "swedes". So maybe the gallery and sometimes tricky NEB Plátkárnu the Sphinx is just nehrnuly crowds (even in times when the rest of the sand were entering the queue), Zorka it lightly raced solo without a rope and barefooted, down scupitala normálkou. And we like it elsewhere in Skalák saw each other even when she was fifty, and more! Since it nejištěného sólolezení undeterred by the plaster, which was sometimes provided with one or the other leg.

 

S nohou v sádře ve Skaláku

With your legs in plaster in Skalák

 

In the sixties, Zorka & Peter probably the most ravaged in Saxony, where his performances awakened admiration and was the first foreigner to climb into the elite classification "Meisterklasse. Zorka there scored a number of the first female ascent and several major climbs. After conversion to open classification showed that the first woman in history distracted journey level VIIIa, VIIIb and VIIIc and ascent! Her star rose ever higher.

 

 

It was not just Saxony, but also clouds outcomes in all our areas of sand - and the mountains. Zorka and Peter Winter zmákli Weberovku Plšková Ošarpance and also in winter, Dolomites, quieter version of Tofana di Rozes, the fastest ascent of the Grossglockner, then Pallavicini-Rinne, hard road in Wilder Kaiser .....

 

Chroust a Zorka, expedice Kovo Vysoké Tatry

Chroust and Zorka, High Tatras expedition Metals

 

40 years ago, in 1971, with Peter Zorka first attempted a winter crossing of the main ridge of the High Tatras (Expedition metal), but nakydalo incredible bounty of snow and Z & P a few days after they were forced to descend from the ridge. Luck did not favor them, even in the summer of that year, when travel light literally swollen to the northern wall of the Eiger to the speed record at the time. For two and a half hours in the middle of the wall was over, their hopes of burying the storm, which is in the rain, lightning and falling between Bugra without equipment arrested the next day. The second attempt took place, ended with an exit clause, force them to ... Note to young people: at the waist, while Czechoslovakia was printed to pay for all the world, but he was without an exit clause (limited duration and destination) just stupid notebooks - our totalitarian state will guard their "people" inside the fence. ...

After the Eiger came for Z & M invitation from the crowd to a small expedition to Ama Dablam and Mount Everest and Zorka could be attributed to chance another victory. But ...

 

 

But as soon shown to exit the Eiger was their last trip behind the Iron Curtain. At that stage were the "normalization" (ie return to "normal" rigid totalitarian order, freed from Russian occupation in '68 and briefly after it) and hope for an exit clause should only scheme dedicated to "good socialist citizens. Among them, P & Z did not belong, did not fit into "boxes" - a thorn in the eye of former potentates CSTV climbing section was mainly Peter, but with Zorka, of course, it slipped. Peter found himself before the council disciplinary committee imposed a Koniášové "disqualification for life ..." and would cut up to the velvet.

 

V bivaku pod Velkým Kežmarským štítem v Tatrách

In the great bivouac Kežmarským shield in the Tatras

 

V Obrovkém koutě, 1987

In the corner Obrovkém, 1987

 

 

Years run, Z & P retreated to the sidelines, were less frequently seen in our sandstone (yet still managed to even prvovystupovat), but the "Totaleinsatz" moved into the Jizera Mountains - and showed up there too clearly a huge number of first ascents of large, small and small, climbing over and discover previously unknown objects. A pair of Z & P was indeed inseparable, but when Peter could not just due to a broken leg and hemlock, we saw each other alone on a bike with Zorka forge - it went into the ring hitting Jizera Mountains!

 

Na vrcholu Velkého Kežmarského štítu

At the height of the Great Kežmarského Shield

 

It was not just climbing. Few people know that Zorka was also strong athlete. With Peter devoted to endurance runs and Ultramarathon. Jizerska won three hundred, was the winner of the GP of Czechoslovakia long-distance races in 1980, focused on 17 place in the world tables, runs for 100 km in 1990 and Peter was vice-CSFR in pairs to run 100 km in 7:24 and still in his 48 years (1991) was the second championship in Vienna on The fifteen track!

 

Na South Platte s Allenem Frame Hillem, cestou na fesťák Mountainfilm Telluride, 2003

On the South Platte with Allen Frame Hill on the way to the Telluride Film Boulder Fest Mountainfilm, 2003

 

Zorka had a wonderful relationship to the rocks and the vegetation also zviřátkům. She collected the common but shapely Sutra - quartz, which would otherwise come to shreds in the road in the woods and moss flower bail out every sort of animal, baby. I remember years ago in Jizera climbed onto a rock to help the stray sheep, which is "the smugglers were" well up, but certainly not down, afraid and just desperately Becel. Zorka also got a chauffeur, a volunteer with the car, scrambled back to the sheep, Zabehlice could drag down and take them to safety.

 

 

And perhaps no one knows that Zorka was more than proficient jeskyňářkou. The caves Soukal with Peter (mostly two) already in the time of their greatest glory climbing. Often stayed underground for several days, and at times he literally they were kejhák. And discovering new spaces, but carefully concealed, they became the goal of "heavy-duty sports speleologists, which often remained after the trigger. Even in caves Supervisory threw her resistance to cold, no problems in the icy water podplouvala traps. It was funny, once we zazipnutí Bonekan stamped around the lake, where he happily Zorka "rochnila" and we got frostbite 5th degree from the mere perspective.

 

 

Naposledy mezi svými: zleva vepředu Bořek Vysušil, Zorka a Petr Prachtelovi, Jana "Kulička" Červenková, vzadu Petr "Plachťák" Plachecký, Jirka "Expanzivní" Hluštík, Chroust, Zdeněk Hluštík, Boris Hlaváček - APK po 40 letech

The last to his left front Vysušil Bob, and Peter Prachtelovi Zorka, John "Bullet" Cervenkova, behind Peter "Plachťák" Plachecký, George "expansionary" Hluštík, Chroust, Zdenek Hluštík Boris Hlavacek - APK in 40 years

 

Trying for a list of first ascents and Zorčiných major climb, let alone a summary, it would be from us "outsiders" both presumptuous and foolish. List and total Zorčiných way onto the Internet is certainly not complete! Leave it to Peter, which has everything from the beginnings to the present meticulously documented with detailed notes, sketches and unique photographs. Hopefully all the links including one published, it is the very interesting book!

 

V roce 2002 na 50. Filmestivalu "Cittá di Trento", kde Jump! za vítězství v kategorii získal "Genzian d´ Argento": Riccardo Cassin, John Catto a Zorka Prachtelová

In 2002, the 50th Filmestivalu "Citta di Trento", where the jump! the victory won in the category "Genzian d'Argento": Riccardo Cassin, John Catto and Zorka Prachtelová

 

 

After many decades of a kind of "inner emigration" of Z & P except the family, friends and local climbers of the Jizera Mountains never really knew. Visibility was finished placing a successful film Jump! 2001 - ironically vaults, so what was typical for Zorka and never did not do much (unlike Peter). Jump! Although somewhat improved their mood, they looked to him to Italy and the U.S. on the famous festivals, but the bitterness of the forced stay behind the curtains and the lost years can not erase.

 

"Cittá di Trento" 2002: Cesare Maestri a Zorka Prachtelová

"Citta di Trento" 2002: Cesare Maestri and Zorka Prachtelová

 

 

"Cittá di Trento" 2002: Jim "Big Bird" Bridwell a Zorka Prachtelová

"Citta di Trento" 2002: Jim "Big Bird" Bridwell and Zorka Prachtelová

 

In recent years, Zorka admirably fought the insidious disease, optimism poured his closest friends, and even in the toughest moments. Among the therapies have made first ascents and managed to finish - like life - with patience to help Peter. She did not want to cry over it. So we're not, but we will certainly remember.

 

 

 

 

Zorka was holy, the sky will be more of an angel ....

 

Zorka si během natáčení filmu Jump! (1997) stylově skočila i v sukni, tento záběr se však na plátně neobjevil, škoda.....

Zorka during the filming of Jump! (1997) stylish skirt also jumped, but this shot did not appear on the screen, shame ....., Photo: Vladimir Prochazka

 

Vladimir "beetle" Walk,

Photo Peter Prachtel, Chroust, Lubomir Slavik, Jan Svab, Bob Vysušil

 

[Tyson.g]

I can't read Chek either but I'm pretty sure I saw the words Smokin Hot in there.

 

Word!

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ivan]

zorka - a true warrior-hero's name, and thus fitting of the words of the oldest english writing, itself about heroes who do impossible things, but must still suffer death:

 

"wise sir, do not grieve

it is always better to avenge dear ones

than to indulge in mourning

for every one of us living in this world

means waiting for our end

let (s)he who can achieve glory before death

when a warrior is gone that will be (her) best

and only bulwark"

 

[Lodestone]

Those picture show a glimpse of what must have been an extraordinary woman. I'll think about her the next time I'm fifteen feet above my last piece and nervous.

 

On a side note, those basalt columns are awesome.

 

 

Chad

 

 

[Jon H]

On a side note, those basalt columns are awesome.

 

What's even more awesome is that she's barefoot freesoloing them in a sundress. Hotter than even the newest crop of Verve booty shorts that the girls wear in comps these days.