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The Slovenian climbing star Luka Potočar, winner of the 2022 Lead World Cup in Koper, has added another classic to his growing list of hard ascents — Martin Krpan (9a) in Mišja peč. Watch his send on Instagram. This legendary line, established by Jure Golob and now the most repeated 9a route in Slovenia, remains a benchmark for any top climber visiting Mišja peč. Potočar ’s

The autumn climbing season has officially arrived in Istria! Crisp mornings, cooler afternoons, and that golden light on the limestone walls make September and October some of the best months of the year to climb here. At the very beginning of September, the spotlight was on Koper, which hosted a World Cup in lead climbing. The show was incredible, with the home crowd cheering for Janja

The Istrian climbing scene is buzzing with fresh developments! New routes are being bolted, classics rebolted, and exciting projects are on the horizon. If you’re planning your next trip, here’s the freshest climbing news straight from the crags. Fresh Routes in Črni kal Legendary Slovenian alpinist Silvo Karo has been busy in his home crag, Črni kal, gifting us with several fresh lines: Ostržek – 16 m, around

The “secret” crag above Trieste, Baratro, was the place to be this summer. Hidden high above the Adriatic, the steep cave witnessed a wave of impressive sends, personal bests, and new energy from the youngest generation of climbers. Here are some highlights. It all kicked off when 14-year-old Italian talent Leonardo Blaustig clipped the chains of his first 8b+, the famous Holokaust. Not long after, his

The summer heat hasn't stopped strong ascents and exciting updates across Istria! Here's what's been happening lately in and around Istria! French climber from Chambery, Mathieu Bouyoud spent his summer holidays in the enormous Osp cave with his family, and despite the scorching 30+°C temps, he put together an impressive ticklist: Waterworld (9a) Halupca 1979 (9a) Active discharge (8b+) – onsight! Bitka s stalaktiti (8b) – onsight! Osapska pošast (8b+/c)

Unfortunately, we’ve received more reports of car thefts at the paid parking lot in Osp. This has been a recurring issue for years, and despite being owned and operated by Zadruga Bržanija—who charges for its use—there has been little to no response from them, the Slovenian police, or Alpine association of Slovenia. Interestingly, only the Pole climbers took direct action by waiting to catch the thieves in

Slovenian climbing superstar Janja Garnbret continues to raise the bar in outdoor climbing. During a recent visit to the legendary cave of Osp, Janja onsighted Osapska pošast L2 (8c) and Working class hero (8b+) — all in a single session. Following recent breakage of holds on Working class hero, some climbers have proposed an upgrade to 8c, making Janja’s achievement even more impressive. With these two

Summer is coming, and with it, long days, sunny skies, and prime conditions for shaded sport climbing across Istria and nearby regions. While the temperatures are rising, passionate climbers continue to crush in the best summer-friendly crags like Baratro, Skedenj, the Cave of Osp, Befana sector in Buzetski kanjon, Pazinska jama, Rovinj (early mornings), steep Krkuž, and always-cool Nugla. Highlights from Baratro One of the biggest recent

Young climbers are taking over Mišja peč! The iconic limestone walls have been buzzing with energy as a group of young guns from across Europe recently sent some of the crag’s most demanding routes — many of them reaching personal bests. Juraj Gondžur: 12-year-old Slovakian talent At just 12 years old, Juraj Gondžur from Slovakia made a major breakthrough by climbing his first 8b+ — the powerful

The Easter holidays in Istria were all about girl power, with impressive ascents by some of the strongest young female climbers around! One standout was 13-year-old Austrian girl Ella Grad, who visited the iconic Buzetski kanjon. In sector Pengari, she made quick work of the stunning Too late (8a) and the long, technical Skitalica (7c+), sending both with style — Skitalica (7c+) on just her second