Sendtember vibes: A month of climbs and sends
As Sendtember rolled in, climbers welcomed cooler temperatures, making for perfect conditions to tackle hard routes daily. Sendtember kicked off with the World Cup in Koper on the first weekend, setting the tone for an action-packed month. One of the event’s route-setters, the legendary Christian Bindhammer from Germany, took a break from his duties and ventured to a shady, secret crag above Trieste called Baratro. There, he impressively onsighted the chipped La formica atomica lunga (8a/a+). Meanwhile, young talent Tia Brnot Mrak made quick work of the crimpy Placcoman (8a), sending it on her second attempt at the same crag.
Over at Mišja peč, the sends kept rolling. Zan Lovenjak Sudar crushed Strelovod (8c) on his second go, while Mitja Jereb conquered the classic Missing link (8b+). Lana Skušek also had a standout moment, sending Marjetica (8b). Sarah Feichtenschlager from Austria joined the action, completing Mozaik (8a) and the rarely ascended Caffe espresso (8a+), both in Mišja peč.
Across the border in Croatian part of Istria, specifically in the Buzetski kanjon, Matthieu Raskin from France took down the beautiful yet perhaps slightly soft Lap dance (8b) in the summer sector named Befana.
Upcoming events and updates
Looking ahead, don’t miss the Psicobloc Open Series competition in Umag next weekend. Simultaneously, the Festival Alpinizma will be held in Osp.
However, not all news has been great. Following heavy rains this Sendtember, the big cave in Osp flooded in record time, leaving climbers waiting for drier days. And on a less pleasant note, suspicious activity was again spotted at the parking lots of Mišja peč and Osp, raising concerns that car break-ins might be making a return. As always, be sure to take your valuables out of your car.
On a brighter note
In better news, we’ve received word of a brand-new bouldering spot in the Slovenian part of Istria, named Boulder park Dolina. If you’re keen to explore it, you can check out the topo available in Italian here.
Additionally, our Austrian friends have launched a petition to keep Kanzianiberg’s parking lot without soil sealing and free of charge for climbers. This iconic Carinthian crag has long been a favorite, and keeping parking in the same state is a cause worth supporting. Be sure to sign the petition if you want to continue enjoying this historic spot without unneeded changes and the extra cost. Maybe something similar could be done with partly illegal parking lot in Mišja peč and Osp. Just an idea!
Weather forecast
As for the weather in Istria, the forecast looks promising! While there’s a chance of some light rain each day, sunny and cooler conditions are expected to follow soon after. Perfect for making the most of these prime Sendtember climbing conditions. See you at the crag!