Category Archives: news

photo @ the magnificent view from Črni kal

Finally, the sun got out and pleasant conditions for climbing arrived, so yeah, on Saturday there were crowds in all the climbing areas around Istria and many hard routes were climbed. Sunday was a bit cloudy, yesterday it rained, but now the sun is back and it should stay for at least couple of days.

Nikola Kramarić from Split, Croatia, made a fast ascent of famous Missing link (8b+) and also flashed Sonce v očeh (8a+), both in the right part of Mišja peč in sector called »freezer« by the locals.

Then his friend, Vana Piccini, crushed Samsara (8a) in Mišja peč, as well Zadnja skušnjava (8a) in sector Babna in Osp.

Another Croatian, this time from Rijeka, Lucija Brkić clipped the chains of her first 8a, Samsara in Mišja peč.

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Sunset in Costiera @ photo by Matej Colja

Not many extreme hard routes were climbed lately as it has been raining for weeks and tufas just don’t stop to pour.

So, it’s time to get you updated with many new routes and latest information about climbing areas in Istria.

In Medveja, in sector Veli Jože Gianfranco Dušič freed the project on the far left, now with the name Small crew and a proposed grade of 7c.

In Osp, in sector above the village called Banje, Mitja Peternelj and friends established a couple of new routes. There is a new direct version of Karies. After the first »slabby« half of the route and a good rest on tufas you continue direct in to overhang to finish in a slab of a new route named Vinko Coce with the grade of 8a+. Then there...

Doberdo del lago @ photo by Anja Bečan

Doberdo del lago is a small but nice crag in between Trieste and Gorizia perfect for beginners to start leading the routes with the best season being from autumn till spring.

We got a message from local climbing community of the climbing area Doberdo del lago. From 28th of October on there are construction works happening in the crag of Doberdo del lago, so climbing and even approaching the wall is strictly forbidden. They are building fences above the wall to prevent stones to fall down on climbers. The work should be done in four to five months, which you will be informed on our site. Please respect!

Here is the official link in Italian and Slovene.

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In October 2019, a new edition of guidebook for Istria and Kvarner was published. This time it's even larger and richer, with additional areas of Gorski Kotar and islands: Vela Peša, Golubinjak, Vrbovsko, Antovo, Portafortuna, Belove stene, Baška, with drawings for Lubenice, Babina, Osoršćica and Lukovo. As always, we try to make each edition better and more useful.

The new guidebook now has 36 crags and over 2000 routes. All other crags have been updated, freshly photographed and checked: Kompanj, Krkuž & Balcony, Čiritež, HC, Nugla, Raspadalica, Pandora, Buzetski kanjon, Kamena vrata, Istarske toplice, Čepić, Ponte Porton, Pazin, Dvigrad, Limski kanal, Rovinj, Vinkuran, Rabac, Brseč, Moščenićka draga, Medveja, Vela draga, Kanjon Rječine, Veli vrh and Kamenjak.

The guidebook now has a more durable cover with useful ribbon,...

Photo @ Matteo Menardi during his redpoint in Water world (9a) in the big cave of Osp

There were crowds and climbers and hard ascents everywhere in Istria in the last days. The weather except the last weekend was great! Here are some of the news about hard ascents that we managed to catch in between.

In the big cave of Osp, Italian Matteo Menardi climbed his 7th 9a, the majestic 55 meters long Water world, first ascended by Klemen Bečan. Here is the video of Klemen's FA! Enjoy! 😉

Another inspiring ascent was done in the same cave. 54 years old Italian, Alessandro Neri after 40 years of climbing crushed his second 8c, Helikopter v pošasti, another 55 meters long endurance pitch.

One more 8c was done in the last days. Jaka Šprah made the first repeat of Goran Matika's Grinta, the...

Old bolts from sector Babna in Osp @ photo by Project OSP

We are back again a bit later than usual. Eh, that’s life, come on!

In the last two weeks, weather was more than perfect with temps being over the average for the October, everything dry to climb on, perfect climbing conditions in the shade, sea temperature still above 20C, so perfect to relax after a full day of climbing. Hopefully it stays like this still for quite a bit of time.

In Val Rosandra, in sector Caprette, old gun Luka Zazvonil redpointed Tonto total (8c), calling it soft even if it was his first 8c after 6 years. Bravo Luka!

Then in Mišja peč, local Trieste based Luca Bacer crushed one of the most beautiful routes over there, Kaj ti je deklica (8b+). The same route was done as well by the Czech...

Cristian D’Anzul trying his new project in Baratro, Bimba Yena (8c/c+) @ photo from his FB

The hardest route done in the last days in Istria is Il sicario sanguinario (8c) in Baratro which was climbed by the Italian Cristian D'Anzul. By his words, this was just his endurance training route in order to prepare himself for the real challenge couple of meters to the right on the same wall.

Bit more to the south, in nowadays very popular small sector Caprette in Val Rosandra, Matej Sova and Luka Zazvonil both redpointed short and steep Tetris (8b+), while Luka also flashed with the headtorch Il caprone (8a).

Passing the border going to the big cave in Osp where we had a visit of strong Italian Matteo Menardi who easily crushed 55 meters long roof pitch Bala Bala (8b+).

In Mišja peč,...

photo @ Grotta Caterina from the outside Summer is gone, Sendtember is here! Temperatures finally dropped and made climbing conditions prime for climbing in Istria. Sendtember is here, so book your apartment as soon as possible and arrange your holidays, link here. The sea is still warm, while climbing conditions are perfect to tick your summer project. In the latest time not many hard routes were climbed, here are just a few of them that are worth mentioning. In dark Grotta Caterina above Trieste, local Benjamin Marjanović first ascended another project, this time he putted the rope in the chains of Caronte (7c+) extension. The new route now has a name Mefistofele and a proposed grade around 8b/b+. A really nice diverse route which is full of crimps, sloppers, jugs, foot hooks and so on. All the repeaters are more than welcome to give their opinion. In garage look-a-like cave Črnotiče Boštjan Weingerl succeeded in a new super...