19 / 07 / 2024
Definitely didn't expect so many multipitch adventures this year, but Im not complaining. Well pleased!
It started with a nice three pitch route, Quazar (6c, 6c, 7a), on Bobanova Greda, which I did in as a romantic ascent with my wife. Its been 10 years since I spent much time on longer routes, and Quazar reminded me why I enjoyed practising this style more often.
[caption id="attachment_17820" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Quazar[/caption]
After that, I teamed up with my friend and local ace Boris Zoki?for a route we both wanted to climb badly Kuka Muka on Markezina Greda. It was first climbed 15 years ago, but the two hardest pitches were still waiting for a free ascent. We had four sessions on it, and finally did a ground up, free ascent of the whole route. Though it is pretty short, Kuka Muka offers everything, from endurance and boulder sections to run-outs and loose rock. Its a great climbing experience. There are few other old, unrepeated longer routes on this wall that Boris and I will check out, and were keen to add some completely new lines ourselves too.
[caption id="attachment_17821" align="aligncenter" width="300"] Kuka Muka[/caption]
In the last few months, Ive twice belayed Slovenian machine Klemen Be?an, who is working his mega project, Roctrip. Its on a mind blowing wall, south of Split in Dranice, and is harder and more serious than you can imagine and then some. Roctrip has just five pitches in 250m; two of them are still projects, somewhere in the region of 8c. I witnessed how hard Klemen had to fight and had a chance to check part of the route myself, its insane and you should remember the name.
[caption id="attachment_17822" align="aligncenter" width="225"] Roc Trip[/caption]
Klemen definitely deserves huge respect for all the energy hes devoting to this fantastic wall in Dranice. His example further motivates the few of us locals who are slowly but surely developing the huge potential of the virgin walls of central Croatias coastline. This place is paradise and I am blessed to live here!