Bouldering In Slovenia.

Bouldering in Slovenia isn't a big thing yet, with World class sport climbing venues such as Misja Pec and Osp this is hardly surprising. There is the exception of a small amount of hardcore boulderers who are constantly searching out new quality untouched areas, other than that everybody else seems to be engrossed in either Alpine epics or the excellent looking stamina fests. This suited us down to the ground the fact that there are still quality projects to be completed in some very beautiful settings makes for an excellent holiday spot and you virtually always have the boulders to yourself. There are five main bouldering areas in total, all spread out around Slovenia but not to worry we managed to drive from the North to the South in a day. Trenta is the biggest of all the venues and is best visited in summer, due to its mountainous location. Limestone boulders with overhanging faces, roofs and slabs sit in a beautiful alpine valley by the river Soca. Due to the rock being limestone and not having much mileage some of the problems can be very sharp although this doesn't stop them being quality it just means staticness is key. TRENTA. ACCESS: After crossing moutain pass (if you started from Kranjska Gora) you just drive alongside river Soca and after sign Trenta drive (6,7km) untill huge road gallery Berebica. Park your vehicle there. Take small wooden footbridge and turn right and after 200m you gonna reach sector X . BEST TIME: From April to September. WARNING: This is private land. Can be some problems sometimes. Don't camp there, be quiet, don't take dogs because of the sheep. Anyway there are many campsites and plenty of activities to do between rest days because of very nice river Soca.

A-KHAMASUTRA BOY. 1. GANJA KMET 3a (sitting start). 2. ALELUJA BR 3a. 3. ALF 4a. 4. A1 6b+ (start from a left edge and undercut in the arete), 6c (sit). 5. KHAMASUTRA BOY 6c+ (sitting start, up to the face and by using slopers on the arete). B-STONED MONKEY.

1. STONED MONKEY 7a (sit). 2. Mr. TWISTER ??????? C-KILLER LOJZE. 1. CEPEC 6b (sit). 2. KILLER LOJZE 7a+ (start on left undercut and small edge on the right), 7c+ (sit, start in problem 1, a little to the right and then to the top). 3. SPITROASTER 6b+, 7a+ (without using big jug on the right), 7b+ (sit). 4. C.C. 4a. 5. POWER JUNKIE.

D-PANTHA-RHEI. 1. PANTHA-RHEI 7c (without using holds on the arete), 8a (start with left hand on the side pull and right one on the little undercut, than cross over with right hand to the left and up the face). 2. POJOCA TRAVICA 3c.

E-IDEAL. 1. KR NEKI (loose rock). 2. IDEAL 7b+ (sitting start, variation A), 7b+ (sitting start, variation B).

F-RAZ. 1. SMILE 7b+, (traverse from left to the right, start on the left arete). 2. Project 3. RAZ 6b+, (sit).

G-KU FAJN. 1. BOZO SVOHOTA 6b+. 2. GOOD FELLOWS 7c, (start from a big hold on the arete quite low). 3. JOKER (a massive jump from the bottom to the big sloper) 4. BILEK 7b, (stand up start). 5. KU FAJN 7b+, (sitting start, reaching a hold on the edge, traversing to the right and up the arete).

X-GAMES. 1. X-GAMES 6a, 7b+ (sit). 2. X3, 5a 3. X-FILES 6a, (using holds on the arete). 4. X-PRESS, 4b. 5. X1 6a+. 6. X2 6b, (start from marked holds). 7. X5 3a 8. X4 5b, (start from a huge shelf). I-OTOK. 1. HITRA MOKRA MINUTA 4c, (scary problem up to the face under the water when it's high). 2. 2X NAVZDOL 5a, (easily reaching two massive slopers and then move over). 3. TAKTICNI PROBLEM 6b. 4. NA OTOKU 4c+.

J-POD MOSTOM. ACCESS: Continue driving around 5 km direction Bovec and park car by the sign Na skali. 1. NI NUJNO NAJLEPSI 6b, (start from a massive jug). 2. Project. 3. A SI SKRT 7a, (sitting start). 4. MADE IN SLOVINE 6a+, (sitting start). K-UP THE BUM. ACCESS: From gallery Berebica(main sector) drive approximately 4km till sign Soca, continue driving about 50m and park on the left. Go back 20m and go over wooden footbridge, then turn left. From the road boulder looks dirty but on its backside you going to find a few nice problems. 1. TRENTANIZACIJA 4a. 2. UP THE BUM NO BABIES 7a+, 7b+ (sitting start). 3. B'C 7a. 4. NEKTAR 7a+. 5. DISCOMANIAC 7b. 6. REZ GLAV 6a+, (up to the arete and end on a huge jug).

MACKOVEC.

BEST TIME: Spring, Summer and Autumn. 1. SEZANSKI PRINC 3a. 2. HLEBEC SIRA 4a. 3. CRUISER 4a,projekt (sitting start from a crack). 4. POSTOJNA'S HIGHBALL 7a, (sitting start). 5. BEDNA K SE NE VID STOPOV 7b+, (traverse from left to the right).

TOPLA, CRNA NA KOROSKEM.

A1-A4 - 2a. D1 - 6c d2 6b+, up and little to the right. D3 - MAX - 7a+, same as d2, but without using big foot hold. D4 - NESTO KAO TRILER, 7b+, same start as d1 then traverse to the right. E1 - BUNKER, 6c+, start below on the left. E2 - CEVAPCIC, 7a, start on the right side of e1 and to the top. E3 - 7b+/c, GAD, superb problem, start below and do the move over. E4 - 6b+, actually is the last part of problem e2. F1 - 4b, to the top by using the arete. F2 - 6a+ from the hole to the top of the boulder. F3 - 5a up to the face. F4 - 4c up to the face. F5 - 4c up to the face. F6 - 4a up to the corner on top. F7 - 5b traverse the whole boulder F.

J1 - 7a+ POD MAHOM, diagonal traverse to the right, marked holds not part of it. J2 - 6b+ variation of the problem J1-you can reach everything. O1 - 6b+ NO NAME, up to the face on top of the boulder. A1 - 7a MALA MALCA ZA SPECIALCA, problem is never totaly dry. B1 - 7a+ BLUR, start in the hole, move over slopy face and through arete on top. G1 - 5a type of problem with one move. I1 - 6b+ slopy face with crimps. I2 - 4b gently slopy face. J1 - 4a traverse to the left. J2 - 6b start from a big hole and straight on top. J3 - 6b+ same start as problem J2. O1 - 5c short problem. 02 - 6a face without using hold on the right arete. O3 - 6b+ ISKANJE PORAZA, start in the hole going on top by using arete. Q1 - 6a+ one move only. W1 - 4a. W2 - 4a. Y1 - 6a+. Z1 - 4a. Z2 - 5c. Z3 - 5a. Z4 - 5a.

CRNI KAL. ACCESS: Actually Slovenian sport climbing began here, so it's well known of easy sport climbs and nowadays also of a few boulder problems. From direction Ljubljana drive through Postojna, Kozina, direction seeside. After a sign Crni Kal turn left in the village and follow the crags you see above. Problems are just by sport routes. BEST TIME: Also in the summer there's a shade, all year. SEKTOR A 1. SMS - 5a.

SEKTOR B 1. G-IT - 7a+ (sitting start). 2. NOT A TOILETTE - 6b+ (sitting start).

SEKTOR C 1. - 3a. SEKTOR D 1. ZILETKA - 6a (sitting start from two small crimps and one move to the big jug).

SEKTOR E 1. SNOISSES - 6a (traverse from left to right). 2. DOL MI VISI 5b+ (sitting start, straight up the face). 3. O PRASICA 6a+ (sitting start). 4. PO LUKNAH 3a, (start on two big holes). SEKTOR F 1. UIIIZII - 2a (reaching top by using big holes).

SKOFJA LOKA, KAMNITNIK. ACCESS: Kamnitnik is also a small sport climbing area. Rock is uncommon for Slovenia and it's perfect. Skofja Loka is a small town 30km north west of Ljubljana. You gonna find Kamnitnik very close to the center of Skofja Loka, actually is just by ex army house, called kasarna. 1. LOKI DYNO - 6b (jump from a first holds on a big jug), 6b+,(double dyno). 2. PC - 6a+, (start from marked holds). 3. RC - 6a, (start from marked holds). 4. KJE SE KONCA - ? (marked first holds, from left to right by not using upper shelf). 5. PERJE - 7a, (marked first holds, end on shelf). 6. LEVAK - 6c+ (start hold are marked). 7. - 5a. 8. - 5a. 9. - 5a. 10. - 5b. 11. - 5b.Getting There. We drove through the mountains from Austria; if you were to do this the best place to fly to would be Saltzberg, where there is lots of quality granite bouldering. Other options are that you could fly to Slovenia's capitol Ljubljana, although this can be expensive. The less expensive option is to fly into Trieste in Italy where you could get e train to Ljubljana or drive there in about forty-five minutes. Rest Days. Rest days are not a problem in Slovenia, you are so close to Italy that fine coffee, cakes and various other delicious foods are always very easily at hand. The bargain is that compared to the UK things are very nicely priced and your sterling can go a long way. Slovenia's capitol Ljubljana is also very beautiful and you can quite easily lose a few days there. Also don't forget if you're too trashed to boulder you could always go and spend a day doing one of the easy ten pitch routes at Osp. If you need complete rest from climbing for a few days I recommend jumping in the car and heading over the border into Croatia where lazing on the beach and swimming in the sea are the only rest day options. CragX would like to thank Primo Grilc for the use of the plans and maps that he kindly provided for this article.