Little gods

Once again I find myself that the things are escaping out of control when I want to do several things at the same time… A complete madness becomes when some good conditions are made for climbing ice. And then becomes first and only thought how to put in my schedule as many climbed vertical meters of ice and mix terrain… And then all the other stuff and tasks become irrelevant and fall off like ripe pears from the tree.

With the beginning of the calendar year make also good conditions in ice. I look through literature and guidebook where to go for the weekend. Of course with years I find crowd and slowly moving of the climbing team slightly disturbing. I find a place where we could be more or less alone. I make two phone calls and almost from first hand I find out that the conditions above Belopeška lakes are stable. Next morning with Tadej (TadejSlokar) in peace and idyllic landscape already climb ice of Damocleus in the northern wall of Travnik. This ice classic leaves us totally impressed. Tadej, because it was so awesome, I because above Damocleus ice waterfall I saw many more new routes to work…

Yes, already Luka (Luca Vuerich) looked at these things… ice waterfall, cliffs and routes have waited for years, an avalanche under Prisojnik (Julijan Alps Slovenia) unfortunately didn’t when it tore a rich life path of alpinist from Trarvisio IT … This waiting had to be done. That first Saturday in January I swore that I will return.Then after a week Tine (Tine Andreašič) and I already equip route ČiraČara… With all the beauty that decorates this route the only mistake is that I started to equip the direction with drills and anchor. But you know when you drill the first one the luxury and comfort come by themselves, but the ethics you give to the devil… Too bad, but it is a route for (almost) everybody. The same day as we climb ČiraČara we prolongate Damoklej meč to the top of the wall. It became Damoklejev srp  and beautiful classic that will be in winters as it is this year most certainly visited a lot.

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Tine Andreašič in Čira Čara.

But already for the first time saliva stopped in my throat when I looked up and in the exact fall line of Damoklejev meč  you see a large candle four hundred meters above that is hanging from the edge of the wall and waiting for its Prince … This will be the one, the one you dream for many years after you have behind long kilometers of climbing in ice and mix world. It would be a sin, even a punishment should exist if you go on that direction with drills and anchor… For those who like luxury this route certainly is not, it is however for all those who know what this thing is about. That ethics is still present, that the things that menalready climbed in between wars, are admirable, that are not Us that discover hot water and that the evolution of the alpinism goes on and we are just a part of this and not more valuable, even less than the men that climbed things (routes) more than fifty years ago…

Still the route waited for me, maybe because no one wanted to walk and climb to its start, maybe… also because? The route is a real pearl above the valley of Valle della Lavina. It has everything the great have. Aeration, problems, rock and ice. This is it I said to myself when I equip the direction. Thank you Tine, Elvis and Domen for patience in belaying. And even bigger to you friend Tine (Tine Vidmar) that you came with me in this paradise… It was like having sex with death as Twight would write in his style. I would replace death with Gods.

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Air Conditioning and head to the right frequency …

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The most beautiful part of one of my best route …
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A nice change from the five-meter roof …

It was another usual Wednesday that me and Tine gave so much joy with climbing such a great route, it was another usual year, a sentence could continue to a sentence… And fuck, yet again it was too soon when another of my colleague went to the other world… Yes Urban, it was not mentfor us to climb that new route of which we at least three times discussed together. Fuck, again I am sorry, again that cruel indicator rushes and measures our time of living here… When will I stop loading things on the others, when on tomorrow and the day after, when the hell… only when…

Great was a bunch of friends that came to wait for me. I cared. In the middle of Banda waited for me a chair and in front of him drums. Tonight is one cute night, then was heard under Pohorje…

(passage from an excellent book of Urban Na beli steni (On the white wall), paige 86)

Urban Golob –alpinist, instructor of sport climbing, photographer and aplinistic publicist in 1998 performed the first winter crossing of Slovenian Alpes from Tolmin to Maribor and at the same time raised a lot of money that went to charity for treatment of children with cancer disease).

And for you, my friend Urban; Mali Bogovi (Little Gods) are waiting for you in one of the most beautiful places in the world, in the northern wall of Travnik above Belopeška lakes …

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Little Gods
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Above Damoklej Ice waterfall …

  • Northern wall of Travnik, Valle della Lavina, Čira čara, M8+, WI5+, 150m (+250m), a new route: Dejan Koren & Tine Andreašič (24.1.2015)
  • Northern wall of Travnik, Valle della Lavina, Damoklejev srp, M4+, WI4, do 80°, 170m, (+250m), a new route: Dejan Koren & Tine Andreašič (24.1.2015)
  • Northern wall of Travnik, Valle della Lavina, Mali Bogovi (Little Gods), M10+, WI6, R, 170m, (+250m), a new route – trad: Dejan Koren & Tine Vidmar (4.3.2015)