07 Apr Silvio Reffo: To East Unexpectedly

In December everything was ready for Silvio Reffo for another visit in the beloved Spain. The program jumps at the last moment and then he made an alternative plan: east, towards Croatia and Slovenia. This report tells his story and wants to be a starting point for everyone to discover and rediscover these countries.
TO EAST UNEXPECTEDLY
text Silvio Reffo
photo Francesca Simionato
On the morning of December 25th it seems all ready for the start of the next day: destination Catalunya. Perhaps the stress drop from work, perhaps fate or maybe the evil eye, we didt’t go to Spain bacause of flu. After a few days of rest and a round of phone calls to friends, Francesca and I prepare the van and we put ourselves in motion towards Croatia. Waiting at the border the brothers Enrico and Andrea Polo, two tireless and solar climber of Udine that in recent years have devoted body and soul to bolting and enhancement of some climbing sites in Istria. First stop: Medveja.
Here the rock is really super, overhanging wall with reeds, holes, notches. In windy and cold day, in addition to Polo’s Brothers, we are in the company of the gang headed by Doctor Gnerro. After a short warm I attacked The Core, route freed by Klemen Becan few years ago: he proposed the 9a, then after the first repetition of Andrea Polo is now a 8c+. The first part, the harder of the route, is characterized by an intense sequence of a narrow rod that is necessary to wring his hands and feet, style orangutans, to remain attached. A great niche, then, offers a complete rest to recover from the fibrillation of meters above. The second part, however, is a super gray slab of resistance with technical steps and extensions, never dull, that lead up to the top of the wall.
You can do it … after a short rest allotment for the second attempt, but I fall on the sequence key! Too cold and late for another attempt, a dish of rice with fish waiting for us to recharge and replenish a bit ‘of calories consumed during the day. The next day the cold is still very rigid; I do a ride in short sleeves, I didn’t want think about the cold. Pass the hard way but, a few meters from the chain, I slipped a foot, making me fall. No fear !! Crunch a finger. I fight with the cold and fatigue  but this time I am in chains, hailed by the last ray of sunshine that is leaving the cliff by the sea.
Medveja is definitely a cliff to 5 stars, with mostly hard routes. Congratulations to the brothers Polo and the boys that helped bolting this little gem of rock!
In the evening then is the time to move and we enter to the Istrian territory towards Buzet. This basin provides, within 20 minutes drive, many and varied cliffs for the different seasons of the year. For the hottest periods there is the canyon of Buzet with some areas exposed to the north and many routes with various difficulties. For colder times, however, there are the classic Kompanj and Pandora. The next day we decided to climb to Kompanj. The wall is a long and sunny rampart of limestone gray-orange, facing south and with a climb predominantly vertical, or slightly overhanging, with net lists. Here, after a short warm-up, get up right away the shot, trying 8b of Roket max on sight. After an hour of rest I decided to try another route, 8b+ Hard sun, falling, however, a breath away from realization. It is late and the celebrations last year ahead. We descend the cliff accompanied by one of the most characteristic and intense sunsets of my life.
The night passes quickly between beers and a meal in good company. The next day, as a day of rest, we head to the spa of Istarske topical, though anxious to arrive the next day to climb.
Exhausted by the previous day, the next day we head to the wall of Pandora. This cliff is characterized by an ocher rock with inclinations. The wall, in fact, begins slightly inclined to surrender, after a few meters, to a long ceiling where large muscles are the key to the success of the routes. The wall is facing south with some easy routes and a prevalence of grade 8 up to 8c. I warm up, then, on a classic 8a of the cliff, feeling now that the arm does not turn right. Not giving to climb, however I try some routes  but not overcome the force of gravity. Exhausted from the day we back home. On the way back we stop in Slovenia at the campsite of the famous Misja Pec for a good refreshing beer. Between indecision  we opt to stay a couple of days here, one day at that Osp and one more in the area of overhanging Misja Pec.
Recommended by all, I put my hands on Hysteria, 8c+ strong resistance that sails around the central ledges. I do it a couple of times to find solutions and to look for the right feeling with the route. Really tired from days of climbing the days before, I decided to go home and leave the route for a next time. In the following month, so, I have returned a few times in that of Misja to close accounts with the route and, finally, in early February, the first attempt of the day, I can to clip the chain of this beautiful route! Not satisfied, the same day, I did at the second attempt Bullfighting, 8c another route that runs along the large wall with two sequences interspersed with boulders a good rest.
In the past I have rarely climbed "to the East." Undoubtedly Croatia offers a lot of great rock quality! The tranquility, the low crowding and the proximity of these places (two and half hours from Vicenza) make sure one of the closest destinations to 5 stars. In particular, the area of Buzet offers endless possibilities for climbing, with routes and heterogeneous sectors and for all. The cost of living is low, then these places offer the possibility of a really low cost trip. The best times to attend the area are definitely the winter until early spring and autumn. Also, if you try a cliff more popular, Misja Pec and Osp are just around the corner and here, certainly, in terms of routes, there’s plenty of choice!
This time the lost of the Spanish journey, choosing a bit ‘randomly Croatia,was an opportunity to discover an interesting area!