The Surprising Popularity of Rock Climbing in Slovenia

May 17, 2022 CATALYST Team

Slovenia, a Central European country, holds a lesser-known secret: its rock climbing. Not only does Slovenia have many beautiful natural climbing sites, but it also has world-renowned rock gyms and some of the most acclaimed rock climbers in the world.

People climbing Mount Triglav in Slovenia. Derbeth. CC BY 2.0.

Formerly part of Yugoslavia, Slovenia can often be reduced down to its political turmoil. However, this Slavic country is incredibly mountainous and hilly, providing the perfect terrain for rock climbers of all skill levels. Slovenia has produced numerous renowned climbers and built a culture around the sport.

The most well-known Slovenian rock climber would have to be Janja Garnbret, who became the first woman to win gold in sport climbing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics—the first year that sport climbing was featured at the Olympic games at all. While many people may find rock climbing intriguing and even do it in their free time, it wasn’t well known as a competitive sport until it became an Olympic event. However, competitive rock climbing has a large community, and a major facet of that community is in Slovenia, Garnbret’s home country. For example, Garnbret also placed first in the International Federation of Sport Climbing World Cup in September of 2021, which happened to be hosted in Kranj, Slovenia.

Garnbret follows in the footsteps of years of successful Slovenian women climbers, such as Martina Cufar, who made it on the podium at sixteen different world cup events between 1997 and 2002. Slovenia’s climbing history—specifically when it comes to women—goes back to the early 20th century with Pavla Jesih and Dana Kuraltova, two Slovenian women who climbed the famous Mount Triglav in 1925.

Slovenia’s rock climbing success isn’t by chance. An obvious source of the country’s enthusiasm for the sport is its spectacular mountains such as Mount Triglav. But the success of the Slovenian National Team today can also be attributed to how small the country is and thus how close knit the coaches and the team members are able to be. For example, Slovenian National Team coach Luke Fonda owns Plus Climbing gym in Koper, Slovenia, a gym which the team often practices at.

Climber in Koper, Slovenia. David Glanzer. CC BY 2.0.

In addition to Plus Climbing, rock gyms are plentiful in Slovenia, especially when compared to the country’s size. Some of the most famous gyms are First Ascent in Kranj and The Climbing Ranch in Vrbnje, which serious, competitive climbers from around the world strive to visit. In terms of Slovenia’s natural climbing sites, the country boasts stunning mountains such as Mount Triglav, Mount Viševnik and Mount Prisojnik. The mountains in Slovenia range from beginner to advanced level climbing, with Mount Triglav and Mount Viševnik being doable hikes for most travelers. Mount Prisojnik is known to have a range of trails and climbs—some good for beginners, and others that will be engaging for experienced climbers. Ultimately, Slovenia is a great option for an off-the-beaten-path visit in general, but is especially perfect for those interested in rock climbing, given its rich history and multitude of climbing sites.