Lindič-Krajnc duo crowns 20 years of friendship...

The Lindič-Krajnc duo crowned 20 years of friendship with a difficult route in Rjavina.

Top alpinists Luka Lindič and Luka Krajnc (both from AO PD Celje-Matica) succeeded at the end of August in free-climbing a new route in the north face of Rjavina in the Julian Alps, to which they dedicated the last three summers, thereby crowning two decades of top-level alpinistic friendship. The 700-meter new route, which they named Beauty and the Beast, they graded X, making it the hardest long rock route in the Slovenian mountains, but they emphasize that they are prouder of their solid and long-standing friendship than of the top ascent itself.

"Steep, overhanging climbing, where feet sometimes dangle in the air, is what we mostly imagine when thinking of hard climbing. When we sat on the bench of the alpinistic school of AO Celje-Matica twenty years ago, our only contact with such movement was through posters hanging on some wall. In the first years, immense enthusiasm prevailed, gaining meters in Slovenian classics and countless hammer blows while placing pitons. During those years, we mostly did this roped together on the same rope," recalls Luka Lindič of their alpinistic beginnings. With Luka Krajnc, they have been for many years among the main protagonists of Slovenian and world alpinism, showing exceptional alpinistic maturity, prudence, readiness, and focus.

In later periods, they were less often roped together on the same rope, as different climbing challenges attracted them. "Discussions about possibilities for hard first ascents in the Slovenian Alps almost always came up during meetings nonetheless. With each year, we gathered diverse climbing and life experiences. A lot turned upside down for both in these years, but friendship always remained and deepened. With a certain maturity, we also became increasingly grateful for this long-term and solid climbing partnership. After repeating or participating in first ascents in more or less all difficult modern routes here, in the summer of 2021 we headed to the north face of Rjavina. We didn't know exactly what we would find, but already on the first visit, we sensed that we were opening a chapter that wouldn't end quickly. That good things require time and focus has been clear to us for some time - and with that mindset, we tackle projects," explains Lindič.

After two summer seasons of visits to the north face of Rjavina, they managed last year towards the end of summer to complete the first ascent in one of our larger north faces, especially - as they emphasize - with the steepest terrain they had ever climbed here. They climbed the route from bottom to top, without any prior 'sniffing' from above. Despite high difficulties in the middle part of the route, they arranged most of the protection with pitons and removable gear. Together, they drilled six bolts for protection and an additional seven at belay stations; over these three seasons, they visited the route 18 times.

This season, they dedicated to the free ascent of the route, which is usually the final act in climbing such first ascents. "The first few visits we used for cleaning in areas where the rock is poorer and studying the moves. In the hardest pitch, we decided to glue some key holds that threatened to fall into the valley. Most of the route, however, surprised with above-average rock for Slovenian overhangs. Summer rain significantly hindered serious attempts, and when we had almost thrown in the towel for this year, we got two weeks of dry weather. On August 20, we both succeeded in free-climbing the entire route. Perhaps a new hardest long rock route here has been created. We are prouder of the solid and long friendship than of that," emphasizes Lindič.

The new 700-meter route in the north face of Rjavina they named Beauty and the Beast and graded it UIAA grade X, comparable to French scale 8b in sport climbing. "Already when we were in the wall for the first time, it was clear to us that the terrain would be more demanding than what we had climbed in our mountains so far. For a technical ascent of the route, quite some ingenuity was needed in placing protection. Everything is new and unknown, imbued with uncertainty and often fear; these feelings are an integral part of the experience we call - often abused word - adventure. This part of the process was the most demanding, and that is the component that in the book of my experiences places climbing first ascents a step higher than repeating existing ones. Degrading the route merely to a grade would be nonsensical, as for us, much more than the difficulty itself, the experience gained in the process is important, and in that regard, the route will remain deeply etched in our memory," adds Luka Krajnc, about the route's name he says: "The name arose spontaneously during numerous visits. On the approach, we always admired again the incredible line that allows passage through the overhanging part of the wall; when in the wall, it often showed its teeth, and from these contrasts, the idea for the name was born."

In the early years, Lindič and Krajnc together climbed hundreds of easier routes in all seasons; in 2012, among others, they climbed the new route Forrest Gump in the Dolomites and free repeated the cult route Divine Providence in the Mont Blanc range. Later, as members of SMAR - the Slovenian youth alpinistic national team - they participated in alpinistic expeditions to Tibet (2013), where they climbed with other partners, and Pakistan (2015), where they climbed a new route on the Biacherahi spire. In 2014, they made the first free repeat of the Rolling Stones route in Grandes Jorasses. They were on several expeditions to Patagonia; in 2015, together with Tadej Krišelj, they ascended Cerro Torre via the southeast ridge and over the Adel ridge; in 2020, they climbed the 500-meter first ascent Mir in the southeast face of St. Exupéry.