Žiga Humar, 2. 12. 2016

Rio Simon – going back to the roots

Everybody of us has places they like to return to, places from which we, as a person, emerged. And where we also truly belong. We love to visit these locations, which fill us up with energy. That is why, some time ago, I asked myself the question when I really became a true canyoneer. Compared to climbers, who become the alpinists after they pass special alpine schools, we do not have any special kind of tests (except for canyoning guides). And so, we also don’t have any criteria, when to refer to a person as a true canyoneer. For myself, I can say that I became one, when I first did solo descend of the Rio Simon canyon. It was also the first time I did this canyon. The first solo tip is truly an amazing experience, which engraves itself deep into your soul*. Especially, if you overcome a really serious and difficult canyon. And what is so special about this canyon?

Igra sončnih žarkov ustvarja čudovite barve

The rays of light playing on the rocks and creating beautiful colors. (foto: Žiga Humar)
Rio Simon lies in the Julian Alps close by the Italian Chiusaforte. It is a relatively long canyon, in which experienced groups stay in for about 3 hours, inexperienced even up to 6 hours. And you also have to count about 2 extra hours of car ride from Ljubljana one way and a hour of serious walking up the mountains. But after that begins a true El Dorado of the Julian Alps. Rio Simon is quite a different story than Lodrino, because it's more wide and open nature. If we step into the canyon at the right time, warm sunlight follows you everywhere, because the canyon faces north–south. But that does not mean that we can leave it's deeps at any given time. No – on the contrary. The walls, raging above the waters, are taller than 100m and are impossible to climb. After stepping in there are not a lot of choices on how to get out and this fact also increases the stress factor of the trip. But the wondrous beauty of nature makes you forget everything once you see it with your own eyes. Crystal clear water, light green in color, bright curtains of light and water on the walls, which are created by smaller waterfalls, rainbows and many chances to jump into the next section of the way, are those reasons, for which we return to this magical place every year. And beer of course, which always awaits us as soon as we get out of the canyon and is a real treat to look forward to :).

Zavese, kakršnih se ne da kupiti v nobeni trgovini.

Watery curtains, which can’t be bought in any existing store. (foto: Žiga Humar)
The very nature of this canyon is more or less aquatic – throughout the whole descent awaits you torrential waters, which make you feel a certain degree of respect. On one section of about 2km and a height difference of 380m, you have to cross though 19 different waterfalls, 11 of which need to be descended only by ropes. From eight of them you can jump from up to 12 meters. At the top of such waterfall you can be a bit paralysed from fear. But the longer you wait, the harder it gets. After a few seconds of thinking, you have to let go and jump. In these moments, when you are flying through the air, you instantly fall into the refreshing water, which softens your fall. The head quickly emerges to the waters surface and you can take your first deep breath. It is only there that you know everything is ok and that Poseidon did not teleport the water somewhere else. And that hopefully no rock decided to camp exactly where you jumped too. You are alive, the adrenalin rush strengthens your body and a feeling of unimaginable happiness fills your whole being. Yes, you can easily say that canyoning is a drug. A legal drug for that matter, except if we do this in sections, which are part of the Triglav national park and also where it is forbidden to do so, because of nature preservation causes. But more on this matter maybe some other time.

An adrenalin filled slide. (foto: Žiga Humar)

The most beautiful jump of the whole canyon. (foto: Žiga Humar)
Rio Simon is a true “holy place”. And you don’t bring just any people to a sacred place. Last year I was accompanied by my father and a young photographer Jan Pirnat, who lives with cystic fibrosis. On the day we went there was no trace of his illness (except the medicine, he had to have with him at all times). This year, I went to visit this place in the late August with my childhood friend and a friend of hers, who is working for the Slovenian Ministry of the environment and special planning – for the sector of water management. And both are in love with water. Although we went canyoning on a Thursday and that meant the work ethics lacked a bit for Friday, we still replenished ourselves with a lot of energy drinks and drove though. And because we burned about 4000 calories that day, even a Monster didn’t do lot of harm to my body. And it was worth it – like it always is. *Solo canyoning solo style is highly unrecommendable and is practiced only by very experienced canyoneers. The stress-level is extremely high, but also physically more demanding.