Admittedly, if somebody else was in charge of this article, Pokojec likely wouldn’t make the cut. Due to its specific style of climbing, there are not that many fans of the crag.
However, it’s your lucky day! I am the biggest fan there is.
Located a mere 25-minute drive from my home, this is where I spend a good part of my life—from my first “climbing steps” to sending everything the crag has to offer.
Ready for some pocket-pulling?
Ever since my brother and I—two teenagers who just discovered the sport—saw the video of Iker Pou doing that opening move of Action Directe, I religiously believed that pulling on monos is the epitome of climbing. There is something special about being connected to the rock only with the tip of a finger, don’t you think?
Thankfully, pockets are a trademark of Pokojec so I was able to test my faith (and tendons) culminating with an ascent of the crag’s hardest route: an 8b+ (5.14a) pocket-fest where for several moves in a row you hold nothing but monos.
Routes with character
If you are brave enough to give Pokojec a try, you will be rewarded by beautiful smooth rock which would be mostly unclimbable if nature didn’t sprinkle it with pockets of all sizes. Holds and footholds are scarce and so are the ways to climb a route. This precious know-how is passed from one generation to the next, and when some outsider cracks our beta, eyebrows are raised and the elders of the crag debate about the validity of an ascent. However, once you master the style, you will be able to trust any foothold anywhere.
While the meat of the crag is in the 7s and 8s (5.12 to 5.13), there are some brilliant 4s and 5s (5.7 to 5.9) that tackle the typical slopey horizontal ramps and cracks. No two routes are alike, each with particular intricacies and tricks to help you expand your repertoire of moves.