My visual route guide to climbing the Slovenian Route (Slovenska smer) on Triglav’s north face.


Would you like to read more about my climb beyond the route description? In A Tribute to Madness: The Slovenian Route and Looking the Beast in the Eye, I take you behind the scenes of this adventure.

These drone images are intended to complement a climbing topo, not replace it entirely. Planning to climb the route yourself? I recommend getting a guidebook such as Stena (The Wall). It contains detailed topos of the climbing routes on Triglav’s north face.

The guidebook Stena (The Wall), featuring detailed topos of climbing routes on Triglav’s north face
The guidebook Stena (The Wall)

Disclaimer: Drone images don’t always make it easy to pinpoint exactly where a route is, or precisely where I walked and climbed. I’ve used red markings to trace the actual route as accurately as possible, but some deviations may remain.

Dirk-Jan Meijer at the start of the Slovenian Route (Slovenska smer) on the north face of Triglav.
All images were captured on Monday, 14 September 2026
Uitzicht over het puntje van de Vrata vallei en een deel van de Triglav noordwand, vanaf de start van de Sloveense route.
Looking out over the far end of the Vrata Valley from the start of the route
De start van de Sloveense route, gezien vanaf rechts met een drone.
The start of the route: head up, then left
De start van de Sloveense route, gezien van voren met een drone.
The start of the route, viewed a little more from the front
Routeverloop via de lariksen.
This is one of several route variations, passing through the larch trees
Er zijn meerdere groenstroken te zien, mik op degene ver naar links met de bomen.
There are several green strips on the face. Aim for the one furthest to the left, where the trees are
Vanaf boven de lariksen gezien naar de start van de route
Looking down towards the start of the route from above the larch trees
Begin van het lariksen deel.
The start of the section through the larch trees
Aan het eind van het lariksen deel ga je weer terug naar rechts, en ook verder omhoog.
At the end of the larch section, head back to the right and continue climbing
Vanaf de lariksen ga je naar rechts en omhoog, richting de bele plati.
From the larch trees, head right and upwards towards the Bele plati
De traverse van de lariksen naar de klimpassage onder de bele plati.
The traverse from the larch trees to the climbing section below the Bele plati
Korte klimpassage onder de bele plati.
A short climbing section below the Bele plati
Bij de beli plati ga je aan de rechterkant omhoog, richting de Slovenska grapa.
At the Bele plati, head up on the right towards the Slovenska grapa
Bele plati, door de Slovenska grapa, verder omhoog en dan de Frelih uitgang met de traverse naar rechts.
From the Bele plati, climb through the Slovenska grapa, continue upwards and then take the Frelih Exit, traversing right
Dirk-Jan Meijer landt zijn drone, met een spectaculair uitzicht over de Vrata-vallei op de achtergrond.
Full concentration while landing the drone, making sure the propellers don’t hit the rocks
Bijzonder ruwe en grillige rotsformaties in de wand.
Remarkably rough and jagged rock formations on the face
Dirk-Jan Meijer on a rock ledge.
Wide rock ledges lead off to the right, but the route climbs up to the left through the Slovenska grapa
Na de Slovenska grapa klimi je door totdat je de Frelih exit in gaat. Je kunt door het venster klimmen of er links langs gaan.
After the Slovenska grapa, continue climbing towards the Frelih Exit. You can either climb through the rock window or go around it on the left
Ergens daar in de buurt bevindt zich de traverse van de Frelih Exit.
Just before the final steep wall, the Frelih Exit begins with a traverse to the right
De Frelih uitgang met de traverse naar rechts.
The Frelih Exit, traversing to the right
De beruchte Frelih traverse op de Sloveense route in de Triglav noordwand.
The notorious Frelih Traverse!
Het einde van de Sloveense route.
The Slovenian Route finishes on the far side of the pillar, with a lunar landscape stretching out above
Triglavski dom na Kredarici in de verte
Triglavski dom na Kredarici in the distance, high above the scree slopes in the lunar landscape
Na het einde van de Sloveense route begint de klim naar de graat van de Triglav.
After completing the Slovenska smer, the ascent of Triglav continues along the western side of the north ridge
Dirk-Jan Meijer kijkt serieus tijdens de beklimming van de Triglav
Focus
Dirk-Jan Meijer lacht tijdens de beklimming van de Triglav.
A quick smile for the camera