Since this winter is being far from generous with the snow in our country we decided that we will keep on canyoning. First it is good training for your fitness level and secondly, if you do it, you won’t forget all the techniques during the winter.

And what to do on the shortest day of the year (22nd of December)? Sure, let’s have a challenge and do the longest Slovenian canyon – Gačnik. I did it in spring and said to myself that I won’t repeat it for quite some time… But obviously I was wrong.

So due to the shortness of the day, we meet at the bottom of the canyon at 7 am. An alarm clock was set at 4:30. Damn, I was driving there like a zombie. But eventually, I was there – checking the water level. Water was OK, but I hadn’t had any wish to go in there. But I signed up for this so there was no option having cold feet (but literally having cold feet is what actually happened :)).

Into the canyon.

I meet with Sandi and another rookie at the bottom of the canyon and we drove up. Quickly jumped into our wetsuits and entered the canyon. The environment temperature was actually not that cold but the water… It was cold enough to freeze the balls off a brass monkey. So I put on the neoprene gloves to protect my precious hands.

♬ Cold never bothered me anyway… ♬

But like always, it didn’t last long. I always figure out that I am way too clumsy with the gloves so I removed them after an hour. And then the contact with water was really painful experience. But my hands got used to it, heart pumped immense amount of blood into my palms and fingers to keep them warm. My fingers were like sausages and the pain was gone eventually. Another proof that our body is adjustable.

Sandi with his rope made scarf. Maybe it helps?! 🙂

Otherwise, I have to say a few words about the canyon. It is a little bit brighter in winter because all the leaves have fallen off the trees. We haven’t met any ice, but the canyon was slippery as a butcher’s prick. Our bodies having unplanned contact with the ground was frequently on a menu.

One of the final waterfalls. The energy was slowly leaving our bodies.

I must say it was one hell of a day (in a positive way). We laughed quite hard and enjoyed every bit of the canyon (if we forget the last part where you have to hike out for 45 minutes). I was truly exhausted, the cold sucked the last of the energy out of me. But it was a good conditioning for the forthcoming adventures…