Adam Ondra first ascented with „Zvěřinec“ (Menagerie) the most difficult route in the Czech Republic. The route is located in the „Lidomorna“ sector in Holštejn in the Moravian Karst. Adam rated it 9b+ (hard) and said it was his second hardest route ever after „Silence“ (9c).

The route is a new hard entry for itself already 9a+ to his own route „Perlorodka“ (9a+), whose crux also wants to be climbed after a good rest.

Today I completed surely the second hardest route of my life (after Silence 9c)  In 2011, I made my first ascent of Perlorodka (Pearloyster) after quite a few days of effort. Striking line in possibly the best rock that we have at our homecrag (Moravian Karst, Czechia) Very improbable crux at solid 8B+ difficulty with reachy moves and desperate slapping of the completely rounded lip of the overhang. Back then, I gave it 9a+, but I think it deserves more 9b. Zveřinec climbs the same crux but has a different start that could be 9a+ on its own, with good rest in between. After struggling the last two weeks with conditions, today it was just perfect. 0 degrees of Celsius (32 °F), overcast, no wind, absolutely dry rock. With perfect warmup at my homewall, I could fight the cold temperature of the air and the advantage of the best friction.

Photo: (c) Petr Chodura