Balkans Rivers... October/November 2017

Residents of Omis listen to experts describe what would happen to the Cetina River if a proposed gas plant is built. The river water would be used to cool the plant and it would raise the temperature of the water and have disastrous effects on fish and other wildlife.

A raft on the Mura River in Northeastern Slovenia. This river is part of a river system called the Amazon of Europe. If the proposed dams are built the rafting will no longer exist and with the changing of the microclimate within a few years the vineyards and the wine industry here would suffer catastrophically.

Albania and a day in court calling the government out for grantubg concession for hydropower in Valbona National Park in the Albanian Alps. Construction is ongoing as the court threw the case out saying that the people had no right to bring a case against the government. Appeals will be filed along with criminal charges by local Valbonans and Toka-Albania.org 

Women of Kruscica that are guarding a bridge 24 hours a day in peaceful protest to keep trucks from arriving to being work on the river again. Some of these women told me that they would die to protect this river. They have already faced off and suffered violence at the hands of Bosnian special police.

A man from the US climbs a two month old via ferrata above the Cetina River and Omis in Croatia. An area that relies on tourism but is currently dealing with a gas plant that wants to build at the headwaters. The river will heat up killing fish and other wildlife and jeopardize freshwater as well as the tourist economy the region survives largely upon.

A local activist shares photos showing before, during and after of a realized hydropower project from a nearby village. The village came forward to share what would happen if they let hydropower interests have their way. Rivers are diverted and all but disappear. Over 100,000 people depend on this river for drinking water and the locals fear that the construction could sacrifice the flow and quality.

A climber in Valbona National Park. The river is just below and the region has vast potential for climbing, kayaking, fishing and many other outdoor pursuits with tourism being the mainstay for sustainable economic viability in the region.

All images and video ©Bennett Barthelemy

The last three weeks I spent in the Balkans. 

I floated rivers in kayaks and rafts and cut brush to help fish habitats - I met with NGOs and river activists and explored 6 countries in this region that is little-known to much of Europe and the West. I crossed country borders 17 times and without fail was met with incredible hospitality from the locals. 

Currently governments and developers are pushing to realize 3,000 new hydropower projects that will or are already drastically challenging sustainable livelihoods as the rivers are dammed, re-channeled and drying up. The diverting or damming of rivers destroys wildlife habitat, alters life-ways people have had for centuries, compromises drinking water and tourism opportunities. 

One positive outcome this struggle is realizing is a sense of community - bringing together diverse individuals in defense of rivers and promoting natural resource awareness and goals for long-term sustainability. Rivers express little regard for borders, nationalism, political corruption, corporate greed or religions affiliation. It seems that when individuals begin actively promoting the health of a river that they will engage this reality as well.

With this groundswell of local activism in the Balkans the rest of the world might begin taking notice to what is happening and what is clearly misnamed as "Green Energy." Perhaps pressure will be put on politicians and governments from not only the inside but from the outside as well to stop these hydro projects and to more fully embrace other energy alternatives like wind and solar and let the rivers run free...

Eastside: Photo Gallery

Toulumne and the Eastside just keeps giving, such a powerful place to be. Old and new friends, epic weather... 

Red Rocks Climbing: Photo Essay

As a climber, Red Rock has a lot to offer. Nubbin pimples of red iron precipitated out at the surface of the sandstone make for cool pinches or an explosive foothold - and when big enough a tie-off that is as nearly as good as a pounded in bolt. The are also amazing at grabbing the rope, very "sticky" rock. Especially when the wind is blowing a gale and sounds like a freight train coming down the mountain as it has the last few days. Ropes can blow straight sideways or even upwards when rappelling (rope thrown downward) so it can be pretty heads up with rope management to get off a route. Yesterday we made it to the ground and I had just taken off my helmet at the base when a party above dislodged a loose block above us. It landed not far away. His rope had gotten stuck with a wind gust and as he pulled it free it dropped the block... We ran beneath a tree as it exploded on the slab just below. Some pretty rad geology too, and a climb may provide a spelunking adventure like Tunnel Vision today, a sideways chimney for a few dozen meters behind a giant detached pillar... Not to mention all the amazing blooming globe mallow, indigo, sages and the occasional rattler. Desert climbing :)

Spanish Quixotry: A photo essay

There are certain things about a place that make it unique. Some places seem to have just a bit more of that magic...

The Alicante region of Spain is one for me. A combination of accessible history, grand architecture with plenty of Arabesque flourishes, craggy landscapes, slices of Old World culture - all in constant collision... Early March blooms of almond trees in 24 degree celsius heat, chicken blood sausage tapas and vino tinto rioja, ruinas across ancient terraced olive groves...

I never really got what the word quixotry meant until I landed here... That glimmering sheen of god rays strafing the Bernia Ridge, a late night drunken wander during Carnival through the tiny streets of Sella,  howling levantes swirling though the trees keeping me awake - there is a wild and surreal sort of luster that makes many moments here feel impossibly possible...

I will miss it.

all images ©Bennett Barthelemy

Latest Feature: Backcountry bouldering

Niko sending at So High...

My latest feature came out in Ojai Quarterly yesterday. I really like getting to still publish in a print magazine with glossy pages, no electron fade... Getting rarer and rarer these days. I am waiting not so patiently for a small resurgence of quality, image driven publications in printed form before the presses and ink manufacturers all go under too...

This was a fun project to work on with a very strong and dedicated climber in Southern California that has a strong penchant for wild and remote and highball first ascents. I have followed him out on a few occasions and often just getting there feels akin to climbing a runout trad route on tiny gear and loose rock... One approach I managed to pull a 100 pound sandstone flake onto my head and nearly sever my man parts and femoral artery on a backcountry mission trying to keep up...

Smashed fingers, crunched ankles all seem fairly standard fare for Niko and he still keeps climbing hard and putting up FA's despite his somewhat common and normally sidelining injuries... I am looking forward to getting back and having another adventure as it seems Niko has struck a bit of bouldering gold again with another remote find hidden in the folds and chaparral...

Niko's new guidebook should be wrapped up before too long sharing lots of exciting boulder problems in So Cali...

images and writing ©Bennett Barthelemy

2016: A photo essay and thanks...

Some years seem longer than others... 2016 might be the most full and intense year I have ever had. It was a year of very deep lows and very high highs. Both wandering and serial re-anchoring - and perhaps covering more physical miles then any year previous.

Residency in Denmark, then Colorado, then California... Travel on three continents... I worked in 5 different US states chasing guiding and photo contracts. I slept in the front seat of my car too many times to count.

Managed some sweet alpine climbing ticks in the Rockies and the Sierra. With two new camera lenses I got some new visual perspectives and tried to learn how to "see" again. I got to test/play/shoot a lot of great outdoor gear from Osprey Packs, Camelbak, Blue Water Ropes, Grand Trunk, Mpowher Apparel, Optic Nerve sunglasses, inflatable kayaks from Innova etc.... 

I finally got to work with my sister, a dedicated activist - we spent time on a national project together helping a non profit realize and then document The Concert Across America To End Gun Violence in Santa Barbara meeting Ozomatli etc, shooting alongside long time Nat Geo editor/photographer and hero Bill...

Many amazing rainbows, sunrises and sunsets and unbelievably starry nights. 

It was a gift reconnecting with the magic of the Southwest again after a five year hiatus - Wandering deep into the Navajo and Hopi reservations and the Grand Canyon.

Rediscovering my hometown - the rugged chapparal Coast Range backpacking, mountain biking, bouldering and trail running, the coastline surf and reconnecting with family was awesome.

The turbulence was certainly there, (working through injuries and the fitness curve to guide again in the Rockies and in the Grand Canyon etc) but the pain also provided much welcomed illumination. 

What I recollect most however are the moments spent with friends both old and new - moments of connection with strangers - laughter as well as harsh perspective. Through mirrors offered and the hard-realized illuminations, life was lived in 2016... Thank you.

These are a few of my favorite images from the year...

All images ©Bennett Barthelemy/Tandem Stills + Motion