On June 17 and 18, Mišo Bado and I made the first ascent of Corona on the south face of Jastrabia veža in Slovakia. After a pitch of UIAA VIII, climbing through an overhang and a corner, with two bolts, the crux pitch overhangs 4m in its 38m length. I climbed it over two days using tiny cams, nuts, hooks, and a few copperheads (UIAA VIII and new-wave A3+).

Over the summer I visited Jastrabia veža several times, re-equipping the route for a possible free ascent. This is a mountain climb, so I protected the climb according to mountain ethics. On the crux pitch I placed only four bolts, leaving the rest to be protected naturally. I was successful in making a pinkpoint ascent on September 2. The grade of the crux pitch is UIAA XI- (solid 5.14), making Corona currently the hardest free climb in the Tatras. A person attempting the second ascent will need to know how to place their own gear and have the ability to make hard moves well above protection.

– Jozef Kristoffy, Slovakia