36th National Competition Youth and Mountains in Pirniče

At the 36th national competition Youth and Mountains, on Saturday, January 17, at OŠ Pirniče, 20 four-member primary school teams will compete theoretically and practically in mountaineering knowledge. This year, for the tenth time, the competition for secondary school students with 12 two-member teams will take place simultaneously. The official start of one of the most important competitions for popularizing mountaineering and respectful attitude towards nature will be at 10:00, the final with a quiz and a mystery guest at 14:30. You are invited to join us!

Youth and Mountains, which is both a knowledge competition and a sports competition, as mountaineering equally combines both elements, is intended for primary school students from 6th to 9th grade, and this year they will hold a similar challenge for secondary school students for the tenth time. One of the most important competitions for popularizing mountaineering and respectful attitude towards nature is also an opportunity for young mountaineers from all over Slovenia to socialize and acquire mountaineering knowledge for safer and more independent visits to the mountains.

20 best primary school teams from all over Slovenia qualified for the national competition, where they will compete in mountaineering knowledge and knowledge of additional material about paraglider climber Manca Smrekar. 56 teams with four students each from 6th to 9th grade participated in the regional competition on November 15, 2025 in Nazarje, Žirovnica and Škofije, and the most successful ones opened the doors to the 36th national Youth and Mountains competition, which will be held on January 17 at OŠ Pirniče, where the home team from Planinsko društvo Medvode will defend the title of national champions for the second time. 12 secondary school teams with two competitors each will also compete at the 10th MIG competition for secondary schools. As part of the competition, they are also organizing an art contest titled Legend of the Origin of Šmarna gora. A mystery guest will again delight the young competitors.

The organizers of the 36th national Youth and Mountains competition are: Alpine Association of Slovenia, Youth Commission of PZS, Planinsko društvo Medvode, Osnovna šola Pirniče and Zavod za šport RS Planica.


Program of the competition day

9.00-10.00 arrival, reception and team registration
10.00-10.30 cultural program
10.35-11.20 writing tests and mentors' meeting
11.30-12.15 lunch
12.15-14.15 practical part for SŠ teams that qualify for the final, others orienteering run around OŠ Pirniče
14.30-16.00 final of the OŠ competition (during breaks mystery guest, results of the art contest and award ceremony for SŠ)
16.00-16.30 conclusion with award ceremony
Warmly invited to Pirniče, where on Saturday everything will be in the spirit of mountaineering, joy and exciting mountaineering knowledge of more than a hundred young mountaineer competitors!