Before the Peak of the Summer Mountaineering Season

Good weather and stable weather forecasts will once again attract many visitors to our mountains. With this weekend, we can say that the peak of the summer mountaineering season is beginning, when not only seaside tourist places, but also mountain peaks, hiking paths and huts will be fully visited again, and Slovenians are increasingly enjoying spending part of their annual vacation in Slovenian mountains and mountain huts. Due to crowded weekends, the caretakers of mountain huts in the high mountains recommend visiting the highest peaks during the week, of course if possible. The summer mountaineering season lasts from July 15 to September 15. This year, it is necessary to be especially careful in areas in the high mountains, where snow from winter and spring still remains.



Which mountain paths?

There are many options, as there are as many as 1661 mountain paths in Slovenia with a total length of 9000 km, which is half more kilometers than all Slovenian state roads (highways, expressways, main and regional roads). An incredible fact that is even more astonishing because all mountain paths in Slovenia are maintained voluntarily by our trail markers. Also due to respect for the trail markers, well-maintained mountain paths and huts, voluntary work – and not just because of insurance, discounts in mountain huts and sports stores, and belonging to the mountains, visitors join the largest family – the mountaineering organization with even greater pleasure, which in 2012 had almost 58,000 members – hikers, climbers, mountaineers, alpinists, touring cyclists and skiers, lovers of mountain nature, young and youngest enthusiastic hikers, trail markers, PZS guides … The long winter, rich in snow, has also left numerous consequences, including on the Slovenian Mountain Trail, so for the high mountains, one must count on many snowfields where winter equipment is still needed. Before heading to the mountains, it is necessary to check the conditions and the state of the paths.



The longest, most famous and most popular in Slovenia is the Slovenian Mountain Trail, the oldest such trail in Slovenia, Europe and also in the world, which will celebrate its 60th anniversary on August 1, 2013 (opened on the initiative of Ivan Šumljak on August 1, 1953). It runs from Maribor across Pohorje, through Kamnik and Savinja Alps, Karavanke, Julian Alps, Kras to Ankaran on the Adriatic Sea. It is marked with the general mark of mountain paths in Slovenia, Knafelc mark (red circle with white dot) and number 1. It is complemented by the Extended Slovenian Mountain Trail (35 points), which takes us through interesting parts of Slovenia. In Slovenia, you can also choose among as many as 78 mountain circuits (connecting paths) and also the European footpaths E6, E7 (marked with a red circle with a yellow dot), on which we get to know Slovenia from north to south (E6) and from east to west (E7). In the International Year of Mountains (2002), eight mountaineering organizations of Alpine countries prepared a long Alpine circuit – the Via Alpina trail, which runs from Italy through Slovenia, Austria, Germany, Liechtenstein, France, Switzerland to Monaco.



Slovenian Mountain Trail in numbers: Opened on August 1, 1953, it had 80 points.

Number of points: today 75 control points since 2011 (2003-2011: 71 control points, 1993-2003: 69 points (in 2001 one point was changed), before 1993 there were 80 control points).

Trail length: length along the relief (the one we give for the SPP length): 599 km, total ascent: 45.2 km, total descent: 45.5 km.

When hikers walk the Slovenian Mountain Trail from Maribor to Ankaran:

- they visit 75 control points,

- they refresh in 58 mountain huts,

- they climb 23 wonderful peaks,

- they visit 5 Slovenian cities and

- 2 museums -> Slovenian Mountaineering Museum in Mojstrana and Franja Hospital.

- One of the points on the trail, Škocjan Caves, is part of UNESCO cultural heritage.



Renewed mountain paths

Trail markers of the Alpine Association of Slovenia regularly maintain and renew mountain paths, during the bare season, i.e. in summer months, also the most demanding ones. In the all-Slovenian action supported by the Olympic Committee of Slovenia and Helios with their paints, trail markers renewed markings on the following sections of the Slovenian Mountain Trail in the Julian Alps: Hut at the Source of Soča-Shelter under Špiček, Hut at the Source of Soča–50th bend of Vršič road, 50th bend of Vršič road–Zadnjica–Luknja, Vrata-Luknja–Bovški Gamsovec, Vršič–Shelter under Špiček, Vršič–ridge path to Prisojnik, Prisojnik (Slovenian path) and Vršič–Mlinarica (southern path). Koroška trail markers renewed mountain paths: Dom na Smrekovcu–Bela peč, Grmovškov dom–Hut under Kremžarjev vrh and Hut in Grohot under Raduha-Durce-Raduha.

This year they plan to renew among others: mountain path on the ridge of Kočna, path to Velika Baba, path from Plesnikova planina to Klemenča jama, path from Raduha to Rogovilc, paths to Begunjščica and Roža, Ruše–Šumnik, from Lepena to Krn lakes, to Čreta, Šavnice, from Krnica to Špik, then path to Jeterbenk and Tošč, path to Planjava, Kamnik Saddle and Votel

Currently, due to a rockfall from Razor, the mountain path (also Slovenian Mountain Trail) in the Julian Alps is still closed, which runs from Mlinarica (direction from Vršič) over Planja saddle to Kriški podi. Thus, the mountain path to Razor is also closed.

Follow: Notices on the state of mountain paths.

Within the Alpine Association of Slovenia, the action Small Contribution for a Striking Impression is also taking place, in which with a contribution of 1 EUR you help for the renewal of mountain paths (send SMS with keyword »POT« to 1919).



Mountain huts OPEN, Slovenian mountains are visited by almost one and a half million visitors annually

Mountaineering clubs manage 176 mountain huts, shelters and bivouacs with around 6,000 beds. All mountain huts together with shelters are open, only Dom Petra Skalarja on Kanin (2260 m) is closed.

Slovenian mountains are visited by over 1.4 million visitors annually, and more than 315,000 Slovenians regularly go to the hills. Certainly, the visit to the mountains in recent years, especially in recent days, shows that we Slovenians are still a mountaineering, mountain people, where mountaineering is the most popular form of recreation and sports activity, when as much as 2.8 percent of Slovenia's population is enrolled in the Alpine Association of Slovenia. We also notice that more and more Slovenians spend part of their annual vacation in the embrace of Slovenian mountains and mountain huts, although this season started a bit later this year due to the long winter, but the mountain paths and huts are now very visited.



Overnight stays in mountain huts

In care for the environment, we recommend using your own sheet for overnight stays in mountain huts, which mountain visitors can also buy at the PZS headquarters or via the toll-free number 080 1893, in the PZS online store …

We recommend that visitors reserve accommodation in mountain huts in advance (contacts of all mountain huts, bivouacs and shelters are up-to-date published on the PZS website).

IMPORTANT! All visitors who, despite already reserved accommodation, will not come to the mountain hut, please cancel your reservation in time or at least a day before. All those who will arrive at the selected hut with reserved accommodation after 5 pm, please notify the caretaker of their later arrival by phone on the day of visit.



SAFER TO THE MOUNTAINS

So that the visits to the mountains of your readers, viewers and listeners are as safe as possible, we have prepared some tips for you that can serve as a reminder before every excursion.



Good psychophysical preparedness, equipment and planning required

Mountaineering takes the position that every visitor to the mountain world must be independent, above all well equipped. We have no right to count on the help of mountain rescuers and take them as an emergency service that will come for us in any conditions. The duty of every mountaineer is to be physically, mentally and technically well prepared, also for bivouac or later return from the mountains.



Before the tour, ask ourselves:

• Do I have all the necessary things in my backpack for today's tour?

• What is the weather forecast? Bad weather and visibility can extend walking time up to ten times. Do I have clothes that will protect me from strong wind, cold and precipitation? Is there a hut, bivouac, shelter on the path where I can retreat?

• What is the chosen path like? In which direction will I walk (north, south, east, west)? Prepare a path plan. Divide the path into smaller sections, anticipate rests and approximate walking time. Create an image of the path and walk it in your mind.

• How far is it and how much time will I need for the entire path? At the top, we are only halfway – our goal is a safe return to the valley and home.

• How steep is the terrain? Will I have to walk it in switchbacks, which will take more time (but is less tiring)?

• What is the terrain like? Are there boulders, scree on the path? Is there dwarf pine on the path that will slow me down, or can I bypass it?

• Are there features on the path that I will have to overcome: cirques, torrents, steep jumps? Can I bypass them?

• What dangers can I encounter on the path: precipices, grass-covered world, falling rocks?

• How to walk?

• What pace to take? Are there children with you?

• Anticipate and appropriately plan your excursion, hike.



Tour selection:

• Choose a tour that is suitable for your physical and mental preparedness and take into account your health and the health of tour participants. Be especially careful if you have any chronic diseases, allergies or are a heart patient.

• Adapt to the weakest participant in the group, especially if they are children. Adapt the choice of excursion, hike, as well as the walking pace and rests.

• Prepare well for each tour and obtain enough correct information from guides, acquaintances and websites. Be careful with the latter, as a whole bunch of data circulates on the world wide web that can be misleading.

• On a piece of paper, make a tour plan and try to anticipate rests, attractions, accommodation options and “emergency exits” in case of complications in advance.

• Avoid off-trail paths that you have learned about by chance, as in most cases they lead to trouble.



Notification:

• Notify family, acquaintance or at least “Mojca” or staff in the mountain hut about every tour. The notification should contain data on the intended path, possible reserve goals and approximate return time.

• It is recommended to use a form for notification and leave it in a visible place in the car.

• Sign in the logbooks at huts and peaks, which will be of great help to mountain rescuers in case of inquiry.



Mobile phone use:

Mobile phone is accessible to everyone today. We must be aware that it is a sensitive electronic device whose operation largely depends on numerous factors that are not even noticeable in valley life. Due to greater distance from stations, the signal is weak in most cases, consequently the phone searches for the best signal and thus loses energy much faster than in the valley. The phone's operation depends on the battery, whose operating time is significantly shortened in mountains due to low temperatures.

• Charge the phone battery before the tour and if possible take a spare with you.

• The phone should be turned off during the tour, stored in a waterproof bag and kept warm.

• Save energy additionally by turning off UMTS signal during use.

• The phone should be turned off all the time during the tour. You can use it even if you don't know the PIN code, as calls to 112 and 113 are possible without entering PIN.

• In case you can't call, try sending short messages to number 112.

• In the phone directory, have two persons' numbers stored in the form ICE1 Janez Novak and ICE2 Špela Marela. The number will help rescuers to notify relatives about the accident and means In Case Of Emergency.



How about on the tour?

• Take your time and enjoy. If you can't talk while walking and will walk for several hours, the pace is too fast.

• Start slowly to warm up and prepare the body for several hours of walking. Choose the so-called conversational walking pace. After the first 15 minutes, your body will be warm enough to take off the top layer of clothing. Do this in a short break. Then try to walk at least one hour before the first rest.

• During each step, extend the back leg fully and relax the muscles when transferring forward. Coordinate breathing with steps. This way, refresh them slightly each time, which is a good investment with thousands of steps and hours of walking. Coordinate breathing with each step.

• Descent: Tighten your laces. Each step should be “light”, use thighs to absorb ground energy. Walk steeper parts in switchbacks.

• Step between stones, not on them.

• Choose safe places for rest, where there is no danger of slipping, falling rocks, snow avalanches and not directly in the sun.

• Protect yourself from sun radiation with appropriate factor cream, headgear, quality sunglasses ...

• On mountain paths exposed to the possibility of falling rocks or head bumping into rock, mandatory wear a helmet. Use helmet also for ascents and descents on paths led through scree.

• On demanding and very demanding paths, use self-belaying with the help of climbing harness and belay set.

• In case due to unforeseen obstacle on the path (icy parts, torn wire, landslide), the tour cannot be safely continued, turn back in time. The mountain will wait for you.

• Consume sufficient amounts of fluids and food. Drink more often and in small quantities. Buy food in mountain huts, as this way you avoid a heavy backpack. In Slovenia, we have as many as 176 mountain huts, bivouacs and shelters. During the tour, enjoy energy bars or dried fruit.

• During walking, you should not be too hot. Use active underwear and clothes from modern materials that fit the body, as this way you avoid the possibility of getting caught somewhere and increase the risk of fall. Avoid cotton, which is cold and poorly wicks sweat.

• We advise against consuming alcohol and tobacco!

• In case of sudden weather deterioration, find shelter in a mountain hut, bivouac ... as soon as possible. If not possible, descend from exposed ridges. Do not continue the tour.

• The group stays together until the end of the tour.



Measures in case of accident:

• Keep composure and stay calm. This way, calm the other participants as well.

• Assess the situation and protect YOURSELF and the INJURED from direct dangers.

• Provide first aid within your knowledge and abilities.

• Call the notification center about the accident at number 112 and provide the following data:

 WHO is calling,

 WHAT and WHERE happened,

 WHEN it happened,

 HOW MANY injured and WHAT injuries,

 WHAT are the circumstances at the accident site (important in case of helicopter rescue),

 WHAT help you need.

• You can call for help using mobile phone, VHF radio stations located in mountain huts or via the SAPOGO system.



Mandatory equipment that must be in every mountaineer's backpack regardless of tour type:

• aluminum foil and bivouac sack,

• personal first aid kit,

• headlamp and spare batteries,

• compass and mountain map of the area you are heading to,

• mobile phone with full battery,

• notebook and ORDINARY pencil,

• candle and matches in waterproof bag,

• iron reserve (food with high energy value and long shelf life, light and small volume).

It won't be superfluous to warn to also have warm clothing, hat and gloves with us, as weather in the hills changes very quickly, very low temperatures and snow in summer in mountains are nothing unusual.



Pay attention to backpack weight and use modern fabrics with small volume and weight. This way, the tour will be more pleasant. Do not save on buying shoes.



The most suitable time for visiting mountains – is every season, just choose appropriate mountaineering, mountain hikes and paths, adapted to our psychophysical abilities and current weather conditions. It is right to be aware that the charm of nature is also in getting to know it in all seasons. More and more mountain visitors are aware of this, who are active in mountains throughout the year – walking, climbing and skiing in all seasons, also in winter. This way, we also take care of constant and regular sports activity and through regular weekly excursions get to know the beauties of nature and its changes over time.



Idea – if you are in the Gorenjska area and returning past Mojstrana – let the path take you to the Slovenian Mountaineering Museum, opened in summer 2010, in which the history of Slovenian mountaineering is presented in a very picturesque, interactive and interesting way, which in 2013 celebrates the 120th anniversary of organized mountaineering in Slovenia. The young and youngest never get bored in this museum, as they can search for hidden treasure under Bogatin, try climbing on a secured mountain path or experience lightning and thunder in the hills in a bivouac … Welcome!



Some more useful tips:

• If you feel signs of fatigue or exhaustion, stop for a longer rest. If exhausted, after rest and consideration perhaps decide for descent with escort. If very exhausted, think if perhaps altitude sickness or hypothermia occurred. During rest, do not eat only pure grape sugar, but also more composed easily digestible food.

• Children and older people, as well as those with chronic diseases, can engage in mountaineering, but must be careful. If you think some effort is too great for you, consult a doctor beforehand.

• On tours to high mountains, do not ascend too quickly. At altitudes above 2500 to 3000 meters, do not increase sleeping altitude by more than 300 meters per day. If possible, do not sleep at the highest point of the daily ascent.

• The Alpine Association of Slovenia recommends to all mountain visitors to use their own, brought bedding for overnight stays in mountain huts.

• You can buy mountain maps and guides in the PZS online store (http://www.pzs.si/trgovina.php) or directly at Planinska založba PZS at Dvorakova 9 in Ljubljana (also by phone, email).

• When planning a tour, also check the openness of the mountain hut on the path to your peak. List of all 176 mountain huts, bivouacs and shelters, together with their openness can be found at: http://www.pzs.si/koce.php.

• For safer walking in mountains, we recommend joining the nearest mountaineering club, where you can join the school of safer walking in mountains or Mountaineering School and join club hikes and activities. You can also get useful information and advice from PZS guides in mountaineering clubs. List of 278 mountaineering clubs and societies in Slovenia: http://www.pzs.si/drustva.php. You can join the mountaineering organization this year already in some mountain huts (next year there will be more), mountain visitors can also join via the Alpine Association of Slovenia website (http://www.pzs.si/vclanitev1.php).



One of the first aid lecturers at our guide trainings, diploma nurse Maja Kumer Trček, often lays on the heart of participants: »Walking has a very beneficial effect on preventing osteoporosis, improves musculoskeletal health, reduces stress, depression. It also has a positive effect on mental health, blood pressure value, blood sugar, reduces the risk of some malignant diseases. Prevents obesity and positively affects regulating body fat. People are too little aware of how important it is in today's time, when we all just rush somewhere and are overemployed, to maintain contact with nature, move and thus maintain both mental and physical activity. I recommend mountaineering to everyone. Whether somewhere high in the mountains or at the sea, where holiday places hide very beautiful surrounding hills, we just have to find them.«



Never too late for mountaineering, always the right time

It is never too late for mountaineering, you can always go for a walk, first perhaps a shorter one, then extend your activity by a few minutes, half an hour … to your best preparedness. And once you are suitably prepared – join mountaineering clubs on their guided hikes, where guides of the Alpine Association of Slovenia also take care of safety, beautiful experiences, pleasant socializing and safe return home.



To all mountaineers, mountain visitors we wish a happy journey and safe step on all their paths and ascents. We warn all to go to the mountains and your mountain paths appropriately equipped, choose paths suitable to your psychophysical abilities, before departure also check the weather forecast, path conditions and openness of mountain huts, set off early enough and notify family about your paths and plans. Sign in logbooks at peaks and in mountain huts and always keep in mind that at the top you are only halfway – our goal is to safely get home.



Alpine Association of Slovenia