31.07.2009
A thunderstorm is a weather phenomenon accompanied by precipitation as well as thunder, lightning, and strikes. Mountain visitors must know that during a thunderstorm we must not stay on peaks and ridges, as lightning most often strikes the highest point. We must also move away from areas that attract lightning strikes. These areas are primarily secured mountain paths full of iron.
We know several types of thunderstorms: The most common are heat thunderstorms,
which occur from April to September, mainly in the afternoon and evening,
rarely early in the morning. We can avoid these thunderstorms if we set out very early,
so that we descend from the peaks already in the morning. Much more
dangerous, but less common, are thunderstorms accompanying the passage of a cold front. Then
we can expect heavy downpours with wind, possibly hail and snow. With these
thunderstorms, large amounts of energy are released, leading to very frequent
lightning strikes. We prevent encountering such a thunderstorm by staying home if a cold front passage is forecast.
How do we recognize a thundery day? The morning sky color is more white
than blue. This is a sign of a large amount of moisture in the air. Already early in the morning
small cumulus clouds begin to form, then larger ones that grow into
thunderstorms. A sign of worsening weather is also high atmospheric electricity, which
we recognize by hair standing on end.
When is the probability of thunderstorms very low? At night we see countless stars in the sky, the morning is clear without a cloud, the grass is dewy, a weak easterly wind blows.
Always check the weather forecast before going to the mountains.
Falling rocks are the cause of numerous mountain accidents in
Slovenia and abroad. Since these accidents are becoming more frequent, mainly due to the increasing
number of mountain visitors, here are some tips on how to increase hikers' safety.
First, we need to know which areas have a higher probability of falling
rocks. These are walls, rocky slopes, narrow valleys, gorges, ravines, gullies,
steep meadows, and steep slopes.
The causes of falling rocks are as follows:
-The most dangerous, which we cannot predict, is an earthquake. In this case, larger rockfalls occur and walking on these paths is unsafe for several years after
the earthquake.
-A thunderstorm, which already brings great danger, also causes falling rocks.
When lightning strikes a rocky slope, it triggers rocks that then fly into the valley at
high speed.
-Snow melting causes falling rocks mainly in spring and early summer days. As snow melts, smaller or larger pieces of hard snow break off and fall down, potentially pushing larger pieces of rock into the valley.
The most dangerous areas are below walls, as above us, usually on the ridge,
a cornice (wind-packed snow on ridges) breaks off and falls into the valley.
-Animals trigger rocks on steep rocky slopes, often above mountain
paths and off-trail areas.
-Hikers who walk on paths over rocks and do not take care not to trigger rocks while walking. The most dangerous are quite frequented paths used by less experienced hikers or even tourists. In Slovenia we have quite a few such paths, the most dangerous being Mangart, Mojstrovka via Hanzova pot, Prisank,
Prestreljenik and Triglav. These are mainly paths with high-altitude starting points.
-There are also some less common causes.
How to behave when walking on slopes where falling rocks can be expected:
-Put on a helmet,
-Cross these slopes as quickly but safely as possible,
-Take care not to trigger rocks ourselves,
-Do not snack.
If we notice rocks flying nearby, warn other hikers loudly with PAZI KAMENJE PADA, and try to get to a safe place as quickly as possible.
If we cannot find a completely safe place, use a backpack to make some shield.
We must protect the head, neck, nape, and spine the most.
A slip is the most common cause of serious mountain accidents, which
often end with the death of a hiker. Slips most often occur in late spring and early summer months, when mountain paths, especially in shady locations, are still under snow. We prevent these slips if we have winter equipment with us (ice axe, crampons and helmet, the latter prevents serious head injuries in case of a slip). Slips also occur on dry paths, mainly on steep grassy slopes and climbing paths. On wet steep grass, crampons will help, but they are not the most practical for walking on dry ground, so after rain we rather avoid such paths. On climbing paths, the rule of three contact points applies, and in recent years the self-belay kit has become increasingly indispensable.
In the rule of three contact points, we must ensure that we have two hands and one foot for support or vice versa (two feet and one hand, so we never move hand and foot at the same time). Such walking is indeed somewhat slower, but much safer. We must be careful in windy weather, as a strong gust of wind can literally move us and, if walking on a steep path or ridge, we can slip into the abyss.
If a slip occurs, try to stop as quickly as possible (do not spare hands and feet), and protect the head while sliding.
Fog can put us in an unenviable position if we are on off-trail or ridges. Due to loss of orientation, we can quickly get lost and night can catch us, bringing cold air and consequent hypothermia.
For safer walking, always have a mobile phone, GPS device or compass, map, and warm clothing with us.
Snakes are most often seen on warm humid days in tall
grass, dwarf pine, and forest edges. In Slovenia we know three species of venomous snakes.
The most dangerous is the horned viper, which stays in lower areas. Less venomous are the common European viper and the asp viper, the latter we see only west of the Soča river in our country.
The common European viper is the most common snake in Slovenian mountains and can be seen up to 2400 m high, most often in the dwarf pine zone.
A snake always tries to avoid a human and will do so unless we surprise it and step on or grab it with our hand in its immediate vicinity.
Then it bites in defense. If bitten, do not panic as the bite is not deadly to an adult (more dangerous for small children). The greatest probability is a bite on the leg or arm. In this case, LIGHTLY tie above the bite site to slow blood flow.
Then immediately go to a doctor; if far from a car (high in the mountains), call 112 and wait for the helicopter; if due to bad weather the helicopter cannot fly, slowly without great effort descend to the valley and then to the doctor. At the doctor we may be kept for a few days for observation, the bite pain disappears at latest after one month.
Ticks are small animals belonging to the mite family. Due to infection, they are classified among the most dangerous animal species in Slovenia. The tick causes two very dangerous infectious diseases: tick-borne meningitis and Lyme disease.
We can preventively protect against tick-borne meningitis by getting vaccinated beforehand. There is still no vaccine against Lyme disease, so monitor the bite site for a few days after removing the tick. If a red circle appears around the site, go to the doctor immediately.
Ticks most often appear on humid meadows,
forest edges, and bushes. The most ticks are up to 800 m altitude, higher their number gradually decreases and above 1400 m they are already very rare. Ticks become active when air temperature exceeds 5 degrees Celsius.
How to protect against ticks: Use protective agents against ticks and other insects, wear smooth and light clothing and a smooth white head covering. After every mountain tour, check the body and thoroughly wash the head; if we notice a tick, we must remove it (when removing, be careful to remove the head too). Clothes worn on the mountain tour, wash in the washing machine.