Falling Rocks

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 the safety of hikers.
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 side ridges, and steep slopes.
The causes of falling rocks are the following:
- The most dangerous one, which cannot be predicted, is an earthquake. In this case, larger rockfalls occur, and walking on these paths is not safe for several years after the earthquake.
- A thunderstorm, which already brings great danger in itself, also causes falling rocks. When lightning strikes a rocky slope, rocks are dislodged and fly down into the valley at high speed.
- Snow melting is the cause of falling rocks mainly in spring and early summer days. As the snow melts, smaller or larger pieces of hard snow break off and fall downward, potentially pushing larger rocks into the valley. The most dangerous areas are below walls, as cornices (wind-blown snow on ridges) usually break off on the ridge above us and fly into the valley.
- Animals trigger rocks on steep rocky slopes, often above mountain trails and off-trail areas.
- Hikers who walk on rocks along the path and do not take care not to dislodge rocks while walking. The most dangerous are heavily visited trails used by less experienced hikers or even tourists. In Slovenia, there are quite a few such trails; the most dangerous are Mangart, Mojstrovka via the Hanzova route, Prisank, Prestreljenik, and Triglav. These are mainly trails 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 as possible but still safely,
- Take care not to dislodge rocks ourselves,
- Do not linger.
If we notice rocks flying nearby, warn other hikers with a loud voice “PAZI KAMENJE PADA” (Watch out, rocks are falling), and try to move to a safe place as quickly as possible. If we cannot find a completely safe spot, use the backpack to create some shield. Most importantly, protect the head, neck, nape, and spine.