Gradual Accumulation of Experience and Knowledge for Safer Mountain Visits

For a safer visit to the mountains, gradual accumulation of experience, thorough tour planning, knowledge of current conditions and objective dangers in the mountains, meteorology, first aid, orientation, various movement techniques, necessary equipment and knowledge of its use, as well as a respectful attitude towards the mountains are key. Organized and professionally guided tours, which represent a learning process in nature, are an investment for safer mountain visits and an invitation to mountain enthusiasts to join a mountaineering club, emphasized the Mountaineering Association of Slovenia before the start of the summer mountaineering season on June 7 in Kamniška Bistrica. Accidents in the mountains can happen to anyone, and even the most skilled individuals are no exception, but it is true that there are very few incidents during interventions by mountain rescuers on organized mountaineering activities.

Organized and professionally guided tours are the best guarantee for safer mountain visits. "The key is gradual accumulation of experience! Every activity under the guidance of professionally trained volunteer guides of the MAS is also a learning process in which we train participants for independent movement in the mountain world. On guided excursions, mountaineering camps, orientation competitions, mountaineering schools and elsewhere, we offer participants the opportunity to gain knowledge and experience from various areas of mountaineering for safer movement in the mountains. In addition, mountain rescuers record very few rescues on organized mountaineering activities, which can be an additional invitation to mountaineers to join a mountaineering club and gradually accumulate experience under the guidance of MAS guides. The diverse mountaineering activity offers members of mountaineering clubs both professionally guided and organized mountaineering excursions as well as the company of like-minded nature lovers in their favorite activity," emphasized the general secretary of the MAS and mountaineering education instructor Damjan Omerzu, leader of the journalistic mountaineering excursion to Jermanca above Kamniška Bistrica, where the Mountaineering Association of Slovenia presented current content for safer mountain visits at the beginning of this year's summer mountaineering season.

Volunteer guides of the Mountaineering Association of Slovenia (MAS) have been training under the umbrella organization for 65 years, and for the last 20 years, the MAS Guiding Commission has been responsible for training guides according to uniform criteria and following innovations in the field of volunteer guiding. "The role of MAS guides is very important, as they must ensure quality and safe guiding of group excursions, hikes, tours, ski tours and mountaineering camps, and advise participants on safe movement, equipment and its use, warn them of dangers on the tour and know how to orient themselves in the terrain. They present the surroundings and interesting facts to participants, such as flora, fauna and cultural sights, adapt to the group in terms of movement speed, anticipate breaks, help weaker members of the group, provide basic first aid in case of an accident and ensure that panic does not ensue. Therefore, guides bear great responsibility, and the reward for all guides is a successfully completed tour and satisfied participants," highlighted the head of the MAS Guiding Commission Franc Gričar, also a mountaineering education instructor and MAS guide with enviable mileage.

In 2021, there were 1474 registered volunteer MAS guides actively working in 189 mountaineering clubs throughout Slovenia. More than half (786) are over 50 years old, with (mostly) long-term guiding experience, less than half (559) are in the age range between 30 and 50 years, there is also great interest in guiding among younger people, as currently 129 guides aged 18 to 30 are active. In addition, there are 52 guide trainees. According to survey data for mountaineering clubs, in 2021 more than six thousand mountaineering activities were carried out in the clubs, both one-day and multi-day, with MAS guides participating in the implementation of most of them.

A guided mountaineering tour represents a learning process and means the transfer of knowledge and experience, illuminated from different angles by Jože Drab - as a volunteer MAS guide, author of the handbook Basics of Mountaineering and mentor of the mountaineering club at Sostro Primary School: "In my work with young people, whether as a father or as a teacher at school, I am guided by the principle that children need to be introduced to the mountains so that they understand and love them. The more they hear about topics related to mountains, the more they will remember. If the content is also presented with an interesting explanation, they will understand it even better and recall it later in memory. This includes both theoretical knowledge, e.g. learning about flora and fauna, orientation, mountain ranges, history of mountaineering, as well as movement in the mountains, potential dangers ... Knowledge acquired in childhood is a good investment for safer walking in mature years. Since I have been leading young people to the hills and mountains for a very long time, I see how my former students pass on their enthusiasm for mountains to their children - in the mountaineering club I already have the second generation."

Fresh from the press is the handbook Basics of Mountaineering: Safer in the Mountains with Knowledge, published by the MAS Mountaineering Publishing House, and its author Jože Drab said that it is intended for everyone who wants to learn as much as possible about mountains - both young people and families as well as adults who are just getting to know the mountain world, it can also be helpful to pedagogical workers. Knowledge of basic mountaineering skills is a condition for safe experiences in the mountains: "In recent years, hiking in the mountains has become popular also due to social networks, where especially young people share their experiences. Many are not even aware of the dangers they may be exposed to in search of a beautiful view and attractiveness of photographs. Often they don't even know what they see around them. A picture posted on Instagram or FB can have even more weight - and more likes - if it tells what is seen on it. I would also recommend this book to them." The handbook contains a rich set of recommendations for safer mountain visits, from choosing and properly using equipment, preparing for the tour, knowing dangers, meteorology, first aid and orientation to various movement techniques in the mountain world. Chapters on knowledge of domestic and foreign mountain ranges, flora and fauna of our mountains, protection of mountain nature and history of mountaineering take care of broadening horizons. Since it is nicest and safest to go to the mountains in company, there is no lack of presentation of organized mountaineering in our country and the importance of sociability.

Two young mountaineers from the mountaineering club of Sostro Primary School also talked about acquiring mountaineering knowledge. "I attend the mountaineering club because I like activity in nature, in fresh air and on rocks. If I socialize with friends at the same time, it's even better," said Jan, and Klara said what knowledge and experience they gain in the mountaineering club: "We learn what the right equipment for mountains is, how to walk and climb properly in the mountains, we get to know new places and much more. At the same time, our mutual relationship strengthens on excursions, as in the mountains we are all friends." What mountaineering activities do they carry out with the mentor under the auspices of the club? "Every month we go on a one-day excursion. Sometimes we divide into two groups and the older and more capable go on a harder path. At the end of the school year, we go on a high-mountain two-day excursion. Within the youth section of the club, we also have a winter and summer camp every year."

An accident in the mountains can happen to anyone and even the most skilled individuals are no exception, but it is true that there are very few rescues on organized mountaineering activities, although the number of mountain rescuer interventions is increasing, as shown by the statistics of the Mountain Rescue Association of Slovenia (MRAS). "The statistics of mountain accidents are telling, that the number of accidents is increasing from year to year and that events are becoming increasingly absurd. Many accidents could be prevented with good preparation for the mountaineering tour. Last year we recorded more than 600 events. I have in memory quite a few interventions of GRS Kamnik that could be prevented at home or would not have happened at all if they had looked at the mountaineering map at home and stuck to the markings on the path, which always lead to the right destination," highlighted the professional associate of MAS and MRAS instructor Matjaž Šerkezi and added: "If we look at the statistics of events among professionally trained staff and on organized mountaineering excursions, we find that there are few accidents or injuries there. The statistics we recorded until the epidemic show that in Slovenia there were few accidents or injured among trained staff; 26 mountain rescuers, eight MAS guides and four mountain guides. Therefore, we advise going to the mountains together with a mountaineering guide or mountain guide, who will present this world to us more safely, while reducing the risk. Mountain rescuers this year record already 209 accidents, 18 dead individuals, 84 flights of the Slovenian Army and Police helicopter and voluntary work of 1939 mountain rescuers who participated in interventions."

For a safer visit to the mountains, knowledge of current conditions and objective dangers in the mountains, meteorology, first aid, orientation, various movement techniques, necessary equipment and knowledge of its use, gradual accumulation of experience and a respectful attitude towards the mountains is needed. The first step is tour planning, as highlighted by the general secretary of MAS Damjan Omerzu: "First, we choose a suitable destination, both for ourselves and for the tour participants. In guides and on the map, we study where we are going, what the length and difficulty of the path is. If several paths lead to the same destination, we choose the harder, steeper path for ascent, and the easier and gentler for descent. We inquire in advance about the condition of more demanding paths, as well as about the openness of mountain huts, and if we plan to overnight in a hut, we reserve beds in time, especially in the main summer season. Mountaineering paths start in the valley and let the invitation and challenge be to start excursions at lower starting points and avoid higher ones, as they are usually overcrowded, and thus we also have less negative impact on the mountain environment. We start tours early in the morning to at least partially avoid heat and sun and possible afternoon thunderstorms. A key part of preparation is also monitoring the weather forecast in the days before departure and adapting the tour course to the forecast. We inform our close ones about our plans and possible changes to the tour. Before departure, we check once again if we have all the necessary equipment with us and sufficient amount of food and drink."

We must also take care of appropriate clothing that will protect us from possible wind, cold and precipitation, as well as quality and broken-in mountaineering shoes. We choose clothes and footwear according to the season, regardless of where and for how long we are going to the mountains, we must always have in the backpack first aid, some food and drink for reserve, sun protection, headlamp, mobile phone with full battery, map, documents (personal and mountaineering card with arranged membership and insurance for mountaineering activity), warm clothes and hat and gloves, as the weather in the mountain world can change very quickly, in addition alu-foil or a large black or bivouac bag for protection against hypothermia. What technical equipment we need depends on the difficulty of the path, we can learn its proper use on a course or guided mountaineering tours, then the acquired knowledge needs to be consolidated. In early summer, there is still snow in the high mountains, for safe crossing we need crampons and ice axe, on demanding and very demanding mountaineering paths a self-belay set with climbing harness and helmet.

"Although there is little snow in the mountains, individual parts are still covered with snow. We must be careful especially where paths run over scree, on northern sides, in gullies where the sun rarely shines. Snow is soft during the day and breaks through, towards evening or early in the morning frozen. For mountaineers it represents a trap - it can break through and we can injure our knees, or we can slip on it and seriously injure ourselves. Such snowfields on steep ground can only be crossed with appropriate equipment, i.e. ice axe and crampons, and knowledge. Due to melting of the snow cover and loosening of the frost, we expect more falling rocks, erosion also does its part. We recommend the use of a helmet, which should be a constant on our paths in the high mountains, especially where paths run under walls, over scree or where there are many visitors. Many a mountaineering path is still damaged due to long winter, steel cables can be torn or even part of the path missing due to erosion," described the current conditions in the mountains Matjaž Šerkezi, professional associate of MAS, and emphasized that all current information is collected on the website of the Mountaineering Association of Slovenia.

Basic tips for safer mountain visits:
Plan the path.
Go to the mountains with a backpack with essential mountaineering equipment.
Reserve accommodation in a mountain hut by phone or online.
For mountain visits, the principle of gradualness applies from less demanding to more demanding; from lower to higher. The first mountaineering tour should not be Triglav, save harder ascents for later part of summer, when you will be well broken-in and better physically prepared.
Tasty food and refreshing drink you get in the mountain hut, in the backpack let there be only a snack and enough liquid.
Put on light, summer mountaineering shoes. We recommend high, possibly semi-high, especially for legs unaccustomed to walking on mountaineering paths.
Go to the mountains early, at four, five, and in this way try to avoid summer thunderstorms accompanied by lightning.
Take garbage to the valley and dispose of it in garbage bins.
When crossing mountain pastures, respect the living space of animals grazing there. Observe them from afar. If you have a dog with you, leash it.
If you come to a broken steel cable and the path is not safe for crossing, turn back. If you don't feel well or have a bad day, sit down, catch your breath, look at the nature around you and return with a smile. If you lose markings, return the same way back.

The Mountaineering Association of Slovenia has been celebrating the Day of Slovenian Mountaineers for almost 40 years. After two curtailed corona editions, this year it will be in full swing again, when on June 11 it will be the Day of Slovenian Mountaineers and the Day of Kamnik Mountains, in co-organization with the mountaineering club, municipality and tourism institute Kamnik. In Kamniška Bistrica, a full-day mountaineering event is expected, experiences for young mountaineers, families and adults, guided mountaineering and touring cycling excursions, climbing on a climbing tower, presentation of mountain rescue, central event with procession of flag bearers of mountaineering clubs, something interesting for everyone.

Good luck and safe step!