Julian Alps in Four Guidebooks and Under the Snow Cover

The Mountaineering Association of Slovenia's publishing house has released the last of four guidebooks on the Julian Alps ahead of the 35th Slovenian Book Fair. In them, authors Klemen Janša, Jože Drab, Andraž Poljanec, and Roman Tratar systematically describe everything from the least demanding marked hiking trails to challenging off-trail routes and even easier climbing routes. Attractive mountaineering destinations, but only with appropriate equipment, knowledge, and experience—especially now, when snow has blanketed the mountains, making them even more dangerous in their winter majesty. Therefore, late autumn is a good time to check equipment and, with mountaineering maps, guidebooks, and fiction, plan for sunny days with stable snow cover.







The series of encyclopedic guidebooks on the Julian Alps represents the long-awaited and modern user-adapted revision of Tinet Mihelič's legendary work Julian Alps. Authors Klemen Janša, Jože Drab, Andraž Poljanec, and Roman Tratar, experienced enthusiasts, have verified all descriptions with their own feet and written them for hikers taking their first steps into the mountains as well as the most experienced trailblazers and enthusiasts of off-trail paths and normal routes to remote summits. The guidebooks are distinguished by encyclopedic systematicity; descriptions of valleys and starting points are followed by a chapter on huts and shelters, with the most important part being descriptions of all peaks and routes to them. The clear and illustrative layout highlights the most important data, GPS coordinates of all key points are added, along with illustrative photographs that aid orientation, and the search for data is further facilitated by the renewed graphic design.







The first to be published was the guidebook Julian Alps: Mangart and Jalovec Groups, authored by Jože Drab, focusing on the northwestern part of the Eastern Julian Alps with descriptions of the most famous Slovenian peaks, as well as some of the most valued spots for seekers of mountain solitude. The second guidebook, Western Julian Alps by Klemen Janša, brings descriptions of the enticing western part of the Julians, which are mostly on the Italian side of the border and lack such a detailed description even in Italian. The guidebook Julian Alps: southern part covers the area from the Krn Group across the Bohinj-Tolmin Ridge to Ratitovec and Jelovica, and seasoned writer Andraž Poljanec has prepared some more demanding treats from the southern edge of the Julians for avid explorers.







The last one, published this October with the support of the Foundation for Financing Sports Organizations in the Republic of Slovenia, is the guidebook Julian Alps: central part. Regarding the difficulty of ascents, author Roman Tratar says: "The range in the central part of the Julian Alps includes most of our highest mountains, with Triglav at the forefront. Marked and secured paths lead to them from the valleys, often reaching the category of very demanding, where self-belaying is recommended. In off-trail areas like the Martuljek Group, summits are reached only by climbing ascents, best in the company of a mountain guide. In the Pokljuka, Mežakla, and mountains above Bohinj area, the mountains are mostly more accessible, although some peaks have no marked paths or only less demanding off-trail routes."







Attractive mountaineering destinations, but only with appropriate equipment, knowledge, and experience, warns Matjaž Šerkezi, professional associate of the Mountaineering Association of Slovenia and mountain rescuer: "The time has come when snow has blanketed the mountains, and only the most experienced can head there—those who not only have the equipment but know how to use it, what it's for, and are aware of snow avalanche hazards... Volunteers from PZS guides and mountain guides will accompany the rest into the snowy mountain world and ensure a safer path. I would emphasize knowledge of using mountaineering and alpinistic equipment, which is readily available today, but improper use and lack of knowledge pose great danger and risk of injury or death for every mountain visitor. Visiting snowy mountains requires an experienced mountaineer with broad mountaineering knowledge and technical proficiency."







"The avalanche danger level across the entire Julian Alps area above 1800 meters is considerable, third level on the five-level European scale, the same applies to the Kamnik-Savinja Alps above 2000 meters, so we advise against visiting the high mountains. In lower areas, the avalanche danger is low, first level, but the ground is frozen and slippery, the same for forest paths covered with autumn leaves hiding ice or wet roots that require caution when walking. In addition to basic gear, mandatory winter equipment includes an ice axe and crampons (not microspikes!), avalanche transceiver, probe, and aluminum shovel, warm clothing, and a large dose of knowledge, experience, and common sense. One must also know when to turn back in time," Šerkezi further emphasizes and adds: "Late autumn is a good time to check personal equipment, replace batteries in the avalanche transceiver, and over a cup of mountaineering tea review maps and guidebooks, read a book with mountaineering content, browse the Mountaineering Bulletin, arm ourselves with knowledge and information, and thus prepare for days suitable for visiting snowy mountains—sunny days with temperature inversion and stable snow cover."







Winter mountains, though beautiful and majestic, are also dangerous, and Gorazd Gorišek, author of this year's guidebook To the Snowy Mountains, likewise urges mountain visitors. It is intended for a wider circle of users, so most feature easier mid-mountain peaks, but for mountaineering connoisseurs, some more demanding high-mountain tours are described. Lovers of winter mountains will find ideas and descriptions for ascents to 55 destinations in the Julian Alps, Karavanke, Kamnik-Savinja Alps, Primorska, Notranjska, Posavje, and Zilje Alps.







This year, in addition to the guidebooks Julian Alps: central part and To the Snowy Mountains, the PZS Mountaineering Publishing House also released Slovenian Mountain Trail (Gorazd Gorišek, Mojca Stritar Kučuk, Andraž Poljanec) in English and Dolomites Long and Across (Andrej Mašera), autobiographical works Those Beautiful Years (Rado Kočevar and Mojca Volkar Trobevšek) and Ask the Mountain (Joža Mihelič), a new edition of the textbook Climbing Technique (Marjan Keršič - Belač), picture book Fairy Tale of Chamois Vili and Mountain Flowers (Stanka Klakočer), map of Lisca and Sevnica with surroundings, and a very special Mountaineering Calendar 2020.







The Mountaineering Association of Slovenia will present itself at the 35th Slovenian Book Fair, from November 27 to December 1 at Cankarjev dom in Ljubljana, in its traditional way with special fair discounts, long-awaited novelties, established mountaineering guidebooks, maps, and fiction, and two events:



>>> Along the Slovenian Mountain Trail and to the Dolomites (November 27, Forum for Visitors, 18:00)

On popular viewpoints with the creators of the guidebooks Slovenian Mountain Trail and Dolomites Long and Across: Gorazd Gorišek, Jože Drab, and Andrej Mašera.



>>> Memories of Rado Kočevar and Joža Mihelič (November 29, Forum for Visitors, 12:00)

Into alpinistic, family, and friendly memories with narrators of unique life stories Rado Kočevar and Jože Mihelič, alongside the autobiographies Those Beautiful Years and Ask the Mountain.