Lisca: Mountain experiences for 2500 mountain lovers

For the third time, all paths led to Lisca, where on June 15 hiking, mountain biking, climbing, path marking, orienteering, mountain rescue, nature conservation, and cultural experiences brought two thousand five hundred adults, youths, and the youngest hikers, mountain bikers, climbers, and other mountain and nature lovers from all over Slovenia and beyond its borders. The joyful crowd thus traditionally entered the summer hiking season.







Hiking is one of the most popular leisure activities among Slovenians, which brings more and more tourists to the sunny side of the Alps. Slovenian mountains are visited by 1.7 million visitors annually, more than two thousand of whom gathered on Lisca at the traditional start of the summer hiking season. The Alpine Association of Slovenia (PZS) has been celebrating Slovenian hikers' day for 37 years, and for the eighth year, under the umbrella of the Day of Slovenian Mountain Experiences, the program has been enriched with all-day activities for visitors of all generations, organized jointly by PZS, PD Lisca Sevnica, and MDO PD Zasavja, with the support of the Municipality of Sevnica and KŠTM Sevnica.







Planinsko društvo Lisca Sevnica, with a long tradition of operation since 1905, is one of the oldest in Slovenia, and it hosted Slovenian hikers' day on Lisca in 1981 and 2002 as well. Hikers and mountain bikers who chose Sevnica, Breg, Loka pri Zidani Most, Krakovo, Cirje, Podgorje, Planina pri Sevnici, or Zidani Most as starting points mostly ascended to Lisca on the third Saturday in June in the company of PZS guides, while some set out for the experiences on their own. In the vicinity of Tončkov dom on Lisca, renowned for its excellent cuisine, diverse experiences thrilled both young and old. The hustle at the climbing wall never ceased, there was lively action at the children's orienteering along Gamsova pot, Vesela planinska šola entertainingly presented mountain nature conservation to all generations, participants learned about the work of path markers who voluntarily maintain a network of over ten thousand kilometers of hiking trails in Slovenia, and mountain rescuers from GRS Celje, who selflessly save lives in the mountains. Razbor, the most beautiful hillside village of 2008, presented itself with a colorful cultural program, the character of Blaž Jurk, and a folklore group; attention was drawn by award-winning photos from the Zasavska planinska pot contest and the exhibition Nature of the Mountain World - Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow. Hikers also stopped with interest at stands where the alpine association, police, local community, and companies presented themselves. During Adult Learners Week, the PZS Committee for Mountaineering for the Disabled/OPP PZS presented itself with actions Deaf Serve in Mountain Huts and Together We Step, Let's Conquer the Peak.







On Lisca, the natural and tourist jewel of Sevnica and Posavje, the alpine hymn Oj, Triglav, moj dom performed by the Planinska pevska skupina Encijan sounded as an introduction to the main event, enriching the continuation of the cultural program as well. The all-Slovenian holiday at the point of Zasavska planinska pot, the second oldest circular trail in Slovenia, was honored by flag bearers of 49 alpine clubs in a solemn procession. The gathered were addressed by the President of the Alpine Association of Slovenia, Jože Rovan, proud that so many hikers gathered at the Slovenian alpine holiday, united by their love for nature and mountains, and valuing companionship greatly. He also highlighted that the maintenance of hiking trails and huts mostly rests on the shoulders of dedicated club workers and modest resources of alpine clubs, while state assistance is insufficient and incomparable to conditions abroad, which is why the alpine fund and Planinska srečka have come to life. Welcome was wished to the joyful crowd of hikers from near and far also by MDO PD Zasavja President Jože Prah, PD Lisca Sevnica President Rok Petančič, and Mayor of Sevnica Municipality Srečko Ocvirk. The folklore group Spomin DU Sevnica thrilled with a wreath of dances, the gathered learned about the character of Blaž Jurk, pioneer of Posavje mountaineering, and the band Fantje izpod Lisce provided true alpine fun. Val 202 also mingled among the hikers this year, so listeners across Slovenia could relive the atmosphere from Lisca.







That happiness lies in meeting is proven time and again by the satisfied faces of participants in Slovenian hikers' day, which traditionally also marks the start of the main hiking season. This season, until mid-September, attracts the most visitors to the mountains, also thanks to hospitable mountain huts, most of which are already open, with the remaining high mountain ones opening by the end of June. The pulse of the summer months will be shaped by the selection for the best mountain hut 2019 on the Siol.net portal. Safe and happy travels on the hiking trails was wished to the gathered hikers by PZS President Rovan in farewell.