More than two thousand mountain enthusiasts on Golte

Mountaineering and mountain biking experiences on Golte attracted more than two thousand mountain lovers



The sun was the guide for more than two thousand hikers, mountain bikers, and other mountain and nature enthusiasts of all generations who gathered on Saturday, June 18, 2016, at the Day of Slovenian Mountaineering Experiences near Mozirska koča on Golte. A full bag of experiences was filled with guided mountaineering, mountain biking, and nature conservation excursions, crafting, climbing, orienteering, mountain rescue, and pre-summer mountaineering songs. The solemn procession of flag bearers from mountaineering associations was the introduction to the main event, where they ceremonially opened the Slovenian Mountain Biking Trail, a unique project in Slovenia and wider Europe.



The Alpine Association of Slovenia (PZS) has been celebrating the Day of Slovenian Mountaineers for more than 30 years, and for the fifth year, under the umbrella of the Day of Slovenian Mountaineering Experiences, the program was enriched with a full-day event for adults, young people, and the youngest hikers, mountain bikers, and other nature lovers, which this year was organized by PZS, PD Mozirje, and RTC Golte. Other collaborators included the mountaineering associations Nazarje, Rečica ob Savinji, Ljubno ob Savinji, Črna na Koroškem, and Šoštanj, the Smrekovec Nature Conservation Association, and the Mountain Rescue Service - Celje station.



Participants who came to the mountaineering holiday from all over Slovenia authentically experienced mountaineering as a way of life. Young mountaineers enjoyed family orienteering hikes, creative workshops, climbing on the climbing tower, and tested themselves in the fun mountaineering school. Adults ascended to Golte in the company of mountaineering and mountain biking guides or independently from various starting points and set off on the natural science circular trail across the plateau, to Boskovec, viewed the Alpine Garden and the Mozirska požganija reserve. Both young and old were attracted by the Celje mountain rescuers' exercise demonstrating the rescue of a paraglider from a tree and the Police helicopter exercise. Mountaineers also eagerly viewed the stalls where the PZS Mountaineering Publishing House, Planinski vestnik, local mountaineering and other associations, and companies presented themselves. Val 202 also joined the hustle and bustle, so listeners across Slovenia could feel the mountaineering pulse from Golte.



After mountaineering, mountain biking, nature conservation, creative, and mountain rescue experiences, a special experience for the gathered was the performance of mountaineering singing groups: the Karel Virant Male Choir from Braslovče, the Mohorič sisters from PD Javornik – Črni Vrh nad Idrijo, the Singing Group of the Coastal PD Koper, and the Gorščaki Male Choir. The main event not far from Mozirska koča on Golte, which is celebrating 120 years this year, was started with a solemn procession by flag bearers of 58 mountaineering associations. The Day of Slovenian Mountaineering Experiences was also a true mountain biking holiday with the long-awaited opening of the Slovenian Mountain Biking Trail. "With the Slovenian Mountain Biking Trail, we want to connect all the major Slovenian mountain ranges, present natural beauties as well as numerous interesting places important for mountaineering, and also those with historical and cultural heritage. Let's say it out loud, we modeled it after the Slovenian Mountaineering Trail, which blazed the trail among hiking paths in Europe. We offer opportunities to our mountain huts as well as to less visited areas and small tourist providers there. The trail is something new, as there is no such marked cycling trail anywhere in Europe, about 1800 kilometers long with an elevation gain of more than 50,000 meters. The trail is long and strenuous in places, but technically not overly demanding, as we want to offer cycling opportunities to a wide range of mountain bikers," emphasized Jože Rovan, head of the PZS Mountain Biking Commission, at the opening of the STKP.



The trail designers avoided paths where heavy hiker traffic is expected during planning, choosing sufficiently wide paths where a pedestrian and a cyclist can safely meet. From cyclists, they naturally expect them to reduce speed when meeting and stop at demanding spots to give way to pedestrians. "Hikers and cyclists are slowly getting used to each other, many of us perform in both roles anyway, with appropriate tolerance from both sides, we do not expect problems, because for two smart ones, every path is wide enough," Rovan added. President of the Alpine Association of Slovenia Bojan Rotovnik said: "The Slovenian Mountain Biking Trail project was created because mountain biking is one of our organization's activities, and moreover, we want it to serve as a model example of integrating cycling trails into space. Thus, we want to encourage cycling organizations, given the increased number of cyclists outside urban centers, to more optimistically tackle the preparation of dedicated cycling trails and coordinate in advance with landowners and competent organizations. I believe that with an increased number of dedicated cycling trails, those paths that are less suitable or unsuitable for cyclists will be significantly relieved."



The joyful crowd of mountaineers from near and far was also greeted by the Mayor of the Municipality of Mozirje Ivo Suhoveršnik, President of PD Mozirje Marko Goličnik, and representative of Adriatic Slovenica Roman Komplet, who handed over a voucher for 5000 euros to the PZS president, the amount the insurance company allocated for establishing a safer Slovenian Mountain Biking Trail. The cultural program was enlivened with songs by the Goličnik Music School orchestra from Velenje, the Youth Choir of OŠ Mozirje, and Mozirski koledniki, while the rhythm of the late afternoon gathering was set by the Šepet ensemble.



The Day of Slovenian Mountaineers traditionally marks the start of the summer mountaineering season, which lasts until mid-September and attracts the most mountain lovers to the mountains, who can also enjoy the hospitality of mountain huts, as most are already open, and the rest will be by the end of June. Today, the selection for the best mountain hut also begins on the Planet Siol.net web medium. President of the alpine association Bojan Rotovnik wished the gathered mountaineers many pleasant experiences on the mountaineering trails for farewell.



The media partner of the Day of Slovenian Mountaineering Experiences 2016 was Val 202, and the event partners were Adriatic Slovenica, Treksta, and SelectBox.