PZS, GRZS and Police for Safer Mountain Visits

Before the summer mountaineering season, PZS, GRZS and the Police are calling for safer visits to the mountains.



With the Day of Slovenian Mountaineering Experiences, which on June 18 invites adults, young people and the youngest mountaineers as well as ski mountaineers to Golte with all-day mountaineering activities, the summer mountaineering season officially begins, lasting until mid-September and attracting the most mountaineers to the mountains. The Alpine Association of Slovenia (PZS), the Mountain Rescue Association of Slovenia (GRZS) and the Police presented the current conditions in the mountains and tips for safer mountain visits at a joint press conference today in Kranj, along with information on the opening of mountain huts and helicopter rescue in the mountains, the Slovenian Ski Mountaineering Trail, the GRZS promotional film and the Gorski vodnik mobile app.



The Alpine Association of Slovenia 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 will be enriched with a free all-day event for visitors of all generations. The Day of Slovenian Mountaineering Experiences 2016 on Saturday, June 18, 2016, at the Mozirska koča on Golte, which is celebrating 120 years this year, is being prepared by PZS, the Mozirje Mountaineering Association and RTC Golte together with partners. "Experiences for young mountaineers include a family orientation hike, creative workshops, climbing on a climbing wall and a fun mountaineering school, mountain rescuers will demonstrate a paraglider rescue exercise from a tree and rescue equipment in the mountains, the Police will conduct a helicopter exercise. Adults will be able to choose from several guided mountaineering excursions starting in the valley or on Golte, ski mountaineers who can join several guided ascents to Golte will rejoice at the opening of the Slovenian Ski Mountaineering Trail that day, and the main event will be enriched by a procession of association standard-bearers and performances by mountaineering choirs," announced PZS General Secretary Matej Planko.



A week earlier, mountain rescuers also traditionally celebrate their day. The Day of Mountain Rescuers and the first aid competition will be on June 11, 2016, at Virnikova planina above Jezersko, primarily intended for gathering mountain rescuers and their family members, as said GRZS President Igor Potočnik.



"The mountain world is already quite dry and sunny, almost like in the valley, but on certain mountaineering trails there is still compacted and frozen snow, which can only be safely crossed with the help of crampons and an ice axe, which we must also know how to use. Recently, we recorded this year's tenth fatality in the Brana area, who tried to cross a snowfield only in boots. She slipped, and the injuries were so severe that she died at the scene. Due to falling rocks, we also recommend using a helmet. Inexperience, inappropriate footwear, lack of knowledge in using equipment, overestimating one's abilities... are some of the many factors that often lead an individual into a hopeless situation," warned PZS expert collaborator and GRZS instructor Matjaž Šerkezi about the current conditions in the mountain world and inadequate tour preparation, also highlighting the pitfalls of social networks that attract insufficiently experienced people to the mountains without proper consideration and knowledge.



Among the mandatory equipment that belongs in every mountain visitor's backpack regardless of the type of tour are aluminum foil or a large black bag and bivouac bag, personal first aid kit, headlamp and spare batteries, mobile phone with full battery, notebook and regular pencil, candle and matches in a waterproof bag, and iron rations (food with high energy value and long shelf life, light and small volume). Mountaineers should also take warm clothing, hat and gloves; the weather in the mountains changes very quickly, very low temperatures and snow in the mountains in summer are not unusual, and most cases of hypothermia occur in the summer months. On difficult and very difficult mountaineering trails, they should use a self-belaying system with a climbing harness and helmet; it is important that they know how to use the equipment. Sun protection with sunscreen and sunglasses is particularly important in the summer mountaineering season. Mountain visitors should also use headwear and ensure sufficient non-alcoholic fluids on hikes. Mountaineers should set off early enough to avoid summer heat and afternoon thunderstorms. Before the tour, every mountain visitor should ask about their psychophysical readiness and the suitability of the chosen path, provide appropriate clothing that will protect them from possible wind, cold and precipitation, and check the weather forecast and opening of mountain huts. It is also important to arrange insurance for mountaineering activities. In Slovenia, high rescue costs in the mountains are covered by ZZZS and the state, in case of negligence by the individual themselves, while abroad everyone must provide for it themselves. Membership in a mountaineering organization already includes insurance to cover rescue costs abroad; only the appropriate type of membership fee is needed. Always keep in mind that we are only halfway when we reach the top – our goal is to get home safely. More in the supplementary material How to Go to the Mountains More Safely – Tips for Safer Visits to the Mountain World.



"Of the 178 mountain huts, shelters and bivouacs, 156 are already open today, the remaining huts will open by the end of June. Today, Vodnikov dom na Velem polju and Bregarjevo zavetišče na planini Viševnik are opening. At the end of the week, on June 11 and 12, Cojzova koča and Kocbekov dom in the Kamniško-Savinjske Alpe will open, where all huts will then be open, and Gomiščkovo zavetišče na Krnu. On June 15, the huts in the Karavanke (Dom na Kofcah, Dom pod Storžičem and Roblekov dom) follow, on June 16 Pogačnikov dom na Kriških podih and Koča pod Bogatinom open, and on June 17 Dom Zorka Jelinčiča na Črni prsti. Presumably on June 18, Koča pri Triglavskih jezerih and Triglavski dom na Kredarici will open. On June 25, the huts under Triglav, Dom Planika and Koča na Doliču, and presumably Koča na Mangrtskem sedlu will open. At the end of June, but the date is not yet set, Zasavska koča na Prehodavcih and Zavetišče pod Špičkom," informed PZS expert collaborator Dušan Prašnikar about the current opening status of mountain huts. For now, Dom Petra Skalarja na Kaninu remains closed, and presumably also Bivak II na Jezerih this season due to the installation of a replacement bivouac. This year, a bivouac on Kanin, in the immediate vicinity of Dom Petra Skalarja, is expected to open. Mountaineers can check up-to-date information on the opening of mountain huts on the PZS website at www.pzs.si/koce.php. Prašnikar also recommended booking accommodation in mountain huts and warned that mountaineers who will not arrive to sleep in the hut should inform the hut staff in time. The Alpine Association recommends that visitors use their own bedding for accommodation in mountain huts, which they bring with them.



"Compared to 2015, the number of accidents is slightly lower, as we have recorded 95 individual cases this year, while in 2015 there were eight more in the same period. The number of fatalities is still concerning, as in 2016 we have already brought 10 individuals from the mountains, including some suicides," presented GRZS President Igor Potočnik with the mountain rescue statistics and comparison between 2015 and 2016 (Accident Statistics from January 1 to June 6, 2016). He emphasized that slipping is still the most common cause of accidents in our mountains, with poor tour preparation including overestimating one's abilities, negligence, disregarding walking rules, recklessness and improper or inadequate equipment playing a key role. Mountain rescuers have helped Slovenian citizens the most this year, followed by Croats, then Germans and Poles; among the most burdened GRS associations at the beginning of the year are Kamnik, Tolmin, Radovljica and Bohinj.



Robert Kralj, head of the Police Mountain Unit and deputy head of the Air Police Unit, presented helicopter rescue in the mountains. "The first June weekend has already started regular helicopter duty of mountain rescuers, doctors and police officers at Brnik, which will run until October 2, in June and September from Friday to Sunday, in July and August every day of the week," announced Kralj and described the appropriate behavior of mountaineers in case of a helicopter arriving for a rescue intervention, where the most important is not to leave the injured alone, to secure oneself and the injured from the helicopter downdraft and falling rocks, and to follow the rescuers' instructions. "In case of an accident, always call 112 and nowhere else, as this shortens the response time of mountain rescuers. It is also invaluable for us that only those at the scene signal to us in case of an accident, and not everyone waves in greeting," he warned.



In Kranj, a short film about mountain rescue was premiered, which speaks about the noblest activity – saving human lives. Mountain rescuers are not paid for this work, but the best reward for them is every saved life, and there are quite a few each year. In addition to rescuers on the ground, who always do the biggest part of the rescue regardless of weather conditions, season or time, the help of the Police and Slovenian Army helicopter is indispensable in rescue. "I tried to show exactly what makes rescuers heroes in the eyes of many. Not just running, rescuing, rappelling, flying by helicopter and treating injuries, which Swiss, French and other rescuers also do, but the rarer, almost unique and noble in Slovenia – the voluntary aspect," highlighted director and screenwriter Anže Čokl. The GRZS promotional film is available online.



Ski mountaineering is becoming an increasingly popular activity among PZS members. As an additional incentive for its development, the PZS Ski Mountaineering Commission has prepared a circular cycling trail that circles all major Slovenian mountain groups, measures around 1800 kilometers and overcomes 50,000 meters of elevation gain. The Slovenian Ski Mountaineering Trail (STKP) is a clear example of contribution to sustainable mobility and one of the largest projects in cycling in Slovenia. "The basic route is not technically particularly demanding, as we want to attract a wide range of ski mountaineers, but it is strenuous in places, sometimes the bike will need to be pushed, but never carried. The trail runs on quiet side roads, field paths, forest tracks and trails. We will gradually add short more demanding variants to the basic route, intended mainly for descents. It is routed so that it often passes railway stations, with which we want to encourage visitors to arrive and return from the starting points of multi-day stages by train," presented the new cycling acquisition by PZS Ski Mountaineering Commission Chief Jože Rovan, adding: "Cyclists who will orient themselves with the help of GPS tracks, maps and dual-purpose markings will discover the diversity of the Slovenian hilly landscape and many important points of mountaineering, ethnographic and technical history along the way. It passes 112 control points, including around 50 mountain huts in less visited hilly areas, and cyclists will prove their visit with stamps in the STKP Logbook."



"PZS has been cooperating with Zavarovalnica Triglav for years in the all-Slovenian ecological action Clean Our Mountains, which is outgrowing its original purpose and expanding into the field of safety in the mountains and raising awareness of visitors," concluded PZS General Secretary Matej Planko, while Ana Cergolj Kebler from Zavarovalnica Triglav, head of the Clean Our Mountains project, presented the free mobile app Gorski vodnik, which will help mountaineers in planning routes to Slovenian mountains: "In the app, you will among other things find 6,219 path sections with a total length of 9,872 km, 1,972 mountaineering trails, 536 peaks, 176 mountain huts, bivouacs and shelters operating under PZS auspices, 77 natural landmarks, 69 pastures and 665 parking lots or starting points."