Summer in the Valley, Still Winter in the Mountains

Summer in the valley, still winter in the mountains - carefully choose your destination, equipment, and check the conditions.



Although it's already real summer in the valley, the conditions in the high mountains are still winter-like, so before visiting the mountains, think twice about choosing the destination, check the conditions, carefully prepare for the tour, and choose appropriate equipment. Lower-lying destinations are therefore even more suitable, and on June 15, the Alpine Association of Slovenia, together with the mountain society and the municipality of Sevnica, invites you to the Day of Slovenian Mountain Experiences on Lisca, where today they presented the current conditions and traps in the mountains, contents for safer mountain visits, PZS activities for obtaining funds for maintaining mountain huts and paths (Mountain Lottery Ticket and collaboration with Clean Our Mountains), and the development of the mountain destination Lisca as a tourist destination.







"In the mountains, it's currently still winter, snow covers individual mountain paths, and we predict it will last until late August. The snow is hard and compacted, it softens during the day, and freezes again at night. Such snow patches can only be crossed with appropriate equipment, which includes high mountain boots, an ice axe, and crampons, and a helmet is mandatory on the head, also everywhere where paths run under walls, as the rock is crumbly after a long winter. A threat for slipping is also thin ice that forms at the end of the snowfield and is almost invisible mixed with mud and sand. When we step on the icy patch with boots, and if it doesn't break under our weight, we can slip and get injured. Due to snow melting near rocks or boulders, edge crevasses or just holes form, which are still covered with snow on top. For hikers, this represents an invisible trap that collapses under load, and we fall into it, potentially injuring our legs or hitting our head," described the current conditions and traps in the mountains by PZS expert collaborator and alpinist instructor Matjaž Šerkezi.







Given the large number of mountain rescuers' interventions last weekend, before visiting the mountains, think twice about choosing the destination and carefully check the conditions. "We advise hikers to inquire about the path conditions with mountain hut keepers before heading out on the tour and adapt the tour to the conditions and personal experiences. If they come to a snow patch covering the mountain path and don't have all the necessary equipment for crossing the snowfield, they should turn back. We also discourage riding or sliding on snow, as one can quickly lose control over speed and not be able to stop anymore. Although temperatures in the valley are completely summery, mornings and evenings in the mountains are cold, and thunderstorms accompanied by lightning can surprise us," further warned Šerkezi.







We must ensure appropriate clothing that will protect us from possible wind, cold, and precipitation, but even more importantly, treat our feet to quality and broken-in mountain boots. We choose clothing and footwear according to the season, but regardless of where and for how long we are heading to the mountains, we must always have in our backpack first aid, some reserve food and drink, sun protection, a headlamp, a mobile phone with a full battery, documents (personal and mountain membership card with paid membership and insurance for mountain activities), warm clothes, a hat, and gloves, as the weather in the mountain world can change very quickly, and in addition, aluminum foil or a large black or bivouac bag for protection against hypothermia.







A mountain map also belongs in the backpack, a printed guide is welcome for planning the excursion, while information from the web and social networks should only serve to refresh current conditions on the path, emphasized Šerkezi regarding the just-issued map of Lisca and Sevnica with surroundings at a scale of 1:30,000: "Key is good preparation for the tour, which includes a route plan. Personally, I always have in my backpack a mountain map of the area I will visit, and a compass. On my phone, I have the Locus Map app installed, which serves for real-time orientation according to the pre-planned tour and in which we can also find quality PZS mountain maps." The tour must be adapted to the experiences and abilities of the weakest member, as posts in the media and on social networks can directly and unconsciously invite readers to move on more difficult terrain, which is dangerous and the cause of numerous mountain accidents, of which there have already been 196 this year, with 16 individuals losing their lives. In case of an accident, always call the number 112.







One should also inquire about the path and its condition, as due to the prolonged winter, certain parts of mountain paths may also be damaged. Quality and verified information about the condition on mountain paths and safer mountain visits can be found on the website of the Alpine Association of Slovenia, more detailed information from mountain hut keepers. Lower-lying huts and those in the mid-mountains are mostly already open, high-mountain huts will open later in some places due to snow, but from June 15 to the end of the month, all will open their doors. Before visiting the mountains, hikers should check the openness of mountain huts on the PZS website koce.pzs.si or with the mountain society.







What technical equipment we need depends mainly on the season and the difficulty of the path, and we can learn its proper use on a course or guided mountain tours, then the acquired knowledge needs to be reinforced. In early summer, there is still snow in the high mountains, for safe crossing we need crampons and an ice axe, on demanding and very demanding mountain paths a self-belay set with a climbing harness and helmet. "Quality equipment is widely available today, but one must also know how to use it properly. It's important to test it at home and adjust it to the appropriate size. More accessible shorter paths, like the very demanding mountain path to Lisca, are also a good opportunity before heading to the high mountains to test the use of equipment and see how we feel at height, and thus gain first experiences of moving on such a path," emphasized PZS general secretary and mountain education instructor Matej Planko, who together with Šerkezi demonstrated proper movement on very demanding mountain paths and the use of the self-belay system, assisted in the ascent by PZS guides Rok Petančič and Franc Gričar.







Planko also pointed out the often incorrect naming. Paths like this one leading from Cirje to Lisca are classified in the mountain organization as very demanding mountain paths, where walking is replaced or supplemented by climbing, equipped with steel cables, pegs, and steps to help us through the demanding area, they represent a connection from the starting point to the destination and run through natural passages. We must distinguish them from via ferratas, climbing areas with protection, which belong among sports facilities in the natural environment and are not part of the mountain infrastructure. In via ferratas, the additionally installed steel cable is intended exclusively to mitigate in case of a fall, while protections on a very demanding mountain path also help with progression.







Slovenian mountains are visited by 1.7 million visitors annually, with more and more foreign visitors, as Slovenia promotes itself as a green, active, healthy tourist destination, where among activities in nature, mountaineering and hiking take the lead. Greater mountain visits also mean greater burden on the environment and operation of mountain huts and more work for trail markers. Mountain paths and huts are mostly in the domain of voluntary work of mountain societies and their members, but the burden is becoming too great, so the alpine association is active in several areas in obtaining funds. "Despite long-term efforts, we have not yet succeeded in securing a systemic financial source for maintaining mountain paths and huts, we remain left to voluntary work and the good will of the local community. The results of last year's study of economic and social effects of mountaineering showed that tourism revenues due to mountain activities are at least 120 million euros annually, but since there are no results from discussions with the state yet, we are active ourselves. We collaborate with various partners who have recognized the added value of mountaineering and are willing to invest financial resources in it. In collaboration with the Sports Lottery, we bet on good and have issued the Mountain Lottery Ticket, part of the proceeds from which will be dedicated to the renovation of mountain huts and paths, and we have been successfully collaborating with Triglav Insurance for a long time, which under the auspices of the Clean Our Mountains action will also this year allocate funds for the renovation of the mountain path that hikers will vote as the best mountain path in the action."







By purchasing the Mountain Lottery Ticket, which costs one euro, buyers also contribute to the renovation of mountain paths and huts, and it can be found at all Sports Lottery sales points, on the website www.e-stave.com, from June 17 it will also be available in the PZS Mountain Shop. Trail markers and the development of their work are also supported by the Clean Our Mountains action, which co-finances training for trail markers and this year for the second time with PZS selects the best mountain path - hikers can vote until June 25 for one of the eleven proposed paths that need maintenance, the mountain society of the winning path will receive funds in the amount of 3000 euros for renovation and maintenance, after last year with PD Celje Matica they renovated the path from the Rinka waterfall to the Frischauf home on Okrešlj. The tenth season of the Clean Our Mountains action will also be marked by the gradual withdrawal of dispensers with plastic bags, which were installed at numerous mountain huts.







The Alpine Association of Slovenia has been celebrating the day of Slovenian mountaineers for 37 years, for the eighth year under the umbrella of the Day of Slovenian Mountain Experiences, the program will be enriched with free all-day events for adults, young and youngest mountaineers, touring cyclists, and other nature lovers, which on Saturday, June 15, on Lisca is prepared together with the Lisca Sevnica Mountain Society and MDO PD Zasavja, with the support of the Municipality of Sevnica and KŠTM Sevnica. "The Lisca Sevnica Mountain Society, with a long tradition of operation since 1905, is hosting the Day of Slovenian Mountain Experiences on Lisca for the third time this year; under the name day of Slovenian mountaineers, meetings took place already in 1981 and 2002," said the president of PD Lisca Sevnica Rok Petančič and with a diverse program invited to Lisca of mountain experiences: "Lisca is the natural and tourist gem of Sevnica and Posavje and at 947 meters altitude an exceptional location for rest and experiencing unspoiled nature. Due to its accessibility, orderliness, and rich content, it is very popular among surrounding residents and also tourist guests from near and far. With mid-mountain climate, natural endowments, and wonderful views, it enchants and attracts numerous mountaineers and climbers, hikers, cyclists, paragliders, riders, and nature lovers. See you on June 15 on Lisca!"







"An active and healthy lifestyle requires each individual to connect their leisure activities as much as possible with their workday. Lisca thus becomes an important space for realizing mountain and other experiences in nature. As one of the most recognizable peaks of Posavje with a long-standing mountain, tourist, and sports tradition, it improves and adapts its comprehensive offer to the needs of the current time, which is to the joy of numerous visitors," highlighted in Tončkov dom on Lisca the mayor of the Municipality of Sevnica Srečko Ocvirk and added: "The Municipality of Sevnica, as the owner of the central object, Tončkov dom, has also in recent years with investments enabled important improvements. In collaboration with others interested in the development of Lisca, a secured climbing path was established, natural science learning paths, arranged indoor spaces, outdoor areas, and we could list more. Thus, with development-oriented activities, the quality of spending time at this central tourist-recreational point is raised."