Valvasor Hut below Stol Best Mountain Hut 2016

In the summer campaign of the Alpine Association of Slovenia and the Siol.net web portal Best Mountain Hut 2016, hikers selected the Valvasor Hut below Stol (1181 m) as the most popular, which won this prestigious title two years ago and convincingly this year among 66 huts competing for this award. The winner will widely open its doors to its loyal visitors and all other mountain lovers on Saturday, September 24, 2016, when the final celebration will take place in paradise below Stol.



Hikers and readers of www.siol.net faced a difficult decision, as 66 mountain huts (out of a total of 179 mountain huts, shelters, and bivouacs) competed for this year's Best Mountain Hut title in the first round. These huts either have an environmentally and/or family-friendly mountain hut certificate or an installed sewage treatment plant; otherwise, they are known for hospitable caretakers, delicious food, and scenic surroundings that invite hiking and other mountain activities. Even with decisive votes for qualification to the final, voters showed that they appreciate the efforts of the caretakers and the open doors of mountain huts that strive for the well-being and warm shelter of hikers.



The votes – nearly 70,000 in both rounds – testify to this year's undisputed winner: Valvasor Hut below Stol (MC Radovljica), reigning in the heart of the Karavanks at 1181 meters. The victory for caretaker Aleš Štefe was not a big surprise, as he won the award two years ago and placed second last year behind the winner Planinski dom na Kumu (MC Kum Trbovlje), but it brought great joy to paradise below Stol, as they like to call it. "Obviously, people like our way of working; we probably convinced the voters with work in the spirit of mountaineering. Although the Valvasor Hut is accessible by car, most visitors are real hikers who love and soulfully go to the hills. Some are Sunday excursionists who come for lunch and feel good in our garden. The hut is also an interesting mountain biking destination, especially the road to the hut is frequented, as up to fifty cyclists visit us daily. In winter, it's a popular toboggan run here, Valvasor is also a starting point or destination for ski tourers. We are open all year round, which certainly adds a piece to the mosaic of the hut's offer," said Štefe, who after four years of caretaking at the Valvasor Hut gets a special boost from this recognition: "After four years of caretaking, you need an energy injection like this, which is confirmation that the whole team is doing well, and momentum for further work, as we will continue in the same lineup next year too."



The Valvasor Hut below Stol is famous for its excellent cuisine; guests most often ask for mountaineering spoon dishes like ričet, jota, bograč, and vampi, occasionally they can treat themselves to the house specialty Babudrovo presenečenje. From the Valvasor kitchen also enticingly smell always homemade bread, homemade struklji, and buckwheat krapi, as well as various and already awarded rolls; in 2014, their apple strudel was chosen as the best štrudl. Nestled in the Karavanks, the Valvasor Hut is an excellent starting point for hiking trips to Stol, Ajdna, and Vajnež, walks towards Breška, Potoška, and Žirovniška planina, hikes to Prešeren Hut on Stol, Roblek Hut on Begunjščica, Planinski dom on Zelenica, Koča pri izviru Završnice, Dom Pristava in Javorniški Rovt, and Tinčkova hunting hut. The modernly equipped and renovated hut proudly holds certificates for family- and environment-friendly mountain hut, showing its hospitality towards children and their parents as well as environmentally friendly and energy-efficient management.



"If we were winners in 2014 and moral winners last year with all our huts among the finalists, this year we were more surprised than by the renewed victory of the Valvasor Hut that the Roblek Hut placed so high. Congratulations to all caretakers! Indeed, behind the operation of the huts stands the mountaineering club that helps them, but ninety percent of success can be attributed to the caretakers. This enviable title is also a great obligation for the future," emphasized Valentin Rezar, president of MC Radovljica, one of the oldest and largest mountaineering clubs in Slovenia, which manages Valvasor Hut below Stol, Roblek Hut on Begunjščica, and Pogačnik Hut on Kriške pode. As the most important factors for the popularity of mountain huts, the proud president highlighted the friendliness of caretakers, their voluntariness and readiness to help in good and bad times, location or environment, and good service, as visitors appreciate tasty, fresh, and diverse food.



"In the Alpine Association of Slovenia, we are happy about the cooperation with the Siol.net web portal, as the entire campaign significantly contributes to the recognition of Slovenian mountain huts. The joyful response of voters shows that visitors to Slovenian hills and portal readers have taken the choice as their own, and the selection of the winner indicates that hikers have again recognized and rewarded the authentic caretaking approach and excellent offer, which is an example of good work by the staff at Valvasor Hut below Stol and Mountaineering Club Radovljica," is convinced PZS General Secretary Matej Planko, while Siol.net Editor-in-Chief Uroš Urbas is already looking to the future: "Nearly 70,000 votes in this year's campaign is recognition for all caretakers of Slovenian mountain huts that their effort is highly valued by hikers. For the winner, it is primarily a commitment to continue delighting hikers. Next year, we aim for 100,000 votes in the Best Mountain Hut campaign!"



Culinary delights from the Valvasor kitchen will pamper hikers' stomachs on Saturday, September 24, when at 11 a.m. there will be a celebration for the Best Mountain Hut 2016 with the presentation of the plaque to the winners of this year's campaign, and the band Dor Ma Cajt will ensure a good atmosphere. All mountain lovers are invited!



Ranking of finalists for Best Mountain Hut 2016



1. Valvasorjev dom pod Stolom (PD Radovljica)

2. Roblekov dom na Begunjščici (PD Radovljica)

3. Planinski dom na Kalu (PD Hrastnik)

4. Cojzova koča na Kokrskem sedlu (PD Kamnik)

5. Tončkov dom na Lisci

6. Planinski dom pri Gospodični na Gorjancih (PD Krka Novo mesto)

7. Koča na planini Razor (PD Tolmin)

8. Češka koča na Spodnjih Ravneh (PD Jezersko)

9. Koča Antona Bavčerja na Čavnu (PD Ajdovščina)

10. Krekova koča na Ratitovcu (PD za Selško dolino Železniki)



Sincere congratulations to all huts and their caretakers!