With knowledge and experience into the mountains in winter...

With knowledge and experience into the mountains in winter - from first-hand professional sources and not from social media.



Winter visits to the mountains are characterized by lower temperatures, shorter days, closed mountain huts, and specific snow conditions, so heading into the mountains in winter requires careful planning, obtaining on-site information, considering personal experience, appropriate equipment, and knowledge of its use. Therefore, we set off into the mountains thoughtfully and responsibly, acquiring knowledge from credible and professionally trained personnel and not from social media, as emphasized by PZS expert collaborator and mountain rescuer Matjaž Šerkezi and the head of the PZS Climbing Commission and mountaineering education instructor Franc Gričar at the Alpine Association of Slovenia (PZS) press conference on December 11, on International Mountain Day, at Krvavec.







The Slovenian high mountains are under a thick snow cover, while lower down the mountain paths are slippery due to moisture and icy bases, presented PZS expert collaborator and mountain rescuer Matjaž Šerkezi the current conditions in the mountains: "The avalanche danger level is second degree on the European five-level scale, specifically above 1800 meters above sea level, with wind-packed snow being particularly problematic. Mountain paths and off-trail routes at this altitude are icy due to inversion and low night temperatures. Northern slopes, walls, couloirs, especially shady sides, are snow-covered, the snow is hard, compacted, and icy. On lower areas, especially in the forest, the danger is posed by dry leaves that are slippery by themselves, with wet roots and rocks hidden underneath, and sometimes icy bases. However, conditions in the mid-mountains and high mountains are currently very varied. For example, you can reach Kamniško sedlo on foot, only the last 200 meters of the path are partially icy and can be safely avoided, while just 100 meters away in aerial distance, the path to Kokrsko sedlo requires crampons and an ice axe, as it is snow-covered and covered with compacted snow and ice."







Winter mountain visits are also marked by other specifics highlighted by Franc Gričar, head of the PZS Climbing Commission and mountaineering education instructor: "Days are short, mountain huts are closed, and in the mountains there is snow with sub-zero temperatures and often strong winds. Fog often reduces visibility and quickly leads inexperienced hikers astray, the landscape becomes uniform everywhere, panic sets in, and accidents can quickly occur due to falling over a rock step or slipping on wet ground. Individuals too often head into the hills without proper equipment, forgetting headlamps, first aid, warm clothing, only to be surprised by night or miss the path due to poor visibility. In winter, the landscape's appearance changes, and it's not certain that if we know it from summer days, we'll recognize it in winter too. A well-visible summer mountain path - covered with leaves or snow blanket - is poorly visible. Therefore, good orientation knowledge is very important, and above all, having a quality mountaineering map and compass with us. Of course, the LocusMap app on a smartphone will also come in handy, but it should not replace a printed map."







For visiting the mountains in winter, we need complete winter equipment - ice axe, crampons, and helmet; for high mountain visits, also an avalanche transceiver set. Before each trip, check the condition of the equipment, snow conditions in the area we're heading to, and the opening of mountain huts. In addition to technical equipment for hiking in the mountains in winter, we need all the equipment as for summer dry conditions, plus good winter mountaineering boots, gaiters to protect against snow entering the boots, quality clothing that protects against wind, cold, and moisture and has good insulation properties. Sun protection is needed, don't forget spare clothing, and the fact that days are shorter in winter and most mountain huts are closed, so we need more warm fluids and food in the backpack.







"When preparing for a trip, we must ask ourselves if our knowledge and experience match the difficulty of the chosen trip. More and more hikers head into the mountains with appropriate equipment but don't know how to use it or use it incorrectly. Crampons on feet and trekking poles in hands, ice axe in hands without gloves, wide pants, head not covered with a helmet, straps hanging over knees, belaying on rope with wrong knot or two hikers roped together without protection, avalanche transceiver on top of clothing or in backpack, with microspikes to the top of Grintovec ... all these are deadly and dangerous combinations that the inexperienced are unaware of. In a slip or fall, the first seconds are crucial, and even the most skilled alpinists struggle with them, let alone someone who has never tried self-arrest with an ice axe and has no gloves on their hands. In a moment, they will lose skin and muscles on the hand, drop the ice axe, and slide uncontrolled down the slope like a full backpack," added Šerkezi, also shedding light on the dangerous populism of social media: "Last year, it was noticeable that social media populism awakened individuals who exploit mountain prevention for promotional purposes and thus advertise certain products and equipment. Mostly, their advice is a rehash of PZS and GRZS news, but taken out of context and misrepresented, as they are mostly presented by influencers without mountaineering knowledge or whose experience is based solely on a few trips or safer hiking courses. Individuals also appear who lead into the mountains beyond their competencies and knowledge, which is particularly dangerous. For this reason, we must be cautious when hiring a guide or following energetic posts by individuals on social media."







Among the technical equipment needed for safer high mountain visits in winter are crampons, ice axe, and helmet. "For high mountain visits, the only correct choice is 10- or 12-point mountaineering crampons. Various microspikes, chains, and other rubber variants, which are a real fashion hit in recent years, belong in the city and on gentler terrain, as they lack front points and are not suitable for serious mountaineering trips, unfortunately they also contributed to the death of a female hiker on Grintovec last year," emphasized Šerkezi once again and demonstrated the danger of microspikes when used on unsuitable terrain, as they can come off boots on a slope, causing a slip. Mountaineering education instructor Gričar demonstrated the correct use of crampons and ice axe, noting that as soon as crampons are put on the feet, poles should be replaced by the ice axe - only then can we successfully self-arrest in case of a fall, and the helmet protects our head: "In the mountains, it is essential to have appropriate equipment that must also be used correctly; for ensuring safety, our own and other trip participants', appropriate experience is also needed, which can only be gained with mileage in the mountains. For winter trips at the beginning, we go under the watchful eye of qualified guides within mountaineering clubs or mountain guides, and knowledge can also be acquired at various winter courses for movement in the mountain world. Experienced hikers always check avalanche conditions, weather forecast, path conditions, mountain hut openings before heading out ... This is an important source of data. Quality and verified trip information can be obtained on the Alpine Association of Slovenia website or in printed PZS guidebooks and maps."







That winter mountains are dangerous despite their beauty is also urged to mountain visitors by Gorazd Gorišek, author of this year's guide Into the Snowy Mountains. "I urge all users of the book that winter mountains, although beautiful and majestic, are also dangerous. The mountaineering guide primarily invites and warns less. This is the purpose of professional literature, but I even more recommend courses for safe movement in winter conditions and avalanche safety. Don't spare time and money for training. You will be safer in the mountains, and experiences will be more complete. Good luck on the snowy peaks!" emphasizes the experienced mountaineer, who mostly presents easier mid-mountain peaks, and for mountaineering connoisseurs also some more demanding high mountain trips, a total of 55 destinations in the Julian Alps, Karavanke, Kamnik-Savinja Alps, Primorska, Notranjska, Posavje, and Zilje Alps.







The avalanche safety kit is also an obligatory part of every mountaineer's technical equipment, explained Gričar: "The avalanche transceiver is for coarse and the probe for fine location of the victim, the avalanche shovel for quick and effective excavation, as survival chances in an avalanche are highest in the first 15 minutes after burial. The avalanche kit must always be used as a complete set, as only the full set enables effective searching for the buried in an avalanche, for which knowledge and experience are again needed." Everyone who finds themselves in the mountains in winter should master the transceiver transceive test, searching for the buried with avalanche transceiver, and digging out the buried. Most often exposed to avalanches are ski tourers who, in search of powder, sometimes forget the danger of the white death; to have fewer accidents in the mountains, it is worth following the recommendations of the Association of Alpine Arc Mountain Organizations (CAA) for safe ski touring, with which PZS also wants to actively respond to winter mountain risks. Experts recommend heading into the mountains healthy and physically fit, carefully planning the trip, correctly using all necessary equipment, familiarizing with snow conditions and assessing avalanche risk, on the trip being attentive to orientation and stops, maintaining distance between group members, avoiding falls, skiing in small groups and not alone, while also respecting nature.







Mountain rescuers intervene more frequently year after year. By December 10, 2019, they carried out 587 rescue operations (compared to 537 for the whole of last year), of which 41 were fatal (31 last year). That there are very few incidents on organized mountaineering activities among mountain rescue interventions can be an invitation to mountain visitors to join one of the 292 mountaineering clubs and societies, concluded Šerkezi and presented membership novelties in the mountaineering organization: "Membership fees will slightly increase in 2020 due to the new insurance policy and rising living costs, which also means better insurance sums for covering rescue costs abroad, as in 2019 we helped quite a few individuals in trouble abroad. We never hesitate with car insurance, but with personal insurance, we are ready to skimp without thought. The one euro contribution to the mountaineering fund is also retained as a sign of solidarity for helping with mountain hut renovations, the novelty is that in case of membership in multiple PZS societies, it is no longer necessary to pay two full fees."