How to plan your trip to the mountains?

Remember!
Your final destination isn’t the peak you intend to climb, but your safe return into the valley. Many accidents in the mountains occur when descending peaks.

CONDITIONS IN THE MOUNTAINS

Meteorological conditions in the mountains can change abruptly and it’s very important to check the latest weather forecast before setting out. In doing so, trust only official sources. The current weather forecast for the mountains in Slovenia can be found on the website of the Slovenian Environment Agency. It’s recommended that you set out sufficiently early. In this way, you have more time to solve any complications (equipment malfunctions, loss of orientation, etc.) and avoid possible afternoon storms. If you’re going on a longer trip, learn about the huts and shelters along the way where you can seek refuge in the event of bad weather.

What to do if a storm surprises you in the mountains?

• Descend from ridges and exposed mountain peaks.
• Avoid places with wire ropes and metal objects or where the rock is red, as this indicates that it contains metal. Also avoid places where lightning strikes frequently. Such locations can be identified by lone trees, split trees and rocks, and churned ground.
• Move all metal objects that you have with you to a safe distance of at least 10 metres.
• Don’t touch the rockface with your body. Position yourself as low to the ground as possible.
• If you find shelter in a cave or a hollow, the safest place is in the middle of it.
• The safest position for avoiding lightning strikes is on scree, but lower yourself into a crouch or sit on your backpack.

Summer storms cause sudden cooling. The temperature may drop by 20 degrees or more in a matter of minutes.

Increasingly violent storms and thunderstorms, which leave destruction behind, can also be encountered in Slovenian mountains. Thus, you should always check the current condition of mountain trails.

Current first-hand information

To help you check the situation in the mountains, we gathered for you the most important official links to this data. Nevertheless, pay close attention to any changes in the weather along the way.

How to plan your trip to the mountains?

EQUIPMENT

When you decide on a trip, it’s important to select appropriate equipment. This selection depends on several factors, which primarily involve the level of difficulty of the trail and the conditions in the mountains. It’s very important to be sufficiently hydrated with alcohol-free fluids.

If venturing on a trip lasting several hours or a whole day, or if setting out on challenging trails, it’s necessary to take with you aluminium foil, a bivouac bag or a large black bag as heat insulation in the event of an accident or when bivouacking, a headlamp and spare batteries, additional clothes to change into, and a climbing helmet. For very difficult routes, self-belaying set and a climbing harness are mandatory. It’s very important to know how to use the equipment correctly, so learn to do so before going into the mountains and check that it’s fully functional.

Don’t forget that you’ll be exposed to the sun in the mountains. Take with you sunglasses, high UV sunscreen and a suitable hat (baseball cap, headscarf, etc.).

Conditions in winter are even more challenging and you’ll need even more equipment. Hiking boots won’t suffice on snowy and icy surfaces, you’ll require crampons and an ice-axe. You should know that classical 12-tooth cramponsare suitable for a winter trip in the mountains. Shoe snow chains aren’t a suitable substitute for crampons. However, crampons alone are not enough, you must also always use an ice-axe. But you must also know how to use both correctly. You should keep an avalanche safety kit (beacon, probe and shovel)in your backpack in the winter and know how to use it. You’re also advised to have an avalanche airbag backpack.

Remember!
Always carry appropriate equipmentwith you and learn how to use it correctly. Check the condition of the equipment and test it before you set out on a trip.

How to plan your trip to the mountains?

SELECTION OF A ROUTE

When planning a trip into the mountains, think carefully about what route to choose. It’s important to choose a route that you’ll be able to manage. Think about how long you want to walk, how high you want to ascend, what difficulty level to choose, when to start your trip, which part of Slovenia you want to visit, etc. When considering your options, don’t forget the following:

• Don’t overestimate your psychophysical readiness and fitness level. If a certain trail seems too difficult or long, opt for an easier and shorter one.
• Make sure to have all the appropriate equipment for the selected trail.
• Check if there are mountain huts along the way where you can take a break.
• Your level of experience and possible fear of heights should also be considered. If you lack experience, you should venture into the mountains with a mountain guide.
• Check out the current condition of trails. It’s possible that a trail can become impassable practically overnight due to a storm, fallen trees or landslides. Don’t use closed mountain trails.
• Let people in the valley know where you’re going and when you’re planning to return. Sign your name in summit books and enter your direction of arrival and departure, so that the rescue team will find you more easily in the event of an accident.

Remember!
When selecting your destination, always think about how you’re going to reach it. Spectacular photographs from a certain route or a peak shouldn’t be your main criterion. Instead, you should prioritise your safety and the suitability of your destination in relation to your experience, knowledge, fitness and equipment.

USE MAPS AND APPS

During your hike, you can rely on special apps to help you track your planned route, inform you about specific features and provide you with the information you need. But pay attention. Not all apps are suitable. Only trust the apps that use objective, updated and real data and not sources in which the descriptions of mountain trails are mostly subjective and often misleading. The maPZS and Slovenia Outdoor apps are suitable for the Slovenian Alps.

RESERVATIONS OF MOUNTAIN HUTS

There are 159 mountain huts and lodges and 18 bivouacs in Slovenia. You can find delicious homemade dishes in the majority of huts, while larger huts and lodges also provide overnight accommodation. They usually have dormitory rooms, but more and more huts are now also offering single rooms. The huts also serve as information points in the mountains where visitors can obtain information on the current conditions of the trail and can seek refuge from bad weather. They are also used as points of notification about accidents in the mountains.

The majority of mountain huts are only open in the summer, from May until October. Some of them stay open throughout the year on weekends. Certain huts are particularly popular and quite busy in the summer, so we recommend that you book your bed in the selected hut before going to the mountains.

You can make your reservations through a special system that currently includes 21 of the most popular and visited huts. Upon reservation, the end price of the overnight stay will be shown, which you can pay with a credit card. The reservation can be cancelled free of charge no later than one or two days before your scheduled arrival date, depending on the individual mountain hut.

Respect and protect the natural mountain environment

Nature is truly amazing along the mountain paths, but also very sensitive. A large section of the Julian Alps is situated in Triglav National Park and many areas in the Karavanke and the Kamnik-Savinja Alps are protected as parts of Natura 2000. High peaks are surrounded by green forests at lower altitudes. These cover two thirds of Slovenia and are teeming with life. To minimise the impact on these sensitive ecosystems, it’s necessary to explore them with a great deal of respect and responsibility. Help us preserve the beauty of the mountain landscape and the creatures that live in it and are an integral part of it. Observe the rules for responsible venturing into nature of Triglav National Park and other protected areas.

Be a responsible visitor to the park

Triglav National Park consists of three protection areas with different levels of protection. The first two areas represent the narrower section of the park in which strict rules of conduct and prohibition apply. The third area is the peripheral part and includes certain populated areas. In addition to the provided code of conduct in the natural environment, additional sustainability recommendations apply regarding the preservation of the park’s wealth of natural and cultural heritage.

• Use public transport to get to starting points.
• Support the local economy by purchasing local products and choose products and experiences you recognise as local collective brands.
• Take your rubbish with you.
• Book your accommodation directly with local providers. Book your bed in mountain huts via the reservation system.
• Obtain necessary information and make sure that your venture into the mountains is safe and responsible.

source: here

Erjavčeva Mountain Hut on Vršič Pass with Guest Parking and an Electric Car Charging Station

16
Jun

New traffic regime on Vršič 2026: barriers, no parking at the top, and free buses

15
Jun

Weather in the High Mountains: Why a Rain Forecast Does Not Mean You Should Cancel Your Visit to Vršič

30
May

Erjavčeva mountain hut is open year-round. Reserve your stay and spend some time in the natural paradise of Triglav National Park (UNESCO), near Kranjska Gora, on the Vršič mountain pass in the heart of the park.

Reserve your stay