Triglav National Park Newspaper 2025

Triglav National Park Newspaper 2025

Navigating the Trails: Hiking Roots and Apps

The goal shared by national parks across the globe is to protect natural ecosystems, plant and animal species and cultural landscapes. At the same time, their mission is to enable access to education, enjoyment, and relaxation in nature for the current and future generations.

In the hectic pace of today’s life, it sometimes seems as though we want to experience everything a national park has to off er all at once. Immediately. To the fullest. To satisfy our ego. Regardless of the cost, regardless of the traces we leave behind. And then to go home, contented.

Yet, when we pause even for a brief moment to immerse ourselves in the miracle of nature – the very essence of all the world’s national parks – we begin to realise and understand that these wonders have evolved over millions of years. Year after year, nature recreates itself, changes with the passing of the seasons, and adapts to different climates, shaping itself – slowly, patiently, but with certainty – into the phenomena that are, like those in Triglav National Park, enjoyed by visitors from near and far.

We urge visitors to Triglav National Park to reflect on the magnificence of this extraordinary world and visit it with respect and patience.

To marvel at a masterpiece that has been in the making for hundreds of millions of years. To find joy and relaxation in honouring the greatness of nature and to discover inner peace. And to ensure that no trace of their visit remains in this sanctuary, for it will be of utmost importance to the generations yet to come. Welcome to Triglav National Park. May humility, gratitude, and respect be your companions on the way.

Triglav National Park Newspaper summer 2025

For national park visitors

The busy summer months are here! If you haven’t already, you’re likely to run into a traffic jam in alpine valleys and mountain passes, and we would like to give you some hints that will make your visit more enjoyable and your experience nicer.

For hikes and climbs to Mount Triglav and its surrounding peaks, please consider the safety instructions and recommendations, rules and regulations and weather conditions before and during your visit. You will be entering a high mountain area where harsh conditions for Nature and Man are a given.

IGOR GRUBEN

Igor Gruber is an all-rounder, a connoisseur of nature and mountains, a passionate mountaineer, ski tourer and hiker. He is also a computer programmer, an amateur photographer, and a singer. In 2015, he completed the Red Trail of the Via Alpina in 107 days.

Mountaineering was instilled in me from birth. As a child, I would dream of hiking the entire Slovenian Mountain Trail (Slovenska planinska pot, or spp) in one go. In my early 30s, when I returned to mountaineering, I made that dream come true. Every goal we achieve brings a new perspective, new experiences and skills, equipping us for even greater challenges. In the years that followed, my job was very stressful, and week-long trips into the mountains were eventually no longer enough to keep burnout at bay. This, along with the fact that I was turning 40, was sufficient motivation for me to make an important decision – to hike the Red Trail of the Via Alpina, the longest hiking route across the Alps. Committing to this goal, I had to reassess my mental barriers and self-imposed limitations. When I did the Slovenian Mountain Trail, the idea of tackling a route more than four times its length seemed unimaginable (the route I selected in 2014 was significantly longer than the current trail). However, over eight years, the idea matured. I convinced myself, after an in-depth analysis, that the hike was feasible, which was crucial for the success of my mission. Another key element of success was my deep sense of gratitude for the journey itself and for all those who supported me in achieving it. My physical preparations did not go as planned, but for a trek of this length, one can never be fully prepared. The key is to pace yourself at the beginning, allowing the body to adapt to the new daily rhythm—only then can real progress be made. Choosing the right gear was equally crucial. Almost all standard equipment was replaced by ultralight gear, but my backpack still weighed 14 kg, excluding food and water.

The Via Alpina allows hikers to experience the entire Alpine range. The trail crosses high mountain passes—some reaching up to 3,000 meters—while avoiding glaciers and technically demanding sections, which makes it suitable for most hikers. Of course, one must account for snow at the start and end of the hike (the revised route is shorter by at least a month and therefore easier to complete within a summer season) and face the challenge of covering considerable changes in altitude within a single day.

This hike strengthened my belief that with enough time and dedication, every goal is reachable. It was not only a journey over the Alps, but it was also a journey into my own heart, past experiences, and current relationships.

Many things fell into place, and I let go of particular memories, pains, and beautiful moments, leaving them in the past. I was enveloped in a deep sense of peace, in an utterly diff erent mental and spiritual state of awareness. No longer fixated on everyday struggles and trivial concerns, I began experiencing life as a whole.

I described my hike in a now sold-out travelogue, 107 Days of the Alps, which is available as a documentary on YouTube.

Reserve your stay at Erjavčeva mountain hut and live and travel like a local

Triglav National Park Newspaper summer 2025

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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.

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