Adventure Travel in Tomaz Humar's Stomping Ground

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Outside Magazine June 2002

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Adventure Travel in Tomaz Humar's Stomping Ground

By Joshua Brockman

It's no wonder that the former Yugoslav republic of Slovenia has produced some of the world's best mountaineers: You can't travel north of the country's capital, Ljubljana, without butting up against some of Europe's most precipitous ranges. And since the 11-year-old country is still underneath most Americans' radar, Europeans have had this bounty all to themselves.

Until now. Climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, caving, skiing, you name it—Slovenia is the finest alpine terrain this side of the Urals. Head first to the Julian Alps, home to 207,000-acre Mount Triglav National Park and the country's highest peak, 9,395-foot Mount Triglav. Slightly lower in altitude but less crowded in summer is Tomaz Humar's backyard range, the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, which offer Humarian climbing challenges. Conveniently tucked between the two ranges is Bled, a Slovenian Geneva complete with lakeside chalets and castles, not to mention precious bottles of blueberry schnapps.

Mountaineering, Hiking, & Climbing:
It's a matter of national pride for Slovenians to summit Mount Triglav at least once in their lives. One way to knock off a nontechnical ascent of the peak is via a four-day hut trip along a portion of the 496-mile Transversal Route, which starts in the town of Maribor, passes through Mount Triglav National Park, and then winds its way to the Adriatic Sea. An hour northwest of Bled, in the Vrata valley, the trail begins with a six-hour trek up to the summit of 8,583-foot Mount Razor before an easy hour-long descent to Pogacnikov Dom hut for the night. (Each hut offers bunk beds, typical Slovenian meals—ricet, a barley porridge; jota, a vegetable soup with sauerkraut; and sausage—plus, of course, plenty of beer, wine, and schnapps.) The next morning, a four-hour hike southeast will take you over 8,000-foot peaks to the Koca Na Dolicu lodge. On day three you'll summit Mount Triglav by way of a four-hour hike along a moderately difficult trail. The last hour includes a steep jaunt on the exposed Western face of Mount Triglav with fixed belays to help with the climb and descent. Spend the night at the park's highest lodge, 8,299-foot Trig Dom na Kredarici, before completing this multi-day loop.
Outfitter: The Alpine Association of Slovenia (011-386-1-4343-022; www.pzs.si) has a list of 150 mountain lodges and can arrange hut reservations ($6–$12 per night) and mountain guides ($95 per day). For information on more technical routes in the area, contact the Triglav National Park Information Center (011-386-5-3889-330; www.sigov.si.tnp).
Where to stay: Set up your base camp at Hotel Vila Bled (doubles, $155 per night, including breakfast; 011-386-4-5791-500), a former villa that served Austrian and Yugoslav royalty—and Tito—with views of Lake Bled. Or pitch a tent near the lake at Camping Bled (011-386-4-5752-000, for $7 per night.)

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