SPEAKER_00 0:03

Hello, welcome and dobrodosli to Feel Slovenia the Podcast. In each episode, we will explore what I have called the world's best country meeting locals, traveling, eating, and getting to know the very best of Slovenia. This podcast is written and hosted by me, Dr. Noah Charny, and is brought to you by the Slovenian Tourist Board. Whether you're an experienced mountaineer or a casual hiker, Slovenia's mountains certainly are inviting. Three spectacular ranges of the Alps rise up along the country's northern border. The Julian Alps in the west, the Karavanks, and the Komnik-Sevinia Alps in the north. In this episode, we'll meet some of Slovenia's mountain rescue professionals who offer valuable tips on how to safely enjoy the upper reaches of the sunny side of the Alps. What strikes most visitors to Slovenia when they first arrive by plain is the precipitous mountain ranges that run along the country's northern border. They appear huge and looming, magnificent and mighty. The definition of the sublime is that which inspires on us a feeling of how small we are and how powerful nature is. That feeling is a positive one, lifting us up, calling many of us to experience those majestic mountains. It certainly had that effect on me. I'd never been much of a hiker or even that interested in the outdoors until I moved to Slovenia. I had spent four years at a college in Maine, an American state famous for its natural beauty, without ever really paying attention to it. But once in Slovenia I threw myself into enjoying the wild. I recognized that I was living in one of the best places on earth to hike and to spend time outdoors. I required little encouragement, and now I'm an enthusiastic hiker, interested in foraging and climbing. Most foreign guests come to Slovenia already excited to dive into the endless well-marked trails, to wind their way to mountain huts, where giant slices of Strukli and Strudel reward their efforts, some even to summit Friglau, the tallest peak in Slovenia. Whether you're a visitor here to hike or a tourist simply curious to engage with those magnetic mountains, it's important to know how to do so safely. Slovenia's mountains are safer than most, but you still need to be prepared and take them seriously. 2002 was the first year when Slovenia's Ace mountain rescue teams had to help more foreign guests than locals. With an eye toward informing tourists to keep everyone as safe and happy as possible, the Mountain Rescue Association held a conference that I was able to attend. The venue was Vogel, a mountain that rises above spectacular and sublime Lake Bochin. It's where my family has often gone for ski holidays, but in the summer it's ideal for hiking, with panoramic views in all directions. To learn more about how to enjoy these mountains safely and wisely, I first spoke to Dr. Gregor Dolinar. Gregor is president of the Mountain Rescue Association of Slovenia, as well as a professor and dean of the Faculty of Engineering at University of Ljubljana. Tell me about your work with mountain rescue. What are the sort of interventions that you do, and who are the people who are in most need of help?

SPEAKER_01 3:28

So Slovenian Engineering Rescue Team consists from volunteers. We are more than 800 members of the Monteering Rescue Team. We are covering all the incidents, accidents in the mountain regions, or any other region with the difficult assessment.

SPEAKER_00 3:47

So, what are the sort of situations that would call for mountain rescue to intervene? Because I understand you don't want to be picking up everybody who just got a little bit tired, but it's not. No, no, no, no, no.

SPEAKER_01 3:57

It's no, this is not the case. So anyone who's in trouble and calls 112, we will go and rescue this person. No question asked. So we are emphasizing uh that people shouldn't be afraid to call for help because not calling for help uh and uh trying to ascend by themselves if they are in a difficult situation can make high probability that there will be a serious accident at the end, uh serious injuries at the end. So definitely anyone who needs uh help we will go and uh try to help you.

SPEAKER_00 4:31

What are the most common mistakes that um people who are unprepared will make that get them into trouble in the mountains?

SPEAKER_01 4:37

Recently, a lot of uh foreigners uh do not uh make uh thorough enough check about uh the mountain paths where they should go. They depend themselves too much on phone applications, and then for example, the battery is gone and they are uh in the middle of nowhere, uh not knowing what to do. They also underestimate the difficulties of our mountains. Uh so they do not have right shoes, they do not have enough warm clothes, you know. Uh especially some tourists, uh they're traveling uh light, uh not a lot of luggage taking with them, and then they come to uh nice place and say, Okay, let's go to the mountains, they don't have uh equipment in themselves. And that's I guess very big problems. Uh, why we are rescuing so many foreigners uh who are not properly equipped.

SPEAKER_00 5:30

And was this uh the first year that you actually had to rescue more foreigners than Slovenians in the mountains?

SPEAKER_01 5:34

Yes, that that was the first year in the history that we had to rescue more.

SPEAKER_00 5:38

Is that a good sign that Slovenians know what they're doing, or a bad sign that foreigners don't know what they're doing?

SPEAKER_01 5:44

I think it's a good sign that uh Slovenian people are better prepared in recent times. So they are very well equipped with uh emphasizing all the time in different media that when you go to the mountains you must be well prepared. We see results of that. But as I said, with tourists, uh this is not the case yet.

SPEAKER_00 6:02

That's why we also have this event today. So, last question for you what's special about the Slovenian mountains that maybe isn't the case in other nearby mountain ranges in different countries, that would be a reason for someone to come to Slovenia and say, I want to do a mountain holiday?

SPEAKER_01 6:17

Slovenia was not overwhelmed with uh tourists uh till recent years. There were not so many people in the mountains, and then the experience, if you are in the mountains and uh you are not in a huge group of people, this is completely different. Experience. So more and more people are coming, getting this experience that is uh you know uh now already maybe a turning point. So uh also in uh National Geographic, Lonely Planet, uh both these media uh declared Slovenia as uh one of the top choices. Uh so I guess that's why more and more people are coming to Slovenia.

SPEAKER_00 6:55

We shouldn't argue with them. It's a wonderful place to come, and thank you so much for protecting us while we're in the mountains. You're welcome. I next spoke to Petr Jeromel, who is the president of the Association of Mountain Guides of Slovenia, as well as a professional member of the International Association of Mountain Guides. He works as a mountain biking guide as well as a mountaineer, and even coaches children in climbing.

SPEAKER_02 7:16

Hello, I'm Peter Jeromel. I'm a president of the Slovenian Mountain Guide Association. And my background is yes, climbing. I've been a climber for 30 years almost. So it became from a hobby and more and more and more serious, and then I was doing a bit of instructing work, and then I started to think one time we had a debate with our friends, and I said, What do you want to do when you grow up and for your job? And I think, oh, I would like to be something like this, maybe a month guide or instructor or something like that. And they said, Yeah, but why don't you try? And I said, No, I don't have enough experience, and then they push me a little bit. And I was at that moment I started to think about it a little bit more seriously and uh started guide school, and after a few years, of course, you have to put in a lot of time and effort, especially effort, uh, to finish, and then when it finishes, it just starts to go up. And for uh at the moment, I would really it would be really hard for me to do something else. I am of course interested also in other stuff, but it would be quite quite hard to change to change jobs. During the season, do you have uh someone each day who you're guiding, or is it not quite as active as that? Just depends. If you would want like a guide, if he would want to work every day, he could, he could. It is possible now because there's so much uh demand because uh most of us we don't work just at home, so we work also uh we don't work just in Slovenian mountains, we also work abroad, so we like diversity. So we sometimes we work at home and then we go outside a few days, like for the Slovenian clients, we take them to Austria or to France or and then come back, and then again do something in Slovenian mountains with uh foreigners, with foreign tourists, and then come back, and it's uh quite diverse.

SPEAKER_00 8:55

So this is what we we like in the world. How would you describe the experience of enjoying the Slovenian mountains as opposed to mountains in other countries like Austria or Switzerland? What can tourists expect?

SPEAKER_02 9:07

So here we don't have unfortunately we don't have any more glaciers, so this is uh a little bit bad, but our mountains are a little bit lower than let's say in Austria or in France. Uh so they are a little bit different, but that doesn't mean that they are not dangerous because there's uh limestone rock, which is uh in some parts quite loose, and also route finding is not so easy because it's uh it is not just uh walk the past, it's a lot of trails, a lot of like forest roads, a lot of different like climbing routes, also. So somebody can get quite confused with uh with all this small area, but quite a lot of everything inside.

SPEAKER_00 9:46

What are the sort of routes that you recommend that tourists go on with a guide as opposed to trying themselves?

SPEAKER_02 9:53

I would say it just depends what they want to experience. Easily they can do some classic climbing routes around Triglaw, Trigla North North Face, like Slovenian route or German route. I've done many times with people which were not experienced at all, but they didn't have any vertigo or stuff, so they were completely capable of doing it. So they were fit enough and they were capable, and for some people it was this was the most technical experience or like mountaineering experience which they did in their lifetime so far, and it's been a really great experience for them.

SPEAKER_00 10:22

But you do recommend that if anyone's uncertain about their own experience level, that they rent a mountain guide to take them.

SPEAKER_02 10:29

Yeah, yes, for sure. I would encourage everybody who wants to go to the mountains, especially here, because they will get so much out of the experience when they go with the mountain guide. From all the details, like how would you prepare for the tour, how would you pack your backpack, what equipment would you use. They will tell you about history, about cultural things, about animals, uh, fauna and flora and all this kind of stuff. Some history. When they will you will pass some, I don't know, Shepherd's Hut that will explain what happened there, all this kind of stuff. The so experience will be much, much richer than when you would go alone, or when you would just browse it up on online and then do it yourself. Of course, adventure is also there, but maybe for the first time just to try it out and to get a lot of experience in one intense day or like a few intense days. I think it's uh it's the right way to go to to start it with. And then this is what many times we we have like clients who say, Oh, I don't know this, and I don't know that, and then they go on the tour and I say, Oh, now I feel I'm quite comfortable, and I I feel that I gained so much experience, and now I will try this. And and then they ask, Oh, what would you recommend? Which tour can I do alone? And of course, you get also not just the experience of that day, but you will also get advice where to go and what to let's say, because we have local knowledge, what huts are open, which trails are good, which trails are not good, and we would recommend the next trail, or or if they would not be experienced enough, they could hire a guide. Many times in the evening, we sit down, have a drink when we are back at the valley and discuss about you know, some people try want to do okay, I will be here for one week. I want to I would like to do something more, and then they want to go climbing, maybe more the banning route, or just depends what people like.

SPEAKER_00 12:15

So imagine I'm a tourist, I don't know where to go in Slovenia, but I'm coming for a visit and I'm interested in exploring the mountains. Can you name a few places or even routes that you would recommend for someone who doesn't have a lot of experience?

SPEAKER_02 12:28

Yeah, for sure. Here in Julian Alps, I would recommend like the Seven Lakes. In the main tourist season, it is quite busy, so it would be good if you go for a multi-day tour to book a hut. You know that you don't come to the hut and you will uh not have any place to sleep or eat. Or like more remote, maybe a little bit unknown, places like where we are now here behind, are really not so so popular, but still very, very nice. And then we have two other mountain ranges: Karavanke and also Kamning Savinia Alps, which are also not so popular as Julian Alps, but a little bit lower, but still very, very beautiful with uh really nice trails, really nice huts, uh, good rock quality also for hiking, climbing, everything.

SPEAKER_00 13:07

So imagine now that I'm in Slovenia, I want to take one of these routes you mentioned. What should I be sure to bring with me? And also, what should I be sure to know in terms of how to find my way, in terms of the route or maps that I should have prepared?

SPEAKER_02 13:21

If you go alone, it's uh good that you would check maybe some descriptions about the trails where you want. You have very good like hiking guides, like uh books which you can use to get some basic information. You would could call also to the touristic centers in the villages where you would start, visit those centers to get more information, or you could also ask our guiding association. You would just send if you could get some information about this in this trail. If it's open, let's say now in the spring, there's still a lot of snow. So some trails are still closed or impossible to do without uh winter equipment, like crampons and ice access. And then, yes, of course, what to take. So good hiking boots, have enough uh enough water, enough food, uh basic equipment, helmet is a good thing if it's more exposed, if there can be some rocks above. Um good map, not just the app on the phone, but like proper map, compass that you know actually where you're going. And also if if you in case that you would get lost, you can ask the locals, you know, or people passing by, people in Slovenia are quite friendly, so they will be happy to give you some some advice or some tips where to go or to join them. Or in case of emergency, of course, is the best way to call mountain rescue, even if not, they they would pick you up, they will also give you information where you where to go, how far you are from the hut, and all this kind of stuff.

SPEAKER_00 14:41

So that was one of my questions. At what point do you feel okay, I should call mountain rescue? Because you don't want to call them just because you have a blister and you kind of don't feel like walking anywhere. Yeah, um, but you also don't want to wait too long because it's easier to rescue someone who's completely healthy than someone who's injured themselves.

SPEAKER_02 14:57

Yes, this is the case. I'm also a non-rescuer, so this is many times the case because many times people, it's really fine-lined, it's really hard to tell in what scenarios something would turn really bad, and in some cases would be nothing. So, but I would say, like, when when things start to multiply, so let's say we we walk on some trail and we start to feel quite low on energy, but we say, Okay, we will continue a little bit more, and then you continue and you push, but then you say, Okay, maybe I should call for rescue. Oh, I will wait maybe half an hour more, and then the weather changes also. So then the mutton rescue cannot pick you up, and then all of a sudden, maybe if you just call before you will get instructions over the cell phone where to go. But in this case, you're getting more and more tired, it's end of the day, there's bad weather coming in, so the mutton rescue cannot come to you. You went more into the more remote areas, and then this is the multiplying effect. So the rescue operation will be much more difficult because rescuers have to walk. Helicopter cannot fly anymore in the bad weather, so uh you get more and more tired, you get more panicked. So I always say to the to the clients or people which I uh talk to that uh they should be paying attention so and also trust their feeling, you know, how far they should go. In a way, it's hard to say, but it's better before than after, you know.

SPEAKER_00 16:14

Okay. And what's the best way to contact Mountain Rescue? Is it 112 or is there an app that you use?

SPEAKER_02 16:20

Yes, one one two is the best option because you get uh directly to the this information center and they will then connect you with uh with uh what you need. You can be a doctor, you can also you could view the they activate mountain rescue. You could also get if you get injured or you are next to somebody who is injured or ill or something like that, you can have a doctor on the phone and you will communicate with him, what are the problems and what are the symptoms, and he can already give you some instructions what to do and how to act, how to react to the situation.

SPEAKER_00 16:49

Okay, last question: what's your favorite route that you've done in Slovenia and your favorite food to eat at a mountain hut?

SPEAKER_02 16:55

Oh, the yeah, favorite food would be well that would be easy. Favorite food would be probably Strudel, uh blueberry, it's it's probably one of the best, and probably it's uh if it's a good mountain hut, you will have a big fist. And then for the roots, uh I like I live closer to Kamning Slovenia Alps, so I really like those mountains. And also I like to climb Triglaw always because it's uh like a symbol of Slovenia, it's a symbol of the of our nation, also because it's a quite uh funny story. So the priest actually bought the top of Triglau and put the tower on it as a symbol of Slovenian nation. I always say this is one of the symbols which I'm quite fond of. Great, thank you so much for your time. You're welcome.

SPEAKER_00 17:41

No matter where you are in the Slovenian mountains, if you feel in danger or lost, call 112. The operator will direct you to the mountain rescue team, and they will come to help you. But being well prepared is best for all. Be sure to pack wisely, be aware of the weather and potential swift changes to it in the mountains. Carry an extra phone battery, take an old-fashioned map and compass in case you lose your signal, bring enough water and food, stick to marked trails, bring extra layers and wear suitable hiking shoes, and consider hiring a trained mountain guide. This will ensure your safety, but also provide a far deeper and more memorable experience, as they will not only guide you on the right paths to whatever mountain adventure you like, but they'll also teach you as you hike. You'll end up with a great experience and maybe a new friend. Next time you're in Slovenia, the sunny side of the Alps awaits you. Voila and thank you for listening to Feel Slovenia the Podcast. This podcast is brought to you by the Slovenian Tourist Board and was written and presented by Dr. Noah Charney. Please subscribe to get each new episode and tell all of your friends interested in travel and all things Slovenia. If you'd like to learn more, visit Slovenia.info. For more information, you're welcome to follow our social media channels. Feel Slovenia on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, YouTube, and TripAdvisor.