(1) Make sure you are fit enough for the planned trip
The first and most important step when planning your hiking trip to the mountains is to find information about the route and the destination you want to visit! You must be certain that you are fit enough to hike the planned route in both directions. It is best to familiarise yourself with the route in advance and carefully plan the trip. You should check the starting location, duration of the hike, trail difficulty, etc. There are numerous tools that can help you with that. Some of the most popular online tools for Slovenian mountains are hribi.net (https://www.hribi.net/) and the Alpine Association of Slovenia’s website, where you can find their interactive map of mountain trails, peaks, and mountain huts (https://mapzs.pzs.si/). There are also numerous mountaineering communities on social media and online forums, where you can post your questions. There are also more and more videos of mountain trails uploaded to YouTube that demonstrate each trail’s difficulty very well (e.g. Aktiven Lajf), as well as a plethora of mountain guidebooks available in print.
(2) Check the weather
It is important to know that the weather can be less predictable in the mountains than in the valley. The weather changes more quickly in the mountains. You may feel cold in the mountains due to stronger winds, even in summer. The sun or heat may even be stronger than in the valley. It is important that you choose the right mountaineering equipment (Step 3) with that in mind. Almost all weather forecast websites allow you to check the weather separately for the mountains; whether for a mountain area (e.g. the Karawanks) or even for an individual mountain. If, for example, you plan to climb Vajnež peak and you check the weather for Jesenice, then your information about the weather at Vajnež will most likely be unreliable.
(3) Use appropriate equipment
What constitutes “appropriate” equipment partly depends on the difficulty of the tour you are embarking on. Let’s take the Municipality of Jesenice as an example. Mountains in the Municipality of Jesenice can roughly be divided into low and high mountains. All the peaks that are situated on the ridge of the Karawanks can be considered high mountains, while lower hiking spots, including Mežakla, can be considered low mountains. According to some criteria, low mountains are considered to be mountains below the altitude of 1,500 m, while high mountains are considered to be mountains above the altitude of 1,500 m, or the tree line. A better example of high mountains in Slovenia near Jesenice are the Julian Alps or the peaks there.
Appropriate mountaineering footwear is of utmost importance when going mountain hiking! Light hiking footwear with soles that provide good grip is suitable for low mountains, although you can walk safely with sturdier walking shoes in many places. The high mountains are more demanding. Footwear must provide good support to the ankles. They must have sturdy soles that ensure a good grip. Shop assistants can help you decide which footwear best suits your mountain hiking needs. Clothing should be comfortable and should not obstruct your movement in any way. It is essential that you carry additional warm clothes in your rucksack, regardless of the season or weather forecast. You should also always bring rain protection with you. An umbrella is enough in a lot of cases; however, a rainproof poncho or waterproof windbreaker can also prove useful. Also bring the most essential first aid kit items: plasters, bandages, sterile gauze, triangular bandages and painkillers. Folding hiking poles can also come in handy. By using them, you will lessen the exertion of your legs by using your hands when ascending, and relieve some of the stress that is put on your knee joints when descending. It is highly recommended that you use a climbing helmet when hiking on high mountain trails which include steep and exposed hillsides. And don’t forget about the most enjoyable part of the rucksack – lunch. An important part of it is an adequate supply of liquids. This can be water and/or other types of liquid with added sugars and/or salt.
If you follow the above steps when planning a mountain hike, you will greatly increase the safety of your trip, which will consequently be more relaxed. This will allow you to enjoy the mountains even more. However, just like in valleys, accidents do happen in the mountains. So here is another, fourth step.
(4) What to do in case of an accident in the mountains
If you hurt yourself in the mountains or witness an accident, first try to secure the injured person and provide first aid if needed. Stop any bleeding with sterile gauze, put the injured person in a lying position, and cover them with warm clothes to prevent hypothermia. If you suspect a spine injury, move the injured person as little as possible. Immobilise broken limbs. The Slovenian mountains boast great GSM signal coverage; therefore, you can use your mobile phone to call 112 for help. If there is no signal, send someone to the valley or the nearest mountain hut. If you get injured yourself and there is no one who can get help, try to get help by calling the emergency number or with sound (e.g. whistle) or light (at night) signals.
When calling 112, the most important information that you can tell the dispatcher is the coordinates of the injured person’s location. You can determine the coordinates by following the steps described below. Turn on mobile data and location on your mobile phone. Open maps (e.g. the Google Maps app), press and hold the spot which indicates your location (this spot is determined by GPS and is usually blue). After a few seconds, two coordinates will appear in the white field at the top of the screen. They are displayed in the following format: 14.XXXXXX, 13.XXXXXX.
