{"id":1004,"date":"2015-07-16T18:03:03","date_gmt":"2015-07-16T18:03:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/paullferguson.dev\/?p=1004"},"modified":"2015-11-02T10:51:05","modified_gmt":"2015-11-02T10:51:05","slug":"hostel-life-pt4-climbing-triglav-and-leaving-home-again-for-croatia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/paullferguson.com\/hostel-life-pt4-climbing-triglav-and-leaving-home-again-for-croatia\/","title":{"rendered":"Hostel life Pt4: Climbing Triglav and leaving another home for Croatia"},"content":{"rendered":"
Stats & Maps<\/a><\/p>\n The night before, German guest Nils Raabe and I had mused over a plan to get some good hiking in with the potential goal of climbing the great peak Triglav. That morning we woke early to get some maps, ideas and latest weather reports from the Park Infocenter along with food from the market. I then got my morning hostel tasks done promptly ready for a lunchtime departure. The Bled to Bohinj bus doesn’t run that often so we scribbled a sign and tried our luck with our thumbs by the road. Ten minuets later we were hitching on our way, the first lift from a spinal doctor on route to a patient, the second from a local young downhiller who went out of his way to drop us of at the Slap Savici (waterfall); our trail head for the Seven Lakes Valley.<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n The first hour is a steep trail from the valley floor to the Black Lake, it then flattens through lush forest which slowly thins as we pass the tree line lake by lake towards the Zasavska ko\u0107a Ms Prehodavci hut. We make good progress and I’m thankful for Nils’s keen eye for photography, slowing us to soak up the scene and chase bumble bees about the thick patches of flowers. Mountain goats stroll around the rocky outcrops and we startle a fat marmot from its afternoon sunbathe, perfectly calm lakes in their rock mottled surroundings are rendered invisible mirrors by the landscape. We arrive with a large group of young scouts wonder if there will be room, but the small hut accommodates all, treating us to vegetable broth. The scout troop quietly sing a few Slovenian hymns to the mesmerizing sunset above the clouds, with Venus remaining to watch over us as we scramble down to the outhouse.<\/p>\n Goat and Marmot photos by Nils Rabbe<\/small><\/p>\n We rose early, our first task to refill water from the source below the hut (no running water here), then press on over the Hribarice pass; a strangely desolate moonscape. Like space its eerily silent, no whisper of trees or hum if insects, just the odd butterfly and some wheezing walkers. Sliding down the scree slopes into the main valley were treated to the full sceptical of the great mountain against the thin dark blue sky. We skirt round to the Dom Planika to avoid the hard rout up to the summit arriving as some cloud set in at the base of our final ascent.<\/p>\n The path is steep with loose rock, a passing Russian girl tells us with a wild eyed expression that the rout was hard, she look far more prepared than us but we promise each other we would turn around if we felt at all uneasy and keep going. One had over the other we made or way up the via ferrata (steel pins and cables) to the main ridge line where huge drops either side gave way to views of the whole Julian Alp range. Passing the odd group on the narrow knife edge we finally make summit with a big hug, both of us had pushed ourselves for this. An rocket ship looking can marks the top; supposedly inside is a paddle to spank the first timers but we unfortunately forgot, oh well.<\/p>\n At the top I toast a sip of Rose to departed friend Rae Pinx, who will me missed.<\/p>\nDay 1: Seven Lakes Vally (3.5hr)<\/h3>\n
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Day 2: Triglav (8.5hr)<\/h3>\n