This year for the first time the ski slope is managed by the Mangart Development Cooperative. The ski lift was built in the 1990s by the former owner of the now closed motel Encijan, Niko Trstenjak. The entire complex was then taken over by Hungarians. Today it is managed by the cooperative which also bought snow cannons and had the slope covered with snow even before the first snowfall. Once the idyllic village, situated in an amphitheater among two thousand meter high peaks, received its first batch of snow, the cooperative also arranged for a three and a half kilometer long cross-country ski track. And while the Mangart road is still in preparation to be offered for sledding activities (the only other such offer is by a Bovec sports agency – sledding from Stol) there are already many visitors equipped with snowshoes in the valley below Mangart. At the same time one can also notice skillful ice climbers on the rock walls.

Ski slope operational at weekends and holidays
The ski slope is open every end of the week between 10h and 16h. In order to partially cover the existing costs, adults have to pay 12 euros, while a children’s ticket costs 9 euros. The president of the Log pod Mangartom local community and a board member of the cooperative, Igor Černuta, had this to say: "The legislation puts small and large ski slopes – regardless if you have just one ski lift or 10 cable cars and chair lifts – all in one basket. Financially that’s a very big burden for us. If we would pay ourselves for all our hours and everything we do on the ski slope, there wouldn’t be anything here. We work for you; we work for the whole valley. But renovation is expensive. This year we have invested more than 30.000 euros." The 350-meter-long ski slope is not demanding and is suitable for the youngest and beginners. Last weekend a father was teaching his five-year-old Anika how to do her first ski turns: "For the youngest it’s excellent. It’s really nice, and we also have some sun." The cooperative, together with the local sports and tourist associations, also organizes ski classes. "It’s great. I brought my grandchild to ski a bit. The slope is in good condition," said Vojko from Bovec.

Winter offers prepared by the Mangart Development Cooperative
The managing of the ski slope has been awarded to the Mangart Development Cooperative free of charge for a period of 15 years. The cooperative was established 20 years ago by 23 locals. "We established the cooperative in 1995 to join forces and, in contrast with the voluntary associations, also do something in the village for money. In order to build something and make a living out of it," says Černuta. As part of the post-quake reconstruction in 2008 they built the Šola Hotel. However, the 800.000 euro investment came with a debt, which they could not repay. Part of the debt was covered by the Municipality of Bovec, which then became the owner of two-thirds of the property. April will mark two years since the hotel has been managed by the Mrkeuro Company, owned by Rostyslav Mikhnevych from the Ukraine. Today the hotel also has a new name, it’s called Hotel Alpine. The cooperative is pleased, for Hotel Alpine has a reputation in the valley for its tasty pizzas baked in a wood-fired oven and made by a pizza maker from Naples. Apart from Hermanov Hram at Predel, it is currently the only guest house in the village. During the summer months the cooperative also provides information to tourists, regulates traffic, and does maintenance work on the Mangart road where it also collects an ecotax. Last summer the locals opened a new Center for experiences under Mangart. Under the stone bridge they arranged a "via ferrata" climbing area and a 320-meter-long zip line. Next year they plan to cover a whole climbing rock with ice.

Voluntary contributions for a cross-country ski track
On the other side of the road, with a view of the Loška Stena rock wall, Mangart, Jalovec and other summits, those into classical and free-style cross-country skiing have a three and a half kilometer long track at their disposal. And if you opt to make a full circle up to the "new bridge" – as it’s called by the locals – to the south, and up to the bridge over the Predelica stream, one can cover a distance of around seven kilometers. As there are no other tracks in such condition in the Posočje region, many visitors also come from Nova Gorica. Matjaž is one of them: "We don’t have a lot of choice. We could also have the track in Lokve, but nothing has been organized there. I asked a colleague and he recommended Log. I’ll surely come back, as we have no other choices nearby. It’s a good thing that the locals have put effort into this." In the parking area, where locals also collect voluntary contributions for the maintenance of the ski track, one can see vehicles with license plates from all around. But the majority of visitors remain to be locals. "The conditions are excellent. It’s great that you can breathe in the fresh air and clear your head. It’s great for your health. I recommend it. It’s just a pity that the motel next to us is closed and that we can’t drink some mulled wine or a cup of tea," said one of the cross-country skiers. The best time to do it is after 12pm, when the sun comes out on the track. But a little before 3pm the sun already starts hiding behind Jerebica mountain (Cima del Lago).

Mariša Bizjak, Radio Koper; translated by K. J.