Miha Pavšek of the Anton Melik Geographical Institute of ZRC SAZU yesterday sent us photos from a several days’ tour across the Komna plateau and in its surroundings, and gave some advice for anyone planning to go on ski touring.
Although the low-lying areas of Slovenia have reached their highest ever March temperature and brought the first precursors of spring, in the mountains the landscape looks all but spring. For ski touring enthusiasts, there will be snow all up to the 1st May.
Walking in a deep snow is easier when wearing snowshoes. However, where the snow is very deep, somewhere too deep, the snow may collapse if you choose to walk. In the Julian Alps, snow averages 3–5 metres in depth, elsewhere “only” 2–3 metres in depth.
Slightly higher air temperatures in the mountains have also helped quicker settling and firming of the covering of snow, which has consequently reduced the danger of snow avalanches. To avoid the latter, you should set off on your ski touring trip early, or choose not too sunny trails, where during the day individual avalanches could happen.
However, above the tree line you can make your trail almost everywhere you wish to. In other words, there the trails are often quite shorter in winter than during other seasons, meaning that it enables movement also in places which are inaccessible after the snow has melted (heath, limestone pavements, etc.).
Of course, it’s worth noticing that the sleet has devastated also the forests at the foot of the mountains, so you can’t be too careful when descending. At the beginning of the weekend, the weather has changed; still, every cloud has a silver lining.
T. O., translated by D. M.