It is said that climbing Triglav is an obsession for the Slovenian people. Even so, a man named Franjo Potočnik stands apart in his commitment to the country’s highest mountain. Foto: BoBo
It is said that climbing Triglav is an obsession for the Slovenian people. Even so, a man named Franjo Potočnik stands apart in his commitment to the country’s highest mountain. Foto: BoBo
Like many people from the small Alpine village of Mojstrana, Potočnik was no stranger to Triglav. He had made many ascents to the top of the mountain in his life. But in 2000, several years after he had retired, he decided to mark the advent of the new millennium with 200 ascents on Triglav in a single year. Foto: MMC RTV SLO

It is said that climbing Triglav is an obsession for the Slovenian people. Even so, a man named Franjo Potočnik stands apart in his commitment to the country’s highest mountain. Unusually, he became known for his ascents well after his retirement. Now over 80, he is still the envy of much younger hikers.

Like many people from the small Alpine village of Mojstrana, Potočnik was no stranger to Triglav. He had made many ascents to the top of the mountain in his life. But in 2000, several years after he had retired, he decided to mark the advent of the new millennium with 200 ascents on Triglav in a single year. The feat would also raise funds for a local hospital.

Potočnik frequently rose after midnight to make his climbs. He soon surprised even himself with his persistence. In the end, he made not 200 but 366 climbs in a single year – one for every day of the year. Because not every day was suitable for climbing, Potočnik routinely made two ascents in a single day to get to the number 366.

In fact, climbing Triglav became a kind of an obsession for Potočnik. Despite his advanced age, he would set out to the peak in all kinds of weather, often far outside the traditional climbing season. Frequently, he would pass much younger hikers on his way to the top. He marked his 68th birthday by making three ascents in 20 hours.

Now over eighty, Potočnik continues to make regular ascents on Triglav. He has made more than 1000 climbs so far, most of them following the more difficult northerly approach. Potočnik’s passion is not a solitary one; he enjoys meeting people and sharing their life stories. He also helps to maintain trails.

Still, he also enjoys solitude. Nighttime ascents, especially on moonlit nights, tend to be his favorites. Even the occasional sight of a cow mauled by a bear doesn’t frighten him.

An old Slovenian adage states that a person does not become truly Slovenian until he or she climbs Triglav. If that’s the case, then Potočnik, the absolute record-holder in climbing Slovenia’s highest mountain, may just be the truest Slovenian of them all.