
We were never alone - even though this is the most difficult marked trail, it's still very popular with many hikers.2172 views
|
|

Patterns in the remains of the Triglav glacier.1565 views
|
|

Me in front of Mt. Begunjski vrh.881 views
|
|

We started the hike in the Vrata valley at 5 a.m.751 views
|
|

Luknja col in front of us.731 views
|
|

Looking down can be dangerous for those with vertigo. :)694 views
|
|

Scrambling up on all four.684 views
|
|

... so we overtook them at the first opportunity. We were gaining altitude fast. That is Luknja col right below us.673 views
|
|

Sfinga.615 views
|
|

The views from the climbing trail were spectacular all the time.614 views
|
|

There was a lot of steel rope and pegs.592 views
|
|

One more look toward the west and the Zadnjica valley.591 views
|
|

Me thrilled with the climb.588 views
|
|

Vrata valley far below.587 views
|
|

My brother with Mt. Skrlatica in the background.582 views
|
|

More climbing.568 views
|
|

Going towards Triglavska skrbina.568 views
|
|

Another look down the Vrata valley.567 views
|
|

My brother and his long legs.566 views
|
|

562 views
|
|

A helmet has become a necessary part of equipment on the exposed trails.551 views
|
|

The descent is steep but the steel rail makes it a lot easier.551 views
|
|

More steel ropes.545 views
|
|

Red rock.536 views
|
|

Mt. Jalovec and Mangart in the background.534 views
|
|

The large group in front of us caused a lot of waiting ...529 views
|
|

Clouds started to roll in from the south.528 views
|
|

Triglav.527 views
|
|

We soon reached another rock face.523 views
|
|

Looking back to where we came from. Mt. Razor in the background.522 views
|
|

After breakfast we had to cross a snow-covered slope, but as the snow was soft, we didn't need crampons or an ice axe.519 views
|
|

A blaze with a view.516 views
|
|

Again, many people at the top.516 views
|
|

The beginning of the Plemenice route.510 views
|
|

First glimpse of the Aljaz tower at the top.505 views
|
|

Kredarica hut from above.505 views
|
|

First sun rays on Mt. Bovski Gamsovec.502 views
|
|

Peter going backwards.502 views
|
|

Fog in the Vrata valley almost 2 kms lower.500 views
|
|

It's a tradition to be "baptized" with a length of rope when climbing Triglav for the first time. :)499 views
|
|

There were too many people on this trail. Everybody prepared for the climbing part - we put away hiking poles and put on helmets.498 views
|
|

My and my blue helmet.496 views
|
|

Last look of the Triglav north face before we reached the valley floor about 14 hours after we had set off.494 views
|
|

On the other side of the col the Zadnjica valley opened up.490 views
|
|

We spent an hour at the summit, eating and taking photos. Of ourselves, too.490 views
|
|

The fog on the right hand side prevented us from seeing down the precipice.490 views
|
|

Triglav's famous north face from below.487 views
|
|

Kredarica on the other side.487 views
|
|

On the way to Kredarica.487 views
|
|

We scrambled on scree below the north face.482 views
|
|

"Marked climbing trail"481 views
|
|

Stanic hut and Mt. Rjavina.480 views
|
|

Aljaz tower and the Vrata valley.473 views
|
|

Already halfway down Mt. Mali Triglav.473 views
|
|

Proof I was there. :)472 views
|
|

More clouds rolled in from the south.471 views
|
|

There was quite a bit of snow left. Still not a lot compared to a glacier that used to be here decades ago.465 views
|
|

Triglavski podi.462 views
|
|

The blue sky and puffy white clouds and steel rope.461 views
|
|

It was a long way down and my knees were already feeling shaky.460 views
|
|

Kredarica hut.457 views
|
|

After some hearty "jota" we looked towards Mt. Tosc and Veliki draski vrh before heading for the valley.455 views
|
|

There were still 3.5 hours of descent ahead of us.453 views
|
|

The red rock face of Mt. Begunjski vrh.452 views
|
|

Triglav is home to many chamois. They are quite used to people and don't run away until you get really close.448 views
|
|

We had to cross quite a few snow patches.446 views
|
|

Mt. Triglav.435 views
|
|

A group of hikers going up and we cornered a chamois, which didn't seem to be bothered at all.432 views
|
|

Another chamois.431 views
|
|

Stanic hut. Mt. Rjavina was already in the clouds.429 views
|
|

One of the few sections of the trail that didn't involve climbing.422 views
|
|

The trail to Luknja col that we had climbed early in the morning.414 views
|
|

Looking up.401 views
|
|

This pond always begs to be photographed. The light was quite good.336 views
|
|

332 views
|
|

325 views
|
|

317 views
|
|

316 views
|
|

The visibility sucked!310 views
|
|

The chapel and yellow flowers in the foreground.300 views
|
|

297 views
|
|

The peak was covered in colorful flowers.296 views
|
|

After a quick climb though the woods we reached the plateau of Mala planina. There was even some blue sky!292 views
|
|

Everything was wet and so were we, happy to have had made the hike despite the adverse weather.286 views
|
|

The ominous clouds in the background weren't very promising.285 views
|
|

The whole mountain was full of flowers.282 views
|
|

By then it was raining hard so I packed my camera and used Aco's waterproof P&S camera instead.282 views
|
|

The edge.280 views
|
|

... so I took a few more photos, and while we had a hearty meal at the hut, it started pouring.278 views
|
|

The village of Velika planina was lush green ...278 views
|
|

Manca and I with Velika planina in the background.277 views
|
|

... and exploded into an orange series of sunbeams.277 views
|
|

Two benches for weary hikers. :)276 views
|
|

Kamnik - yay, I can see my house from here! :)276 views
|
|

An old tree.275 views
|
|

Looking toward the other side, the fog had already started to creep up from the valley.274 views
|
|

The slopes of Kamniski vrh, and Kriska planina in the background.273 views
|
|

The sight was amazing.273 views
|
|

During the few moments of sun rays peaking from behind the clouds I scrambled around to take as many pictures as possible.271 views
|
|

We waited for over an hour and headed out again when the skies cleared a bit.271 views
|
|

The terrain was extremely wet as it had been raining for days. I got my shoes all muddy just by walking across this marshy meadow.271 views
|
|

Cows were returning to their cottages.271 views
|
|

C'est moi. :))270 views
|
|

Cows have been on pasture here for two weeks and will stay until the fall.270 views
|
|

... one of them from very close!270 views
|
|

Ridges in red fog.270 views
|
|

We had some soured milk and cottage cheese while enjoying the view of the chapel enveloped in fog.270 views
|
|

Manca.269 views
|
|

I knew the sun wasn't going to last for long ...265 views
|
|

I kept looking back.265 views
|
|

We could hardly make out the town of Kamnik not that many kilometers to the south.264 views
|
|

We had some sour milk at one of the cottages when it began to rain again. We set off anyway, greeted a few cows on the way ...262 views
|
|

It was getting dark quickly.261 views
|
|

260 views
|
|

Overcast and grey - I wasn't really counting on any great photos.259 views
|
|

Shadows on the opposite slope.259 views
|
|

Back in the forest I couldn't stop wondering at its lush green color.258 views
|
|

Then the red hue was gone and the fog slowly crept on over the village.257 views
|
|

The clouds were beginning to redden.255 views
|
|

... the ponds clear ...254 views
|
|

It was pretty dark and I had to prop the camera on a fence to capture the fog rolling in again.254 views
|
|

254 views
|
|

... and cows were wandering around.250 views
|
|

This bench on the ridge below the summit offers great views and is a great pit stop before the final stretch of the climb.249 views
|
|

The sun made a bashful appearance ...249 views
|
|

The light changed again, this time to bluish.249 views
|
|

248 views
|
|

It was cloudy when we emerged from the forest to Mala planina.247 views
|
|

The trail along the edge.247 views
|
|

247 views
|
|

Barbed wire.246 views
|
|

More sun from behind the clouds.246 views
|
|

246 views
|
|

246 views
|
|

245 views
|
|

But when we reached Velika planina and looked over the edge ... the light started to change.244 views
|
|

Fog.243 views
|
|

A typical Velika planina cottage in the bluish foggy nightfall.243 views
|
|

The chapel.242 views
|
|

242 views
|
|

241 views
|
|

240 views
|
|

240 views
|
|

Now it was really dark and foggy, but knowing the way we didn't turn on our headlamps.239 views
|
|

It was almost 9 p.m. when we set off back to the valley.238 views
|
|

238 views
|
|

238 views
|
|

238 views
|
|

237 views
|
|

237 views
|
|

The fog had reached the cottages, but the edge was still bathing in the sun.234 views
|
|

I took a path away from the edge and towards the cottages, but when I looked back one more time ...234 views
|
|

A completely different sight from one minute before.234 views
|
|

Just before plunging back into the woods we said goodbye to Planina. I know we'll be back soon.234 views
|
|

Flowers.233 views
|
|

The fog turned red, but just for one minute.232 views
|
|

232 views
|
|

Sweet light.227 views
|
|

227 views
|
|

In the village, the light was changing so fast I had to act quickly.224 views
|
|
|