6 Things You Should Know Before Hiking the Julian Alps
Each year, after shaking off the sore muscles of our last hike and taking some much deserved rest, we at the Long Ways start looking back on our last hike, figuring out what worked – and what didn’t – as we plan next year’s trek.
This October, we’re doing just that, by looking back on our recent July trek across the Julian Alps in Slovenia. To put it mildly, the Julian Alps was our hardest Long Ways yet: an intense physical and mental challenge across rugged trails and steep ascents, matched only by the majesty of the peaks and alpine lakes of the Slovenian Alps. Even as now-experienced long trail hikers, we found the Julian Alps to be much more than we expected, even coming off of (what we thought to be) similar mountain treks in the Scottish Highlands and around Mont Blanc.
That being said, if you’re looking for a challenge – and the chance to hike through some of the most beautiful alpine scenery in Europe – we recommend giving the Julian Alps of Slovenia a glance, so long as you know what you’re getting yourself into. Here’s six tips we wish we had known ahead of time for anyone considering hiking through Triglav National Park:
Hydration and Electrolytes are Key
Much of the High Julian Alps is very exposed: on our hike, we dipped in and out of the tree line regularly, and at times hiked across landscapes that felt like they could be the surface of the moon – all rocks, and not a spot of vegetation. Suffice to say, the sun can be brutal in these conditions.
Luckily, on our hike, you’re never more than a few hours from a hut to buy water from or, if you’re lucky, refill at a free spigot. We still recommend hitting the trail with at least 3 liters of water per person: We typically went through 3.5 to 4 liters a day, depending on how strenuous the day was. We also make sure to add electrolyte tablets in our water, which we found goes miles with keeping you hydrated.
As a bonus: bring a few salty snacks! A slim jim was one of our favorite snacks on the trail, to add just that little bit of needed salt, and keeps well.
The high passes of the Julian Alps are especially exposed to sunlight and the elements
Understand the Realities of Hut-to-Hut Hiking
The Julian Alps were our first hut-to-hut hike, that is, where we found ourselves staying in dormitory-style hiking huts on the tops of the mountains, rather than in bed and breakfasts in the towns in the valleys below.
We were personally two minds of this experience: on one hand, it was an amazing experience to sleep just a hundred meters or so beneath the summit of Mount Triglav, Slovenia’s highest mountain, and watch the sunset come down over the surrounding mountains from above. On the other, after day 3 or so of being in huts, we missed the privacy of personal rooms (and showers!).
This one is up to personal preference. If you’re open to more spartan accommodations, don’t mind sleeping with other strangers in your rooms, and enjoy hardy foods like goulash, sauerkraut and sausages, these huts might not be a big deal. For others, it might be a dealbreaker. Check your own comfort level and the comfort level of your hiking partners before you sign up.
Trigslavskih Jezirih Hut, one of many huts along the Julian Alps
Prepare for Any Type of Weather
We prepared for cool, 60-70 degree F (15 - 21 C) weather on top of the mountains, and found ourselves caught in one of Europe’s largest heat waves in years (thanks global warming!). As a result, all of the base layers, long-sleeve shirts and fleeces we brought were borderline useless, while we found ourselves wearing over and over what few shorts and short sleeved shirts we packed. Prepare for both, as you won’t necessarily know what you’ll have before you arrive.
In the mountains, especially in summer, thunderstorms can arrive suddenly, too. On top of the Alps, they can be violent, with dangerous lightning and intense winds. We were lucky to avoid this for all but one day, but be sure to take shelter when a storm comes, as they normally blow over within an hour. It’s better to sit and wait than risk being struck by lightning on top of a mountain.
Backtracking down the trail to wait out a thunderstorm under a cliff did not make up happy!
Arrive Rested, and Give Yourself Time for a Short Hike or Activity Before You Start
If you’re coming from the U.S., like us, jet lag can make a first day of hiking even harder than it needs to be. We take a rest day at the start of the hike, where we can do a small adventure before tackling the main trail. In this case, we hiked to beautiful Vintgar Gorge for an easy day of hiking the day after our arrival. For us, it turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip!
Slovenia is dotted with several beautiful lakesound towns, like Bled or Lake Bohinj. We highly recommend starting or ending your trip at one of these lakes and enjoying a beer or glass of wine beside the water.
Our warm-up hike was a 6-mile round trip to Vintgar Gorge along easy paths and roads.
Understand what “Challenging” Really Means
Our guidebooks rated this hike as “challenging,” and they meant it. It’s not only physically challenging – we still remember looking up at Mount Triglav on day two of our hike, and asking ourselves, “surely we’re not climbing that today?” (We were.) It is also technically difficult in spots, and forces hikers to shimmy across narrow ledges overlooking steep drops, with nothing but a few iron handholds or metal wire to hold on to. For those afraid of heights, it’s not easy.
It’s not just once or twice on the trail, either, as one of our guidebooks said – on the second and third day, we easily crossed around a dozen of these spots, and a few were quite harrowing.
Be prepared for the descents, too. A hard ascent is physically demanding, but adrenaline and perseverance can see you through. A long descent – often on loose rock – is mentally exhausting, and can get tiring quickly. A wrong step can lead to a twisted ankle, or worse. Keep this in mind and prepare accordingly.
A typical example of what terrain to expect on the trail.
Build in Regular Rests, and Don’t Push Yourself Too Hard
This brings us to our final piece of advice: respect this trail, and don’t take it too fast or too hard. Take regular breaks, and don’t be afraid to take a detour to stop for a coke at a nearby mountain hutt, or just sit by the alpine lakes. It’s not just about taking in the trail – it’s about giving yourself time to rest after the challenges of the mountain.
The Slovene Alps are beautiful, and well worth hiking. But they are also punishing, physically and mentally. Be prepared for the latter, but don’t let it spoil your enjoyment of Triglav National Park and the Julian Alps. Some of our favorite moments came from these little breaks – by a mountain hut that served as an old WW1 hospital, for instance, or taking a detour to see a waterfall – where you can really take a breath and appreciate the beauty of the area.
One of our most challenging trails – but worth it for views like this.
