Triglav National Park

The road climbs steeply up the mountain. It is paved wide enough for one American F150, so I’m not sure how 2 cars can pass one another much less the logging truck that is behind me. We pass through a village with even narrower streets. Somehow google takes me one way and the logging truck gets ahead of me. There is a toll on the road ahead. Like a parking garage you take a ticket and the gate opens. You pay when you leave. We approach our trailhead 7 kilometers later and there is a traffic jam as that logging truck is 1/2 finished loading at a log deck. How did he get up this winding road so fast. 

Our objective is the Triglav Lakes Lodge, a mountain hut that should take us on a 10 mile round trip. Our route is like a figure eight. The trail follows what I think is an old logging road but steeper. Later we learn this first section averages 13% for the first few miles. There are several mountain huts along our path. Some are full service with food and sleeping accommodations. On our return coming down an even steeper road we pass a compound of huts that reminds me of old mining claims on the edge of Idaho’s wilderness. In fact this road and compound looks like Yellow Jacket west of Salmon below the middle fork lookout. There is an Isuzu trooper even traveling this road. A many game warden pickups and backs were damaged on rough roads like these. 

But I’m getting ahead of myself. After the first hut we pass we leave this road and take off up a footpath towards yet another hut. We are in a rhythm of hiking now. Mostly climbing, we meander through forest and open brush, just below tree line. 

We begin a long traverse below steep canyon walls above and a deep valley below. Then magically we pop out into a hanging valley with two small lakes and the Triglav Lakes Lodge. It has been a long morning and we are beginning to feel fatigued. It is 1:30 and we look forward to a mountain hut lunch and a break. The weather has been threatening and we contemplate our return route which is planned for a steep climb with a stretch of cable holds up and over. If it storms we will be exposed. 

As we eat our sauerkraut soup, mine with sausage, and drink our drinks, the sun pops out. We decide to go with plan A and climb up and over. It was the correct decision. What views, what a challenge. We climb above the trees and krumholz before scrambling through a crack in the wall with the aid of cables for hand holds. We reach the top and the wind, take a breather and begin the four mile descent. Soon we cross an intersection we were at a few hours ago and take a left, more direct route down. We pass the mountain complex that reminds me of Yellowjacket and the rain begins.  It is light but making the path a bit slippery. But after a total of 8 hour, 5 moving hours and according to Garmin, 14.5 miles we reach the car. I’m still amazed at the amount of cars parked there. We meet a solo hiker who claims he just came from Mt Triglav, Slovenias highest point. His day has been much longer and tougher. 

We jump in the car and meander down to the gate and pay our 20 Euros to pass and then drive narrow roads through a couple villages towards a mountain penzion, the Alpine Homestead where we are treated with local cuisine all sourced on sight or from their neighbors. The owner says time stops in the mountains and we relax southing our tired muscles and sore knees. The weather comes through and we are treated to a massive thunderstorm in the middle of the night.  But we are warm, dry, clean and fed. Another perfect day.