
We were never alone - even though this is the most difficult marked trail, it's still very popular with many hikers.2053 views
|
|

Patterns in the remains of the Triglav glacier.1521 views
|
|

Me in front of Mt. Begunjski vrh.839 views
|
|

We started the hike in the Vrata valley at 5 a.m.704 views
|
|

Luknja col in front of us.680 views
|
|

... so we overtook them at the first opportunity. We were gaining altitude fast. That is Luknja col right below us.608 views
|
|

Looking down can be dangerous for those with vertigo. :)602 views
|
|

Scrambling up on all four.598 views
|
|

One more look toward the west and the Zadnjica valley.556 views
|
|

There was a lot of steel rope and pegs.540 views
|
|

Going towards Triglavska skrbina.520 views
|
|

A helmet has become a necessary part of equipment on the exposed trails.518 views
|
|

My brother and his long legs.514 views
|
|

My brother with Mt. Skrlatica in the background.511 views
|
|

Me thrilled with the climb.509 views
|
|

More steel ropes.509 views
|
|

Sfinga.506 views
|
|

The views from the climbing trail were spectacular all the time.504 views
|
|

Vrata valley far below.504 views
|
|

The descent is steep but the steel rail makes it a lot easier.498 views
|
|

Red rock.494 views
|
|

The large group in front of us caused a lot of waiting ...493 views
|
|

Mt. Jalovec and Mangart in the background.490 views
|
|

More climbing.489 views
|
|

Triglav.489 views
|
|

487 views
|
|

Another look down the Vrata valley.485 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.484 views
|
|

We soon reached another rock face.474 views
|
|

Clouds started to roll in from the south.473 views
|
|

The beginning of the Plemenice route.468 views
|
|

Looking back to where we came from. Mt. Razor in the background.467 views
|
|

Again, many people at the top.465 views
|
|

A blaze with a view.461 views
|
|

First glimpse of the Aljaz tower at the top.461 views
|
|

Kredarica hut from above.461 views
|
|

There were too many people on this trail. Everybody prepared for the climbing part - we put away hiking poles and put on helmets.460 views
|
|

Fog in the Vrata valley almost 2 kms lower.460 views
|
|

Peter going backwards.459 views
|
|

My and my blue helmet.450 views
|
|

Kredarica on the other side.448 views
|
|

It's a tradition to be "baptized" with a length of rope when climbing Triglav for the first time. :)448 views
|
|

The fog on the right hand side prevented us from seeing down the precipice.442 views
|
|

We scrambled on scree below the north face.440 views
|
|

"Marked climbing trail"440 views
|
|

On the other side of the col the Zadnjica valley opened up.439 views
|
|

Stanic hut and Mt. Rjavina.439 views
|
|

Proof I was there. :)434 views
|
|

On the way to Kredarica.434 views
|
|

Triglav's famous north face from below.433 views
|
|

We spent an hour at the summit, eating and taking photos. Of ourselves, too.432 views
|
|

More clouds rolled in from the south.430 views
|
|

Aljaz tower and the Vrata valley.430 views
|
|

First sun rays on Mt. Bovski Gamsovec.429 views
|
|

Already halfway down Mt. Mali Triglav.426 views
|
|

There was quite a bit of snow left. Still not a lot compared to a glacier that used to be here decades ago.422 views
|
|

Kredarica hut.417 views
|
|

Triglav is home to many chamois. They are quite used to people and don't run away until you get really close.415 views
|
|

The blue sky and puffy white clouds and steel rope.414 views
|
|

It was a long way down and my knees were already feeling shaky.411 views
|
|

Last look of the Triglav north face before we reached the valley floor about 14 hours after we had set off.411 views
|
|

There were still 3.5 hours of descent ahead of us.408 views
|
|

We had to cross quite a few snow patches.408 views
|
|

Triglavski podi.406 views
|
|

After some hearty "jota" we looked towards Mt. Tosc and Veliki draski vrh before heading for the valley.403 views
|
|

The red rock face of Mt. Begunjski vrh.398 views
|
|

Stanic hut. Mt. Rjavina was already in the clouds.396 views
|
|

Mt. Triglav.394 views
|
|

Another chamois.394 views
|
|

A group of hikers going up and we cornered a chamois, which didn't seem to be bothered at all.383 views
|
|

The trail to Luknja col that we had climbed early in the morning.381 views
|
|

One of the few sections of the trail that didn't involve climbing.374 views
|
|

Looking up.367 views
|
|

This pond always begs to be photographed. The light was quite good.297 views
|
|

271 views
|
|

260 views
|
|

The chapel and yellow flowers in the foreground.259 views
|
|

259 views
|
|

The visibility sucked!250 views
|
|

After a quick climb though the woods we reached the plateau of Mala planina. There was even some blue sky!248 views
|
|

247 views
|
|

The peak was covered in colorful flowers.235 views
|
|

The whole mountain was full of flowers.235 views
|
|

235 views
|
|

The ominous clouds in the background weren't very promising.233 views
|
|

... so I took a few more photos, and while we had a hearty meal at the hut, it started pouring.230 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.230 views
|
|

An old tree.229 views
|
|

Everything was wet and so were we, happy to have had made the hike despite the adverse weather.229 views
|
|

The sight was amazing.229 views
|
|

Two benches for weary hikers. :)228 views
|
|

During the few moments of sun rays peaking from behind the clouds I scrambled around to take as many pictures as possible.228 views
|
|

We waited for over an hour and headed out again when the skies cleared a bit.228 views
|
|

C'est moi. :))227 views
|
|

I kept looking back.227 views
|
|

Cows were returning to their cottages.227 views
|
|

... one of them from very close!226 views
|
|

By then it was raining hard so I packed my camera and used Aco's waterproof P&S camera instead.226 views
|
|

Ridges in red fog.226 views
|
|

The village of Velika planina was lush green ...225 views
|
|

The slopes of Kamniski vrh, and Kriska planina in the background.224 views
|
|

I knew the sun wasn't going to last for long ...223 views
|
|

The edge.223 views
|
|

Back in the forest I couldn't stop wondering at its lush green color.221 views
|
|

... and exploded into an orange series of sunbeams.221 views
|
|

Manca.220 views
|
|

We had some soured milk and cottage cheese while enjoying the view of the chapel enveloped in fog.220 views
|
|

It was getting dark quickly.218 views
|
|

We could hardly make out the town of Kamnik not that many kilometers to the south.217 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 ...217 views
|
|

Looking toward the other side, the fog had already started to creep up from the valley.217 views
|
|

217 views
|
|

Cows have been on pasture here for two weeks and will stay until the fall.216 views
|
|

Manca and I with Velika planina in the background.215 views
|
|

... the ponds clear ...215 views
|
|

... and cows were wandering around.213 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.212 views
|
|

The light changed again, this time to bluish.208 views
|
|

Shadows on the opposite slope.207 views
|
|

207 views
|
|

207 views
|
|

207 views
|
|

Kamnik - yay, I can see my house from here! :)206 views
|
|

206 views
|
|

206 views
|
|

The clouds were beginning to redden.205 views
|
|

Fog.205 views
|
|

205 views
|
|

205 views
|
|

Overcast and grey - I wasn't really counting on any great photos.204 views
|
|

More sun from behind the clouds.204 views
|
|

204 views
|
|

But when we reached Velika planina and looked over the edge ... the light started to change.203 views
|
|

203 views
|
|

203 views
|
|

203 views
|
|

202 views
|
|

It was cloudy when we emerged from the forest to Mala planina.200 views
|
|

Then the red hue was gone and the fog slowly crept on over the village.200 views
|
|

200 views
|
|

The trail along the edge.199 views
|
|

Sweet light.199 views
|
|

It was almost 9 p.m. when we set off back to the valley.199 views
|
|

A typical Velika planina cottage in the bluish foggy nightfall.199 views
|
|

199 views
|
|

The fog turned red, but just for one minute.198 views
|
|

It was pretty dark and I had to prop the camera on a fence to capture the fog rolling in again.198 views
|
|

The sun made a bashful appearance ...197 views
|
|

Flowers.197 views
|
|

The fog had reached the cottages, but the edge was still bathing in the sun.197 views
|
|

Just before plunging back into the woods we said goodbye to Planina. I know we'll be back soon.197 views
|
|

197 views
|
|

197 views
|
|

A completely different sight from one minute before.196 views
|
|

196 views
|
|

Barbed wire.195 views
|
|

The chapel.195 views
|
|

Now it was really dark and foggy, but knowing the way we didn't turn on our headlamps.195 views
|
|

In the village, the light was changing so fast I had to act quickly.194 views
|
|

I took a path away from the edge and towards the cottages, but when I looked back one more time ...192 views
|
|
|