Let’s Clean Up Our Mountains campaign has already entered its 14th season with the Winter Mountain Hiking Course for Families. At Dom pod Storžičem, the organisers of the campaign, together with the Avalanche Protection Institute, gave mountain lovers of different generations the opportunity to experience hiking in winter conditions and gave useful tips for safe visits to (snowy) mountain trails. With a focus on the safety of hikers, mountain trails and huts, the traditional nationwide campaign will continue its work this year.
"In the new season, we are continuing our efforts to make mountains safer for visitors on three levels: by equipping hikers with tips for safe and responsible hillwalking, through collaborations supporting the restoration of mountain trails, and through activities increasing fire safety at mountain huts. We recognise that safety in the mountains starts with every mountain hiker. That's why we organised a course at the beginning of this season, which enabled 10 families to learn about the theory and practice of winter mountain visits in a relaxed, interactive and above all safe way," said Ana Cergolj Kebler, Head of the Let's Clean Up Our Mountains campaign at Zavarovalnica Triglav, at the event for families.
Three focal points for a safe family winter visit to the mountains
To ensure that families with children can safely go on a real winter hike in addition to sledging, skiing and other activities in the snow, the Winter Mountain Hiking Course for Families provided practical advice from representatives of the Avalanche Protection Institute. The tips for families and individuals wanting to go to the mountains in winter is summarised in three key focal points:
1. When choosing a destination, hikers should ask themselves what their abilities are
We suggest you choose a route that has been walked in dry conditions and to know which parts may be more exposed. In addition to snow, icy paths, low temperatures, changing weather conditions and shorter days, parents hiking with their children should also consider the fact that young children get tired, hungry and cold more quickly in such conditions. It is advisable to choose shorter and more accessible destinations when starting your first winter hikes, whatever the age of your children. As hikers adapt to the different walking techniques and conditions, they can extend their hikes. Families with children should be warned to venture into the highlands even if they are well prepared, as the high mountains are not suitable for young mountaineers in winter.
2. Families should prepare for a trip together
Preparing for a hike should be done in a cheerful atmosphere: parents can prepare a rucksack together with their children, properly stowing spare clothes, essential equipment such as sunglasses, a head torch, a small first aid kit, hiking poles, as well as drinks and snacks. Children should be briefed on the route in advance and told what interesting things to expect. But this preparation is not enough: adults should also check the weather forecast and information on possible avalanches just before setting off on a hike.
3. The main aim should be to have a relaxed hike and return back safely
Parents should observe nature with their children, look for and identify wildlife tracks in the snow, and pay particular attention to trail markers, which are often covered by snow. As winter hikes are more strenuous, families should allow plenty of time to rest and play during the hike. Only by walking at a reasonable pace and without over-exertion will all members of the family arrive safely at their destination and then back at the starting point.
Suggestions for routes suitable for a winter trip to the mountains for families and more detailed advice on how to prepare for your first winter hikes are also summarised by the representatives of the Avalanche Protection Institute and Zavarovalnica Triglav in the article “Where and how to hike with children in the highlands in winter" on the Everything will be OK portal.
Entering the 14th season of Let’s Clean Up Our Mountains in Figures
For the 14th year in a row, Zavarovalnica Triglav has been implementing its sustainability orientation with the Let’s Clean Up Our Mountains campaign, working to keep mountains clean, fostering the creation of a sustainable community of campaign ambassadors and promoting safety in the mountains through various activities. The campaign organisers have so far recorded the following figures:
- the Safe Winter Mountain Hiking Course is already the second event organised with expert partners to provide families with practical advice on how to safely visit the mountains.
- in cooperation with the Alpine Association of Slovenia, they have organised 5 Best Mountain Trail votes and restored 4 trails chosen by hikers. This will be the 6th year in a row that voting will be made possible.
- to date the campaign has gained almost 36,000 ambassadors who, via their activities on social media, are helping to create a community of people who appreciate clean hills and mountains.
- more than 30 tonnes of litter have been cleaned up during the campaign's trail-cleaning events.
- the organisers of the campaign, in cooperation with professional partners, have already equipped more than 90 mountain huts and homes with fire extinguishing ampoules and automatic fire extinguishers.
Zavarovalnica Triglav will continue with this type of activities this year and will thus continue to support safe and responsible visits to the Slovenian mountain ranges.
