Stages 1-2 of the Slovenian Mountain Trail: Pohorje Hills
OVERVIEW OF STAGES 1 AND 2
Origination point of the SPP-1 is Maribor, about 2 hours from Slovenia’s capital city of Ljubljana by train or bus. We took an early train-bus combo and arrived at the trailhead before noon. Stage 1 involved four days of hiking through pine forest, finding our trail legs. The scenery reminded me of Pennsylvania, with huge hemlocks, cool streams in dark forests, hunting stands, and even deer meat on the menu. Probably the most interesting part of Stage 1 was Lovrenška Jezera, which is kind of like the NJ pine barrens at the top of a mountain. While walking through the forest, I got acquainted with Slovenia’s history by popping in some headphones and listening to podcasts. It helped to have context for the many World War I and II memorials we encountered.
After a night in the local hostel at Slovenj Gradec, we continued onward to Stage 2, which was another four days of steeper hiking through pastures and pine forest. From Slovenj Gradec, the first destination is Urslji Gora. This is a very long walk, primarily uphill, with a ridiculously steep couple of miles at the very end. From our stats, day 1 of stage 2 ranked third in terms of mileage for the entire trek. Start early. Have snacks. Rest when you need it. The next couple of days of stage 2 are gentler, with the final reward at Raduha, where you’ll get an expansive view of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps in Stage 3. Stick with it!
LODGING
We stayed in private rooms at the following huts (called “koča” or “dom” interchangeably): Ruška koča, Koča na Pesku, and Lukov dom before descending into the town of Slovenj Gradec. All huts had wifi, in-room outlets to charge electronics, hot showers and drinkable water (ahh, luxury!).
During stage 2, we stayed at the following huts, again in private rooms: Dom na Uršlji gori (cold water only), Dom na Smrekovcu and Koča na Loki pod Raduho (hot shower = 5 euros) before descending into the town of Solčava. In stage 2, we had to start paying for an optional hot shower. We spent one night at a local bed and breakfast in Solčava. Helpful note about hut names: “na” means “under” — so, Koča na Pesku means “hut under Pesku Mountain” (e.g. hut at the base of…).
IMPORTANT NOTE: We saved a lot of money in the mountain huts (usually about 50% off lodging price) by having a Slovenian Alpine Association card. We purchased a “B” membership card for each of us in Ljubljana for a total of USD $63 (56 euros). The card can be used throughout Europe and the Himalayas for lodging discounts on mountain huts. It also provides emergency rescue and health insurance for accidents that occur in the mountains. It pays for itself with just a few nights of lodging. Read more about this alpine club membership card in English here.
PHOTO INSPIRATION
Stage 1: Maribor to Slovenj Gradec
Stage 2: Slovenj Gradec to Solčava
TOTAL WALKING MILES/KM: 60 Miles
Stage 1: 43 miles / 70 kilometers
Stage 2: 37 miles / 60 kilometers
COST PER DAY PER PERSON: $37
Average cost per day during stage 1 and 2 was USD $37.00 a person, which included private rooms in mountain huts, meals and drinks (including wine and beer). It’s rare that mountain huts accept credit cards. We paid primarily in cash.
EQUIPMENT
No via ferrata kit, climbing shoes, or helmet needed. Best advice is to pack very light and enjoy it!
FOOD
The food in stage 1 is the most fresh and diverse on the trail until you start heading south after stage 8. Enjoy the creamy mushroom soup (gobova juha), buckwheat dumplings (žganci), grilled turkey fillets (puranji file), fresh vegetable salads, and yogurt (kislo mleko) while you can! It’s primarily sauerkraut and bean soup (jota) and sausage (klobasa) from stage 2 onwards. Stage 1 and 2 are exceptional for the breadth of food choices.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
The Cicerone trekking guide assumes you will take the ski lift to the top of the first mountain and begin your trek from there. It’s not a bad idea, as the hike up the mountain is steep, with no views. Initially, we would have told you “Skip the excess miles on day 1! Just take the lift!”. We realized, however, that there was value in gaining climbing strength in the first few days of stage 1. What we thought was “steep” became laughable later on… but we obviously needed the acclimatization period. Have low expectations for day 1 of stage 1. Enjoy the food!
There is no place to get water at the start of the trail. Fill up your water bladder or bottle while you are still in the city of Maribor near the bus or train depot.
There is also no market or cash machine at the actual starting point or anywhere along the route until you get to the town of Slovenj Gradec. Make sure you get cash and pack trail snacks before walking to the trailhead in Maribor.
There are some long days in these stages and sometimes there is no hut in the middle. You will want packed snacks for stages 1 and 2.
By day 3 of stage 2, the trail becomes much more scenic, culminating in an expansive view of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps mountain range (stage 3) at Komen and Raduha. Stick with the first couple of stages. It’s not the most scenic or exciting, but it will help you build your endurance and give you a sneak peek of what lies ahead. The huts are luxurious, as well.
If you have the option of staying at Lukov Dom on the last night of stage 1, do it! And get the half-board option with dinner. The mountain hut offered a buffet dinner option that was phenomenally extensive, with foods we did not encounter elsewhere on the trail. This was also, ironically, one of the cheapest places we stayed. Bon appetite!
