We are in Slovenia where it has been raining for several days. The rain has hit a wide area, and now has caused flooding in Croatia and Tuscany. If your travel plans include these areas in the near future, you should follow this closely. So far we are continuing with our hiking plans here in Slovenia.
http://edition.cnn.com/2017/09/11/europe/tuscany-flooding/index.html
I hope you have a good time in spite of the rain. Yesterday I remarked to my husband that it was exactly a year ago that we were hiking in the Logarska Dolina area. (We were hiking up to Beckler Peak at the time). Hopefully the rain will move on. As I recall, you were hiking with an REI tour. Enjoy!
Hi Connie ---yes, we are on an REI hiking tour now, after several days on our own at Lake Bled. Yesterday the plan was for a long hike to a hut for an overnight, then an even longer hike today up and over a pass, submitting Krn (a mountain peak) then down to our hotel at Kobarid.
Yesterday they shortened the hike to the hut so we would only be hiking 2-3 hours, up 2400 feet. We spent the early part of the day sightseeing by van in the pouring rain. It had not let up by the time we were getting ready to hike, and I was concerned because my husband was not feeling well---atheist previous day he crashed in mid-afternoon and sported a fever, then skipped dinner. He just didn't sound ready for two strenuous hikes and an overnight on the fairly primitively conditions of a hut. So I quietly asked our guide if it might be possible for us to be dropped at the hotel for our next destination, and meet the group there the following day after their hike. Turns out the hotel, in the village of Kobarid, was full up---with a Rick Steves group! But my husband did not want to bail on the hike and hut experience, and insisted he would be OK.
It turned out fine, although we hiked up in pouring rain and water running down the trail, sometimes ankle-deep. We were all thoroughly soaked by the time we got to the hut, but they were very accommodating with drying facilities for our clothes and boots. Today dawned clear and sunny, with no rain forecast, so it seemed it would be OK. It two hours into the hike, still climbing, we hit snow, which covered the steep rocky train in places. After another hour the guide declared it was not safe to continue to the peak, so we headed Dow, by this time in heavy fog. Fortunately the train down was less steep, with long ramp-like switchbacks, quite manageable despite the snow. Once we broke out of the fog the view of the Soča Valley was beautiful---and we could see all the way to Venice!
It was a long way down but we finally arrived at a little hut for refreshments around 4:00 pm. Our driver picked us up there and took us to the hotel in Kobarid, where I am happily relaxing after a shower and before dinner.
I enjoyed reading about your hikes. I am glad you are having a good time in spite of all the obstacles. Weather is something we cannot control. In 2008, we had a hut to hut hike planned in Austria. There was an early snowfall, and they told us at the National Park office we should not go, trails and huts were closed, come back next week when it will be OK. (which we could not do). I put hours into planning that trip, we carried extra supplies to do it and it never happened. We swallowed our disappointment and spent a day thinking though other options. In the end, we spent 3 nights visiting Melk with a day trip to Vienna and had a great time. (In fact, we did a day long bike ride along the Danube. We loved it so much, we went back last September and did it again.) Travel on friend. (BTW, we are in the middle of smoke from the wildfires here for the 3rd time this summer. No views to be had in our neck of the woods)
Edit: When we hiked up Triglav, we had to hike out the following day in the pouring rain. Fortunately we Pacific Northwest people are used to rain. When stuff like that happens, we just look at it as "We are making memories" You will never forget your rainy hike up to a hut in Slovenia!!!
