Prisojnik, also known as Prisank (2,547 m), is a peak located in the Julian Alps in northwestern Slovenia. Due to the large number of interesting trails, good tourist infrastructure, and the proximity of Kranjska Gora, the mountain enjoys significant popularity during the season. This entry will tell the story of ascending Prisojnik via the interesting Kopiščarjeva pot ferrata, leading directly through a massive rock window, and descending via the Jubilejna pot ferrata. Welcome to the report from my first expedition to the Julian Alps!
Table of Contents
- How was it with Slovenia? Accommodation in Kranjska Gora
- Approach to the Kopiščarjeva pot ferrata (Prednje Okno)
- Kopiščarjeva pot
- Prednje Okno
- Prisojnik – reaching the summit
- Jubilejna pot – descent from Prisojnik
- Trip Map
How was it with Slovenia? Accommodation in Kranjska Gora
The trip to Slovenia is most likely the most spontaneous expedition in my modest travel career. I took my vacation with Austria in mind, specifically its highest peak, the Großglockner. However, the closer it got to the time off, the less encouraging the weather forecasts for the Hohe Tauern became. A few days before departure, Martyna, my sister and faithful companion on Alpine escapades, expressed her doubts loudly. I, although very excited to return to Tyrol, admitted she was right. Pushing into the highest mountains of Austria with very mediocre forecasts had no logical justification.
What is the moral? It is always worth having a Plan B! In our case, it was the Julian Alps, for which all weather forecasts predicted full sun for the coming days. Well, there was no point in thinking further. Slovenia, here we come!
You must forgive me, but on this occasion, I will share a digression with you. Until quite recently, I thought that a stable and mature job would make planning trips to distant mountains a kind of lottery and a source of constant stress. After all, how can one predict the weather in the Alps a few months (or even a few weeks) before the trip? It was only the expedition to Slovenia that made me realize that worrying about such things is actually pointless. There are many mountains to conquer and, you can be sure, somewhere the Sun will definitely be shining during your vacation. You just have to look :D. The trick lies in not planning too much and allowing yourself a bit of flexibility in this mountain passion.
And indeed. Where we spent the night in Slovenia was decided only about 100 km before crossing the Austrian-Slovenian border. We managed to snag a spot at Natura Eco Camp in the well-known Alpine resort of Kranjska Gora. The campsite turned out to be quite crowded, but at the same time incredibly charming and idyllic. The only problematic issue was actually the price. From the campsite’s website, it appeared that the fee for a single spot was 20 EUR. Only when paying the bill did it turn out that 20 EUR was the rate… per person, not per tent. Well, one thing is certain: it is difficult to be a budget tourist in Slovenia.
In the evening, we went for a short walk around Kranjska Gora. The town turned out to be wonderful and almost immediately stole our hearts. That atmosphere, those views… Gosh, how I missed the Alps!
Approach to the Kopiščarjeva pot ferrata (Prednje Okno)
We left the campsite in Kranjska Gora around 7:30 AM. We got into the car and took road no. 206 (Ruska cesta), which runs deep into the Julian Alps toward the Vršič Pass. The route is quite steep, so we covered a large part of it in first gear. Since we knew we left quite late and the place is very popular, every parking lot we passed raised the question: “should we park here already, or do we drive up a few dozen more meters?”. Ultimately, the decision to stop was made at a large (and free!) bay at an altitude of about 1,370 m. From our parking spot, there is a beautiful view of the Prisojnik massif, the exploration of which was to be the first point of our Slovenian adventure.
We started the trek around 7:50 AM. Just 250 meters after leaving the car, we arrived at the first hut – Tonkina koča na Vršiču. There, we entered the Alpe Adria Trail, a comfortable gravel path that runs up the slope in deep switchbacks. For the next three kilometers, we walked through a dense forest, patiently gaining the first meters of elevation difference. In some places, we cut across the switchbacks with steep “shortcuts.” In this way, 45 minutes after leaving the car, we reached the next hut – the beautifully situated Poštarski dom na Vršiču (1,737 m). From the clearing in front of the building, an incredible panorama of the massive limestone wall of Prisojnik unfolds. The aesthetics of this place remind me somewhat of the Dachstein massif.
I must admit that at the hut, I made the most serious mistake of this trip. I realized that on one of the forest shortcuts, I had dropped a large bottle of water. So I went to the sink, but a red sign informed me that the hut’s water was not suitable for drinking. I thought to myself, “ok, I’ll fill up somewhere on the trail.” Well, as it turned out later, I wouldn’t, because the Julian Alps in August are literally dried to a crisp. This unfortunately ended in serious dehydration (but also a solid lesson for the future).
Five minutes after leaving the hut, we came across a board informing us about three unique features of the Prisojnik massif (otherwise known as Prisank). These are the great window, the small window, and the “Ajdovska deklica” (“Heathen Maiden“), a rock formation resembling a woman’s face. According to legend, this Heathen Maiden used to live in these areas and helped travelers and traders transport goods through the dangerous corners of the Julian Alps. Besides her charitable activities, the girl also prophesied the future of newborns. One day, the Maiden declared that one of the newborns would become an invincible hunter who would one day hunt a white chamois with golden horns. The hero would sell the horns and thus become incredibly rich. When the other Oracles heard this story, they were frightened and put a curse on the Maiden. As soon as the girl returned to her home in Prisank, she turned into dead stone.
Kopiščarjeva pot
Legends aside, we want to climb! At the information board, there is a crossroads. We choose the one that runs toward the beginning of the Kopiščarjeva pot ferrata (also known as Prednje Okno), well-known in this region. A one-kilometer section along a comfortable forest path awaits us. The path descends slightly the entire time, so we lose about 80 meters of altitude here.
At this point, it must be written that the ferrata we chose is not the only one leading to the summit of Prisojnik. An alternative option is Hanzova pot, starting from Ruska cesta at an altitude of about 1,250 m. The problem with this route, however, is that mandatory equipment includes… crampons and an ice axe. The ferrata passes through a small but reportedly very slippery glacier.
We reached the threshold of the Kopiščarjeva pot ferrata a few minutes after 9:00 AM. Sources rate the difficulty of this road differently – in one place it is B/C, in another C/D, and sometimes even D. In my subjective feeling, the ferrata is not suitable for complete beginners, but for people used to exposure (and especially those who practice rock climbing daily), it should not cause major problems. While at the initial stage of the ferrata we still walk among dwarf pines and tufts of high-mountain grasses, the greenery quickly disappears, replaced by omnipresent rocks.
Climbing the Kopiščarjeva pot ferrata is a very pleasant experience. The ascents are actually not too demanding, yet they provide a lot of fun and mountain satisfaction. After overcoming the first, slightly steeper section, the terrain becomes gentler. Fragments of the trail secured by the ferrata intersperse with those that were decided to be left without any protection. Navigationally, the path is quite obvious because its course is well-marked with a red and white circle. One of my pre-trip intentions was to use rock holds wherever possible (and not clumsily pull myself up on the iron safety cables). With small exceptions, the goal was generally achieved.
After about an hour of climbing, at an altitude of approximately 1,850 m, we reach the most difficult fragment of the ferrata. A wall in a rock crack must be overcome here, densely secured with staples and iron anchors. Just a playground for people of our kind. The fragment is interesting because at one point it requires overcoming a truly narrow gap. The vertical wall leads us to an altitude of 1,950 m. Subsequently, the ascent is still quite intensive, but already definitely gentler. We climb up the rock slope, steadily gaining another 200 meters of altitude over the next 400 meters.
Prednje Okno
Around 10:30 AM, we spot the main attraction of our route – the huge rock window Prednje Okno. To get inside the great crack, we descend a few meters along a steep wall secured with an iron cable. Next, an intensive ascent up a loose and stony slope awaits us. I admit that the trail on this section is quite unpleasant and requires maintaining increased concentration. However, the formation itself makes a truly great impression. The window is much larger than it seems in photos, and its interior reminds me of an ancient rock chamber. The power of the mountains in all its glory.
After crossing to the other side of the window, we continue the climb. We have to overcome the second particularly demanding fragment of today – a more than 100-meter wall, secured with numerous staples and iron posts. I must admit that the climbing in this place is satisfying, but it takes a heavy toll on stamina. The wall leads us directly to an altitude of about 2,300 m. At the end of the ferrata, for the first time today, a wide viewing panorama opens up, which will accompany us for the next few hours. What can I say, it is truly beautiful! In this place, we can also summarize the first part of our trip – completing the Kopiščarjeva pot ferrata took us about 2 hours. Further on, we will walk along an easier ridge section called Grebenska pot.
Prisojnik – reaching the summit
The Sun is burning hotter and hotter, and we continue the climb over the pure white limestones. We walk along the ridge section of the trail for about a kilometer. At this stage, secured sections still intersperse with unsecured ones, but generally, the approach is not especially technically demanding. Just a tedious acquisition of height in rocky terrain. We check in at the summit of Prisojnik (2,547 m) at 11:45 AM, which is about four hours from leaving the car. The weather forecasts came true, full sun all the time! The views from the summit are therefore excellent. To the west, we have the massifs of Velika Mojstrovka (2,366 m) and Mangart (2,679 m), while to the east, the prominent Škrlatica (2,740 m) and our next goal, Razor (2,601 m). Behind Razor, slightly to the right, the mighty Triglav (2,864 m) flashes, the highest peak of Slovenia and the Julian Alps.
Jubilejna pot – descent from Prisojnik
We take a longer break at the summit, about half an hour, and then continue our trip through the Julian Alps. Below the summit of Prisojnik, we turn left onto a route called Slovenska pot. After covering about a 200-meter rocky section, we reach another trail junction. Slovenska pot turns right, leading tourists back to the Vršič Pass. We, however, go straight, choosing the trail named Jubilejna pot, another local ferrata (difficulties up to B/C). The route owes its name to the fact that it was marked out in 1953 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the SPD (Slovenian Alpine Association).
The first stage of the Jubilejna pot is a descent down a several-meter wall of medium difficulty, secured by the ferrata. Next, we have to cover about a 500-meter section along a narrow path, traversing the northern slope of the Zvoniki peak (2,470 m). In this way, we reach the Kajzljeva škrbina pass (2,300 m), where we once again have the opportunity to admire panoramic views of the surroundings. Beyond the pass, we return to traversing northern walls, but this time of a different peak – Zadnji Prisank (2,386 m). There are no technical difficulties at this stage, but the exposure is significant at times.
Half an hour after leaving the pass, we reach the greatest attraction of the Jubilejna pot trail – the small rock window (otherwise known as the second window; approx. 2,300 m). The rock formation is indeed smaller than its large neighbor, but it also impresses with its size. I read in some guidebook that you could successfully fit a small church inside the windows here. And you know what? I think that’s a very fitting statement.
After passing through the small rock window, another descent down a steep wall awaits us, densely secured with iron aids. Which one is it today? I’m slowly losing track! The next 700 meters we descend in mixed terrain: sometimes along a clearly visible path, and sometimes down rocks secured by the ferrata. Massive Razor and the rock wall in front of it make an incredible impression from this perspective. Finally, we experience here what is most beautiful in the Alps: the sense of vast, endless space. And the August Sun continues to burn very strongly. Here, at high altitudes, we still have relative coolness, but in the valleys, temperatures reach almost 40 degrees!
Around 2:20 PM, we check in at the Škrbina v Zadnjem Prisojniku (1,987 m) pass. Here, we could actually finish the climbing for today and take the trail running down the valley, back to the Vršič Pass. However, since our trip to Slovenia this year is rather one of the shorter ones, we decide to maximize it and make an afternoon ascent of the nearby Razor. And how was it? I’ll tell you about that in the next entry, because this one is probably long enough already :D.
Trip date: August 11, 2024
Trip statistics: 10 km, 1,600 meters of elevation gain [fragment of a longer trip with total statistics: 23 km, 2,470 meters of elevation gain]
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