Ski Touring

On MLK Day the ODC organized a "ski touring" expedition led by one of the locally employed staff, Boštjan, who is a member of the Slovene mountain infantry.  He's the hardcore guy on the right.  I'm the not so hardcore girl third from left.  

We went up the Tamar Valley in the Kranjska Gora mountain region.  This was another day when the kids were all in school and Ben and I got to play hooky.                                                                         Simply amazing. 

This winter Slovenia has received more snowfall than in over a decade and the bitter irony is that all the ski resorts were CLOSED up until this point. So to have a day to be out in a winter wonderland enjoying the snow and a good workout was most welcomed!

This was my first time ski touring, different from cross country skiing... you put skins on the bottom of your skis to go on flat and uphill terrain. It kicked my butt but it was so much fun and the scenery couldn't be beat! We did 15 kms in a valley on mostly flat terrain until the very end where we skied UP to the mouth of a canyon where Boštjan did some avalanche rescue training with us. It was legit as he made us carry our own beacons, shovels, and avalanche probes.

For the first half, the trail looked mostly like this.  It was a workout!

Then we arrived at this little mountain hut with a little chapel whose roof looked like it was about to collapse due to the amount of snow on it.  All closed due to covid of course.  Go pee in the woods!

Next we skied through some dense woods as we approached the mountains, an interesting section! I may have been lucky enough to watch Chris, Amanda, and Ben all fall on their butts in this part

When we emerged from the wooded area, we came to the mouth of a canyon in the mountain, and this is where I about threw in the towel as we were already really spent... uphill to the canyon!

Amanda making her way up.  Look at that amazing frozen waterfall behind her!  I felt like we were on the set of Frozen, full expecting Olaf to show up at any moment. 

Hardcore Ben and Chris

Up top we were completely pooped.  I'm staring off into the distance contemplating how it was possible I made it up there.  So glad I have Amanda for these outings.  What am I going to do when she leaves this summer??? 

Meanwhile, Boštjana didn't lose any time as he began digging a cave used for instructing us on how to survive an avalanche.  

The amazing canyon.  Boštjana's probe told us that there had been an avalanche in recent days.  And we were hanging out here whyyyy?????

My Benny Boy.  Being the awesome wife that I am, I packed us each a pb&j sandwich and an apple for the entire day.  We needed about four times that amount of food. 

Boštjana really got into his training session on how to dig someone out of an avalanche.  Oh, and get this, Irena's father (the other lady on our expedition) died in an avalanche rescuing some hikers!  How she has the courage to go on such outings is really something!  

"Don't dig down, ok?.... Because he will die."😨😂




It's a race against time!

Clearly the coolest Slovene I know

Someone help her.