14807

Austria: Backcountry Skiing - Stubeck

Finally we started our backcountry skiing season, but we had to drive ourselves to Austria. In Gmünd we left the motorway and started driving to Frido-Kordon-Hütte, 1649 m. We parked our car and put the skis on and our ascent began. In 2 hours we were standing at the top of Stubeck, 2370 m. As we already knew, the terrain was easy, so we didn't have any difficulties skiing back to the hut, where we ordered our well deserved beer. We finished the day driving back home with a stop in our favorite local restaurant.

View from our way to the Frido-Kordon-Hütte mountain hut.

As we stepped out of the car, we immediately put our skis on.

Easy ascend with no avalanche danger.

Larch trees and nearby mountains.

Nada enjoyed her first ski trip this winter season.

 

Stöckli and Völkl 

Above Gmünd.

View to Bärennock, Tandlspitze and Kleine Reißeck in the middle.

Pure white pleasure.

Half way up

From time to time, the clouds covered the Stubeck peak

 

The way from Leonhardhütte joined ours

Old cross is still standing on the summit

Reitereck, Wandspitze, and in front of them Poisnig.

Nada and Tuši

And now the best part, going down.

Happy birthday Nada!

With a style.

View back to the summit of Stubeck.

Backcountry skiing season began - Garmin Connect

 

We stopped in Frido-Kordon-Hütte for a beer...

 

... and at Damo's for food.

GeoCache found:
- Nicht auflegen!, GC7FD2F

14806

Slovenia: Hike & Fly - Ambrož

Rok and me decided to have a paragliding day. We hiked from Poženik to Ambrož pod Krvavcem, where a laid take-off site is. We both successfully started, still we needed to land quite early, since we couldn't fly over a small hill in front of us. We used a phone to call Nada and she picked us up. We convinced her to drive us further uphill, where another more "normal" take-off site is. From there we had no problems and we landed in Grad near Cerklje na Gorenjskem.

Rok preparing for take off.

Soon we landed and we waited on the side of the road for Nada - Garmin Connect.

 

2nd attempt of the day was made on higher take off site

Rok was in the air

Tuši preparing the glider with the help of Nada

 

My launch

On my way to the valley - Garmin Connect.

14802

Slovenia: Toško Čelo, Šmarna gora and Rašica

It wasn't a beautiful day, still I decided to do some mountain biking near Ljubljana. My plan was to conquer three very popular peaks, Toško Čelo, Šmarna gora and Rašica. Although they are not that high, conquering all of them required quite a lot of energy.

Abandoned lead mine Knapovže near Trnovec

Near Toško Čelo, 590 m

The suspension bridge linking villages Medno and Vikrče was designed by engineer Stanko Dimnik and built in 1934.

Bridge eased crossing of the Sava river for inhabitants of Vikrče and Medno and many tourists coming from Medno railway station to visit Šmarna gora. Until then all the river crossings were made by boat or small ferry. At first, until 1941, there was a toll to pay for crossing the bridge. A small toll shed was standing at the entrance to the bridge from Medno.

 

At top of Šmarna gora, 669 m, I rang the bell 3 times for 3 wishes to come true, had lunch and continued to the last peak of the day, Rašica, 641 m.

I continued towards Voklo, where Nada picked me up

Mountain biking on hills of Ljubljana - Garmin Connect

GeoCaches found:
- Hidden in time and space, Mystery, GC2VZ1N, where I dropped off trackable item "Tea Lover's Travel Bug #8", TB3KPRN
- Počivališče Voklo - vzhod, GC8E9M9

14800

Slovenia: New Sledding Track and AO Tržič Closing Party

Local sport club is building a new sledding track in Podljubelj and I decided to help them, while they were placing new water and electricity pipes in the ground. With the help of the machinery we were very productive and almost completed all the planned tasks. In the evening Nada picked me up at the work site and we just continued uphill to Dom na Zelenici mountain hut,  1536 m, where our local Mountaineering Section called AO Tržič had a closing party. As always, all the members, who got promoted, had to perform special, usually unsolvable tasks and punishments were not easy.

 

All generations were working.

 

Soon, we will have water and electricity.

Nada picked me up and we had a foggy way to Dom na Zelenici mountain hut - Garmin Connect

 

Unsolvable tasks resulted in painful punishment.

14799

Slovenia: Mountain biking to Prelaz Ljubelj

The weather was still good for bike riding, so I took my Black Mamba and we conquered Prelaz Ljubelj / Loiblpass, linking Slovenia and Austria or already in Roman times, Emona and Virunum.

Quick circle on the Austrian side

Ljubelj Pass at the top of the valley is adorned by two stone obelisks.

View to Sv. Ana valley.

Mountain biking to Prelaz Ljubelj - Garmin Connect