Why I Picked the Alps, A Solo Challenge
Last fall, I thought, “I need to do a backpacking trip in the Alps when I get to visit Europe next.” This thought leads into a deep, spiraling rabbit hole. I realized quickly that my only window of opportunity for this backpacking trip was two weekends in mid-May. If you are familiar with the Alps, you know that most of the high-elevation mountains in the Alps are entirely covered with snow around this time. The solution to this issue may surprise you: The Julien Alps, a four-day hike in a stunning low-elevation mountain range. Read along as I go over my experience on a solo journey through the Alps and how you (with the proper planning and expertise) plan your own solo Alps trek.
First, while researching, I had to evaluate my skill level and the time of year (springtime snow). I am a very experienced hiker who is confident doing solo expeditions in the mountains. May in the Alps is considered winter conditions, so I had to assess the risks of this trek accordingly.
Here are some of the main risks that I was concerned about when planning this expedition:
- Lack of water: Due to frozen water sources, dehydration is a significant factor in these mountains during the winter. Dehydration also sets in faster at higher altitudes.
- Rugged Terrain: Hiking in snow-covered mountains is a different game. With lots of exposed and risky moves, this hike was not going to be a walk in the park. Traveling through snow is also a lot slower than traveling on a trail, so I didn’t want a long route.
- Changing Weather: In the Alps, the weather can change in minutes, so it is essential to pack for a variety of conditions. At times, you will be wearing a light sun hoodie, trying to avoid sunburn, and at other times, you will be struggling to survive a blizzard. Planning ahead for this trip is necessary, and it’s impossible to predict the weather and snow conditions when booking six months in advance.
- Closed Huts: Since I was going during a less popular hiking season, there were not many mountain huts that were open. Some mountain huts had winter rooms, but that was relying on pure luck since they only accommodated 2-4 people.
How I accounted for these risks:
- Lack of water: I made sure to bring more water than I thought I would need, and I melted snow to rehydrate my dehydrated meals. I also stopped at the Kredrici hut halfway through, which had lots of bottled water for purchase and free water for cooking. I also brought a water filter, but I barely used it because there were no streams above 1000m of elevation.
- Rugged terrain: Navigation was one of the biggest struggles, I used an App called Gaia for all my maps. Lots of the locals use Mappy or Topo Map. Having some sort of mapping application on your phone and a physical paper map that shows the route you are planning on taking is essential. To mitigate risk, I went for less mileage per day than I usually would for good conditions. Doing 7-9 miles a day instead of my normal 12-15 lets me account for route-finding difficulties and challenging terrain. I ended up doing 10-12 miles per day due to route-finding errors and the harsh terrain. Ensure you are experienced in Alpine Travel and have practiced using crampons and ice axes. Here is the packing list that I followed for this trek, get familiar with all of the items on this list.
- Changing Weather: Due to the highly unpredictable weather, I always planned to only hike for 8 hours daily. I would start at 7 am and go to 3 pm every day. The worst thing you can do is be in the elements after the sun goes down, I think it is essential to allow time to hunker down if the weather gets bad. Study the weather apps like it’s your job, I used a combination of Apple Weather, Garmin In-Reach Weather, and mountainforecast.com. Plan to hike according to the weather windows but be prepared for anything, sometimes you just have to push through.
- Closed huts: I mainly relied on winter rooms to host me during this trek. All of the huts that I visited had solid winter rooms, but you can email the huts just to make sure that they are open. I had one hut on my trek that had a closed winter room, which forced me to hike 16 miles in one day.
This trek is not for beginners. To complete it solo, you must manage risk, read terrain, and have mental fortitude. Bring a friend or pick a lower-elevation hike if you aren’t 100 percent confident in your mountaineering skills.
Day 1: Escaping Vrata Valley
Day one started very nicely. My mom kindly dropped me off in Vrata Valley, which is just outside of a small Austrian town. My plan was to do the “Cez Prag Route,” which has a reputation for being stunning but deadly. As soon as I was dropped off, I started hiking up a dried-up river bed that was surrounded by the most lush and beautiful mountains I have ever seen. Suddenly, I quickly saw one of my first reminders of how deadly this mountain range is. This valley also holds a lot of deep history.
This monument is called “Padlim Partizanom Gopnikov”. It is a huge carabiner clipped to a huge anchor to act as a memorial for the partisan alpinists that died fighting in World War 2 against the Nazis. This sent chills down my spine, but it was super cool to look at with the view.
Climbing out of the valley
The trail was very well marked with red and white dots indicating that you are on the right path. I arrived at a small snowfield I had to cross to start the ”Cez Prag Route”. This route looks completely impossible from the valley floor but I assure you it is doable. The route starts with some “Assisted Mountaineering”; this is where hand and foot holds are drilled into the rocks to aid you in climbing.
Even with these excellent holds, the route is still exhausting and exposed. This route is incredibly steep, crossing small snowfields and slopes full of loose rock. I would say that this is still not the crux of the route. The route’s crux begins with a Via Ferrata section straight up a rock face. Via Ferrata is a system where you can clip yourself into premade steel rope lines drilled into the rock to protect you from falling. This is a super simple way for mountaineers to stay slightly safer. There are lots of via Ferrata on this trek. This section would be a piece of cake but I was carrying over 40 pounds of gear. I carefully clipped into the steel protection and climbed further into the mountains.
Once I reached the top, there was a short section of scrambling up steep shale faces, and then I hit snow. Once I hit snow, I put on my crampons and got my ice axe. Climbing up this mountain’s face was exhausting, and routes would be challenging to find if no previous tracks were there. I followed two other mountaineers to the top of the mountain pass and exchanged contact information to coordinate future expeditions. I love making friends.
Once I reached the top, I admired the view as my new friends headed down. I hiked through the high alpine snow-covered terrain for about 40 more minutes before finally arriving at the hut. The hut I stayed at was called the “Stanic Hut.” This hut had two queen-sized beds and a desk—very basic. I cooked dinner on my stove and then went to bed.
Day 2: Kredarica Hut and Summit Day
On day two, my mission was to get to the Kredarica Hut, which is right below Mt. Triglav. Mt. Triglav is the highest mountain in Slovenia, and climbing it is very technical and exposed, and many have died. If the weather was good, I was going to summit Mt. Triglav. It is important to note that summiting is an option, but coming home safe should always be your priority. Evaluate the weather on an hourly basis.
I woke up and got sidetracked, summiting many other small peaks in the area. This was fun and gave me a valuable piece of mind for summiting Mt. Triglav. The random side quests I did that morning caused me to do 6 extra miles. I finally got to the Kredrici hut at about 3 pm, which was very early, but I was satisfied with what I had accomplished. I planned on waiting for better weather and summiting Mt. Triglav the next day. This was until I met two cool Austrian mountaineers. Their names are Andi and Gregor. The three of us started the approach to Mt. Triglav. About thirty meters into the approach, Gregor said he was too hungry to do the climb, he went down, me and Andi continued.
The Final Summit Push:
Andi, who I had met ten minutes prior, led the charge to the summit. The first part of the trek is an incredibly steep nearly vertical boot pack (50 to 60 degrees). This part was not very exposed which was a relief. This quickly changed once we climbed a steeper boot pack directly above a large cliff band. This section was also very exhausting after a day of hiking. After that sketchy boot pack, we finally clipped into the Via Ferrata. The Via Ferrata winded around one of the most exposed trails I have ever been on and then came to a snowfield. In my opinion, this was the crux of the summit push. A medium-sized couloir that we had to cross. One fall and you were dead. This section required confidence, precision, and mountaineering skills to complete. Andi and I both took our time and made it across safely. We felt good and the weather was perfect at this point in the push for the summit. We continued up the Via Ferrata to the ridge.
The ridge section was also very exposed but not challenging. We checked to ensure all straps, shoelaces, and other loose clothing items were tucked in to prevent tripping. We also took this section cautiously, using our ice axes for balance. The ridge was super windy, making me feel like a true mountaineer, pushing through the blowing snow. After traversing the ridge, it was time for more Via Ferrata. We were both comfortable on the Via Ferrata by this point so we were flying up this mountain. We quickly got to the summit after a couple more sketchy traverses.
After celebrating at the top of the highest point in Slovenia, we had to remind ourselves that the job was only halfway done, we still had the decent. I don’t have a lot of hate in my heart, I hate downclimbing. We took our time downclimbing through what we had struggled to get up, taking frequent breaks to drink water. This is when my quads and hamstrings wanted to die. I tried hard not to cramp as I navigated the exposed mountain faces. The part that I dreaded the most was the first and second bootpacks. I can confirm that it was exhausting.
After a wild Day Two of my expedition, my day finally started to come to an end. I slammed 3 of the “Peak” meals (43 grams of protein per meal, linked here), they were so good and very needed. I met many more friends in the Kredrici Hut, some were from Germany, some were from Bosnia. I spent the rest of my night giving them all of the betas for the climb they were about to embark on the next morning. I was also thinking, “Wow, I haven’t seen any TikTok, Arc’teryx, Mountaineering kids.”
Day 3/4: A Long Mileage Day
I woke up the next morning at 4:30 a.m. to say goodbye and wish my new friend luck. I gave them my contact information in case of an emergency. I then encountered my first Arc’teryx kid, rocking the famous dead bird beanie. This kid was completely alone and had very little mountaineering gear. I was also alone, so I couldn’t judge too much. I gave him my number and told him to call me if he got in trouble.
About 2 hours later, that kid called me and was in deep trouble. He was stuck directly above one of the most exposed parts of the ascent. I borrowed two 30m mountaineering ropes from the mountain hut owners and started my side quest to get this kid down safely. I hiked up to him, roped up to him, and completed the descent back down to the hut safely. He is a cool guy; we still talk to this day. When he got down, I helped him pick out an ice axe and crampons. This is a reminder that having the correct gear is essential in winter conditions.
After this, I accidentally ordered two breakfasts from the mountain hut and slammed both. I got the nickname “Big America” because I was at least 6 inches taller than everyone in this mountain hut and could eat wild amounts of food.
This feast got me ready for the wild day ahead. I descended out of the snow, which was a magical feeling. After navigating through the mountains using faint tracks, I got onto an actual trail; it was so cool. I followed this trail all the way down to the Vodnikov Dom Velen winter hut, where I planned to stop for the day.
I learned that the winter hut was locked which was probably the dumbest thing I have ever seen. I realized I had 8 more miles to go until I could get to a different hut to spend the night. I continued my descent into Krma Valley, where my apartment was located and where there was a hut located at Mostnica Falls. I hiked down lots of slippery rocks, saw plenty of mountain goats, and fell in the leaves a couple of times. I got to Mostnica Falls, a beautiful waterfall tucked into a gorge. It was about 6:30 pm, so I decided to cook dinner with a view. I relaxed and allowed my feet to recover.
Following my delightful dinner, I found out that the hut at Mostnica Falls was also closed. I had to hide 3 miles to town, but at least I got to sleep in a nice bed. The hike back into civilization was not very fun, and I would recommend doing more research than I did based on what huts are available. I finally made it to Krma Valley, and my trek was over.
Check out my packing list for this trip here.
FAQs
Q: Is solo mountaineering dangerous?
A: Solo mountaineering inherently carries more risk than hiking with a group. However, with careful planning, proper gear, and a conservative approach, the risks can be minimized.
Q: What level of experience is required for a trip like this?
A: This type of trip is recommended for experienced hikers and mountaineers with a solid understanding of navigation, wilderness survival, and mountain safety.
Q: What is the best time of year to go?
A: The best time for mountaineering in the Alps is typically during the summer months (June-September) when the weather is more stable and the snow has melted at lower elevations.
Embrace the Challenge, Respect the Mountains
This hike taught me a lot about myself, and I think that is the beauty of solo treks. In my opinion, the biggest challenge is calming your mind and being patient with yourself. If you have what it takes to embark on a solo trek through the Alps, I would highly recommend it. Understanding the risks associated with a trip like this and mitigating them is crucial. Respect the mountains and the locals that call them home. It was so awesome to disconnect from civilization and make lifelong adventure buddies.
