Ivačič cave under Triglav hut on Kredarica
One of the highest lying cave in Slovenia - 2016-07
I don’t hike regularly, though I should. The mountain world is beautiful, offers unforgettable views and impressions – and besides, everyone knows what their own reason for going is. I am more interested in caving, and of those, the mountain world has aplenty. Aside from small and unimportant caves, you can also find the longest and deepest Slovene cave in the mountains, as well as other important superlatives of Slovenian reputation. Amidst them, there are several legendary ones, such as Ivačič cave under the Triglav hut on Kredarica, which is fourth on the list of highest lying caves in Slovenia.
The cave was registered during research of the pothole Triglavsko brezno in the year 1961, and it is named after the man who discovered it, then meteorologist Franc Ivačič. The team of researchers also found a 130-meter long cave, horseshoe-shaped with two entrances and a bigger rock fall hall inside, including an ice platform that transforms into a steep slide towards the second entrance. A lovely article about visiting the cave was penned by the late dr. Ivan Gams and published in the July issue of Planinski vestnik in 1962.
Amidst hikers, the cave is supposed to be quite famous, and many head to it completely unplanned. To see the 130-meter long cave, you definitely need a light and a big dose of carefulness. The ice slide, which winds its way down the right part of the cave, can be quite dangerous in case of a fall. You can bypass it on the left hand side, where you also need to be careful because of the small ice patches. The reward for invested effort is at the bottom of the slide. There, the ancient ice shines in beautiful colorful layers, while only a few steps away, the view of the snow rock fall leading to the second entrance. You don’t need crampons, though we brought them with us just in case.
To visit the cave, we set aside an easy going Friday, in the morning time, and managed to avoid the closure of Gorenjska due to Putin’s visit the next day. We headed from Krma valley with all our equipment, drank some water at the water tanks, cursed the horrid section Kalvarija and drank cold beer on Kredarica in time for lunch. We entered the cave at 2 p.m. and, after two hours passed, were pleased to head back into the beautiful day. That day, we didn’t have to worry about the afternoon storm, there wasn’t too much wind, and no crowds. All in all, a beautiful day for mountaineering.
This time, Anja and I were joined by Mojca and Blaž, which was their first caving exploration after two years of absence. I only regret that we didn’t manage to finish with a meal in the shape of a pizza after a lovely and successful trip. Maybe next time…
