Vodnikov Dom -> Koca na Dolicu – After the rain come wonder and comfort

21. August 2025

 

 

4,6 km

430 m up

80 m down

2:10 hrs.

Mapy says this about today. The weather forecast predicted heavy, continuous rain, later even with thunderstorms. That’s why we had chosen this short tour and hoped that the hut we couldn’t reach by phone would still have space for us. But then: surprise! In the morning, it wasn’t raining at all! Everyone walked around the hut in confusion. One group had decided to stay put because of the forecast. Others set off immediately, making use of the dry window. We also intended to start quickly—but first, a little more photographing!

 

 

 

 

 

So we started and were happy about each step in dryness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shortly after that, it started: the rain poured down wildly. At least it was a good test for my rain jacket (works!) and my new backpack-packing technique (plastic bags instead of a rain cover – works!). And after about 30 minutes, luckily, it was over again, and a misty weather window replaced the rain. We could see that the landscape was becoming increasingly wild, rocky, and craggy. What mountains! Quick, onward before the next rain – but still time to snap a few photos!

 

 

 

 

 

 

And then the hut came into sight on a small kind of pass.

 

 

The hut luckily had free beds. And hole-loos outside.

 

 

And only one sink with dripping water for brushing teeth. During a conversation about collective smelling, we realized that in Slovenia – at least in this area – it’s apparently not intended to wash your whole body. There’s a significant lack of water (yet “bucket flushing” seems to be preferred over a dry toilet), but maybe it’s also a bit of a principle. However, since it wasn’t too hot, the smell was still bearable. Only – had I known beforehand, I would have brought disposable washcloths. Next time!

 

Next time? Wasn’t I still completely grumpy the day before? That changed dramatically here. The little bit of landscape we could see was already amazing. And the hut keeper was funny, passionate, and likeable – and therefore probably blessed with an equally great team. There was such a nice atmosphere here, despite the fact that almost everyone had arrived well before noon. The dining room was also large enough for everyone.

 

 

 

The team seemed to enjoy working together, were kind to the guests, and created a warm atmosphere. It was also much easier to connect with people here. We played cards with two young men from Hamburg, chatted with a Danish woman about Georgia, exchanged smiles with familiar faces, listened to terrible folk music and later to 90s hits – and I even won at dice! People mostly spoke English with each other, and what I had assumed to be Slovenians the day before turned out to be Americans, Czechs, Poles, French, Belgians, and all sorts of others.

 

It was much more international here than on any of my tours in Austria! Why was that? I asked ChatGPT about it. It listed the following reasons:

• people expect more authenticity, wilderness, and originality in Slovenia
• they believe Slovenia is cheaper
• the hiking area is smaller and more manageable
• Slovenia promotes itself with sustainable adventure tourism

There is a statistic in Slovenia regarding overnight stays in mountain huts: 57% are foreign guests, and in the Triglav area, it’s even 75%. Unfortunately, Austria does not have such a statistic. It is said that international guests in Austria are simply more spread out, and since Slovenia is so small and concentrated, you notice it more. I still don’t feel entirely confident with this analysis, but this phenomenon is definitely interesting.

 

I really enjoyed it, and I found the international atmosphere much more relaxed than the German-Austrian one. Because the area is relatively small, you would often run into the same people again, making it easier to strike up conversations.

 

The weather remained unsettled that day, with occasional rain showers and even a thunderstorm. We used a longer break in the rain for a short excursion along the trail to Triglav. The rocks and clouds kept filling me with awe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apart from that, the day passed with more card and dice games, a tasty dinner, and lounging around. The nightly trips to the outdoor toilets weren’t terrible at all – they actually reminded me of the homestays in Ladakh.

 

The beautiful, wild, rugged rocky landscape and the friendly atmosphere really started to win me over. That felt good. Better weather was forecast for the next day.
.