First heli-skiing on highest-lying ski slopes in Slovenia

The current ski season is not over yet as the blanket of snow on the highest Slovenian peaks still allows for spring skiing in the sunshine. Thanks to heli-skiing, Mount Kanin, the only ski resort in Slovenia with slopes above 2000 metres, became a place of fun again. In early March a helicopter with a group of twenty ski tourers flew there for the first time. A new winter star is born!

Although the Kanin cable car has been out of operation for over a year, Kanin ski resort located at 2,300 metres above sea level has a brighter future ahead of it. On the second weekend in March, a group of twenty ski touring enthusiasts was flown to Kanin in a helicopter. Heli-skiing is an increasingly popular form of off-trail ski touring with a helicopter bringing skiers to the top of a hill or mountain. What can be better than slaloming amidst snow-capped mountain tops, gliding on virgin snow, experiencing remote Alpine slopes and the magnificent world of the Julian Alps? Heli-skiing can also be enjoyed on Mount Vogel, a ski resort above idyllic Bohinj.

Slovenia is just the right place for ski touring. This is a passion of winter sports enthusiasts who love the unspoilt landscape and adrenalin rushes. Skiing down an untouched blanket of snow, surrounded by mighty Slovenian mountains, is an unforgettable experience. In the right conditions, ski touring in the Julian Alps is as good as it gets. Alongside having good skiing skills and the proper equipment, those looking to ski off-piste are recommended to hire a licensed mountain guide. Popular ski touring areas include Komna above Lake Bohinj, the slopes of Mala Mojstrovka above Vršič, Viševnik above Pokljuka, Dovška Baba, Jalovčev ozebnik, Kredarica from Krma, Savinjsko sedlo, Turski žleb, etc.

In Slovenia the beginnings of ski touring are linked with the year 1895 when it was first mentioned as a trip on skis. In the 20th century ski touring was cultivated by a group known as Drenovci. Apart from tours in the vicinity of Ljubljana they also went up Kamniško sedlo and Velika planina. In 1914 the first ski touring course intended for mountaineers, hunters and alpine guides was organised. Ski touring is an integral part of the courses for alpinists and guides of the Slovenian Alpine Association.

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