Slovenian mountains see deadliest year in two decades

Slovenia's mountains remain one of the country's greatest natural treasures, drawing hikers, climbers and adventure seekers from across Europe and beyond. But their growing popularity is coming with a heavy price.

Last year proved to be the deadliest in at least two decades, CE Report quotes The Slovenia Times.

Slovenian mountains claimed 50 lives in 2025, the highest figure in the 20 years on record, according to data released by the Slovenian Mountain Rescue Association.

Mountain rescuers responded to 660 accidents during the year, a 4% increase compared with 2024. They rescued 767 people.

One of the most tragic incidents occurred in October, when three Croatian mountaineers were swept away by an avalanche below Mount Tosc. All three were later found dead.

The association warned that the number of mountain accidents continues to rise and that rescue operations are becoming increasingly demanding. Over the past decade, the number of accidents has grown by around one-third.

The vast majority of call-outs involved rescue missions, while about 10% were search operations. Police or Slovenian Armed Forces helicopters were deployed in 41% of all cases.

Nearly half of all rescues involved uninjured hikers who were unable to continue on their own, while the number of severely injured mountaineers requiring assistance increased.

Most accidents were caused by slips and falls, followed by unfamiliarity with the terrain, inappropriate equipment and inadequate preparation.

Popularity at a price

There appears to be a strong link between the rising number of accidents and the popularity of Slovenian mountains among foreign tourists, who are often less familiar with local weather conditions and terrain and tend to underestimate the difficulty of climbs.

Slovenia has around 160 mountain huts offering some 6,000 beds. During the peak season, most are occupied by foreign visitors eager to explore the Alps and other mountain ranges.

In 2024, the last year for which figures are available, mountain huts recorded over 145,000 tourist nights, the figure having grown at double-digit rates for five years.

Foreign nationals accounted for 46% of all people rescued last year, up from 44% in 2024. Among the victims, 15 were foreigners.

Germans were most frequently among those needing assistance, followed by hikers and climbers from Poland, Croatia, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Austria, Great Britain, France, the Netherlands and Belgium.

Photo: Courtesy of the Slovenian Mountain Rescue Association