EXPLORING SOČA VALLEY’S EMERALD WATERS

Goriška, Slovenia

Written by Zach Patterson

Images by Annika Seidl and Zach Patterson

As Colorado’s trees began to shed their summer skins and the first frosty mornings settled in over the state, I waved goodbye to a wonderful river season in the Rocky Mountains and boarded a plane for Slovenia. The River Soča is one of Europe’s most beautiful - it’s emerald waters a bucket list playground for most paddlers.

I had packrafted in Slovenia the previous two years and its jagged peaks, playful rivers, and cool weather kept calling me back. My girlfriend, Sarah, and I went to meet former pro-slalom kayaker, Annika - who owns and operates a renowned whitewater packrafting and kayaking school based in the Soča Valley. Not only does her school help beginner whitewater paddlers navigate rushing waters safely, but it also inspires professional rafters to seek out farther flung adventures - like

At the start of our week-long packrafting trip, Sarah, Annika, and I hiked to and from the put in and met up with incredibly skilled paddlers from German, Slovenia, and Austria. Since our group straddled the line between advanced and expert, we spent much of each river day hitting difficult lines, surfing holes, and boofing anything that was boof-able.

Like Colorado, much of Solvenias wilderness remains scenic and wild. The Soča River specifically jumps playfully through pine forests and rocky outcroppings, cascading emerald waterfalls pour into deep pools. The water is filtered by the chalky Alps making it crystal clear and so, so delicious to drink. The medium flow river sports technical rapids with a moderate amount of gradient, it’s swiftness and magnitude larger than a creek but smaller than the Colorado cutting powerfully through the Grand Canyon.

Accessing the river requires a beautiful, intermediate hike and fortunately our packrafts are lightweight and easy to carry over mossy rocks and through lush forests. While I love to paddle, the beauty of the hikes to and from the Soča River almost matched the glory of its otherworldly waters.

My favorite thing about rivers is that they are constantly changing. I’m always a different person when I begin to float on its cascading waters. While I had experience paddling the Soča, it too has changed. The water level was different, various rock falls and trees had shifted. We are forced to check our egos at the door and give ourselves over to the flow, trusting ourselves, our boats, and our partners to make it through. I trusted Annika to expertly guide us through difficult rapids and around obstacles I did not remember or had never yet encountered. She did not disappoint. Sarah - who had only been on a packraft three times - was initially nervous and apprehensive. By the end of the trip, a wide smile adorned her face and she wanted to run it all over again.

We spent the day running the Koritnica - a narrow, swift tributary of the Soča. It’s waters also sparkle turquoise and paddlers can see right to the bottom. The vibrant water pops against overhanging, chalky rock. This segment is fast and flowy and requires a long, steep hike to get there. Totally worth it. We cut through a famous canyon, played on moderate rapids, and ended the day completely exhausted and completely stoked.

When we weren’t paddling the Soča River, we hiked up to frosty alpine lakes nestled in the laps of Slovenia’s rugged peaks. The scenery is unreal - like the chalky mountains popped off a Nat Geo page and stood in front of us, unwavering and majestic. Chilly days gave way to even colder nights and stars burst forth from dark, inky skies, like holes punched in a midnight black canvas.

On one particular drive to a picturesque alpine lake hike, we got stuck on what was very much a one-way road and could not pass by the fresh rock slide. After what seemed like a 300-point turn, we were able to rotate a full 180 and head back towards town.

I love Topo Designs because their design is incredible, the fit is perfect, and the quality is what I’d expect. The Fleece Mountain Pants were perfect for our trip to Slovenia as the weather was already starting to get cold. I could wear them to bed, at the camp fire in the morning, and under my drysuit while on the river.”

- ZACH PATTERSON

Speaking of town - Slovenia’s smaller locales are diverse and friendly. We had such warm welcomes in both base locations - Bovec and Kobarid. After long, exhausting days, finding the best food was an ultimate delight. The savory pancakes at Camp Kiln still linger in my dreams. When it’s not the fluffy pancakes I’m craving it’s probably the cheesy, gooey pizza slices at Camp Liza.

“There’s only one brand of sandals I’ll wear on the river and it’s for three reasons: 1. They are perfect from switching from paddling to hiking. 2. They are fresh and make me feel unique. 3. I get a killer Chaco tan.”

- ZACH PATTERSON

As our time in Slovenia came to a close, one thought remained persistent, gnawing at me as we packed up and said our goodbyes. I had to come back. The people were incredibly generous, the beauty was like nothing else, and the water was out of this world. As a native Coloradan, I grew up around supreme, coveted natural beauty. I’m hardly overwhelmed. But this time, I was speechless. Now, in addition to plotting trips for the upcoming river season, I’ll begin to set my sights once again on the wonderful water of Slovenia and knowing that I’ll be back there so very soon.

An avid whitewater paddler, Zach Patterson spends almost all of his free time out on the river. He spent several years as a river guide in Estes Park, Colorado. Today he fuels the stoke as part of the Kokopelli team. When not helping others find the best gear, he’s running laps on the Poudre River.

@Zach_Righteous