Peca / Petzen: The Path Less Traveled… and a Lesson in Sunburn

Peca (Petzen), rising on the border between Slovenia and Austria, is one of the northernmost peaks of the Karavanke range; a mountain known for its wide views and quiet isolation. On Easter Sunday, April 5th 2026, I chose a different way to reach its summit; a demanding, secured route with pegs and steel cables, still buried under late-season snow. While most hikers opted for the normal path, this line had clearly seen no traffic since the last snowfall. What followed was slow progress through soft, collapsing snow, searching for buried cables, clearing holds, and carefully negotiating steep sections. It may have been early in the season for this route; but that is exactly what made it worthwhile. The reward was complete solitude; even on a holiday when the mountains are usually busy. Slovenia, however, was almost entirely at rest; huts closed, trails quiet. Higher up, the wind picked up and prevented any drone flights, but the views remained exceptional. From Peca, the Kamnik–Savinja Alps reveal themselves from the north, an angle rarely seen; distant, sharp, and unobstructed. On the descent, I returned via the normal route; easier, faster, and far more traveled. Along the way, I visited the Hollow of King Matthias (Votlina Kralja Matjaža); a dark cave housing the legendary sleeping king, waiting to return when the time is right. One personal lesson from the day: ☀️ Never underestimate the spring sun at altitude. Snow reflection, clear skies, and a long day outside turned into a rather painful reminder. Despite taking a shortcut with the car to gain time; something I usually avoid; the day still delivered exactly what I was looking for: a quiet, demanding line and a different perspective on a familiar mountain. 🥾 Snow-covered paths 🪨 Hidden cables and technical scrambling 🌬️ Wind on the summit 🏔️ Endless views from the northern edge of Slovenia A path less traveled; for a reason. 0:00 Intro 2:20 Dom na Peci 6:33 One of Those Lives 7:22 Fast Forward to Summit 8:46 Descent to the Hut 11:16 The King's Hollow 12:38 Relive & Stats Jakobe (1377m) - Orjaška smreka (1600m) - Kajžarjeva Trata (1625m) - Dom na Peci (1665m) - Na sedlu (1707m) - V zavarovano (1735m) - Zavarovana pot - Ravnina pod vrhom (2031m) - Kordeževa glava (2126m) - Ravnina pod vrhom (2031m) - Normalna pot - V zavarovano (1735m) - Na Sedlu (1707m) - Dom na Peci (1665m) - Votlina Kralja Matjaža (1671m) - Kajžarjeva trata (1625m) - Jakobe (1377m) GPX: https://www.bergfex.com/mybergfex/act... Relive: https://www.relive.com/view/vE6JAEkm8xO ____________________ Music: pixabay.com andriig - Sad Instrumental Music alanajordan - Ambient Instrumental 03 HäcklAudio - Sad Ambient Guitar ViraMiller - Calm Wilderness Acoostika-Beat - Slow Guitar Delai Diamond_Tunes - Unsolved Story Documentary Music ___________________