The Bivak II at the Lakes is open since the end of September, and offers a modest, yet safe refuge at the altitude of 2,118 metres. The bivouac constructed by the members of the Jesenice Alpine Section and volunteers stands high over the Vrata valley, at the most beautiful location of the park, with a view of the mighty north face of Triglav. It can accommodate up to six visitors; it has shared beds, a bench, a folding table, a practical storage space, and double USB connection for charging mobile phones.
The bivouac was originally constructed in 1936, on the same spot. It was designed and constructed by the members of the former Jesenice Mountaineering Club Skala called 'skalaši', who carried the necessary material to the mountain on their backs. The materials used were simple, but the solutions were extremely functional, so the bivouac defied the extreme weather conditions for a respectable period of 80 years. Last year it was finally worn out, and it was taken by the helicopter of the Slovenian army into the valley.
Happy ending, after a number of complications
After a year of complications, legal restriction due to its location in the middle of the Triglav National Park, and especially thanks to volunteer work of the members of the Jesenice Alpine Section, and determination of a number of individuals, the reconstruction of the bivouac II at the Lakes was successfully completed, Anže Čokl, one of the leaders of the project, announced.
Maja Perko, head of Jesenice Alpine Section, said: "The bivouac is finished! It is standing on the same place, embraced by the highest mountains, where it stood for almost a century. We were amazed with the inventiveness and deliberation of those who constructed the first bivouac, therefore we have preserved the basic shape, modernized some details, and I am confident that the new bivouac will serve well at least for the next 80 years!!"