Drejc Karničar

Drejc Karničar is the youngest son of the long-standing caretakers of the Češka hut, Anica and Andrej Karničar. Together with his sister and three brothers he spent his youth closely connected with the mountains and skiing. He has been climbing since he turned fifteen. He passed his Alpinist exam in 1988.



He crowned his passion for climbing and skiing in 1995 with the first ski descent from Annapurna, the Himalayan eight-thousand-meter high peak. He conquered the mountain and then skied of its peak with his brother Davo. In addition to Annapurna (8091m), he also skied down the east wall of the Matterhorn (4478m) and often skied down Mont Blanc (4807m). In our mountains he skied down the steep walls of Babe, Dolgi hrbet, Kočna and Grintovec. Very special was also the descent down the frozen waterfall Sinji slap under The Češka hut.

For many years he participated in ski mountaineering competitions across Italy. In 1993, he won third place in the Italian Cup Coppa delle Alpi with his late brother Luka.




After finishing high school in Kranj, he began studying at the Faculty of Sport. In 1998 he successfully completed his studies and acquired the title of professor of physical education. For his thesis in the field of ski touring training, he was awarded a prize from Rok Petrovič fundation. For more than 10 years he passed his knowledge as a teacher of physical education  on to the young generation in the elementary school Matija Valjavec in Preddvor and in the local branch school.

During the term 2006 - 2011 he was a member of the Slovenian Government Expert Council for Sport. He is also a longtime coach and ski instructor for the local sport association. He sings in the local church choir since he turned 18. For more than a decade he led the mountaineering section in Jezersko. With his example he impressed and raised a whole generation of young girls and boys, interested in mountaineering and skiing.

In 1986, he participated for the first time in the rescue operation during the tragedy of the Dutch mountaineers on Kočna. In 1992 he passed the exams for a mountain rescuer. After the tragic death of his brother Luka and other rescue team members above mountain Okrešelj, he took over the management of the Mountain Rescue Association in Jezersko. In the years 2006 - 2010 he was also the vice president of the Mountain Rescue Association of Slovenia.



Together with his wife Polona he succeeded his father and for five years took care of the Češka hut on Spodnje Ravne. Now he is the major of one of the smallest municipalities in Slovenia - Jezersko. He also dedicates a lot of his time to Šenk's homestead and its tourist offer. He directs his extensive mountaineering and skiing skills as well as his pedagogical touch into programs for young people who are happy to spend their holidays on Šenk's homestead and in Jezersko.