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Soca River. Packraft from Sprenica 1 to Tronovo 1

T2 packrafting in Soca valley Slovenia from Sprenica 1 to Tronovo 1.

By Packrafting.cat

November 29^th, 2024

See the main post with all the sections and information for Packrafting and other activities on the Soca River in Slovenia.

https://blog.packrafting.cat/soca-river-the-european-mecca-of-kayaking

Original version

See the original post: Río Soča. Packraft de Sprenica 1 a Tronovo 1

https://blog.packrafting.cat/rio-soca-packraft-de-sprenica1-a-tronovo1

The sections of the river Soca are:

T0 Upper Soca: From Lepena (just after the beautiful gorga of Velika korita Soče) to the confluence of the river Soca and the river Koritnica where we had our accommodation (camping Liza).
T1 Confluence Koritnica - pont Čezsoča (Prijon Center) - Slap Boka - Sprenica 1: Quiet stretch for everyone where you can relax and watch the scenery while being carried away by the current of the river.
T2 Srpenica 1 - Tronovo: 4 k Cl II puis III (3+) a very entertaining section.
T3 Tronovo 1 to Tronovo 2 - Slalom section. Short slalom of approx. 1 km distance with class IV rapids.
T4 Gorge de la Soča. Cataract section. This is 2km of class IV+ with many potential siphon hazards. We did not do this section.
T5- Otona - Kobarid section. 3 km Cl III (3+) of beautiful route combining open mouth scenery with good and constant class III rapids.
T6- Kobarid - Tolmin: 14 km of calm water ride.

To these sections we have to add the section of the river Koritnica.

T1 Koritnica: One of the best stretches in the Soca valley.

Here is the information on the T2 section of the Soca River, which runs between the Sprenica 1 embarkation point and Tronovo 1.

Google Map

Here you can find a detail of all the highlights of the Soca River.

This is a section where the white water gets interesting and the portages are not so clear. This 5.5km section has more continuous stretches of class III rapids, even 3+ depending on the level, and you have to watch out for large boulders that often hide possible siphons.

The section starts at the car park of Sprenica 1, it is better to park on the road because if you go down to the river there is a car park but it is reserved for rafting companies and the police will fine you.

This stretch, especially in summer, usually maintains an acceptable water level and enough white water intensity to make it the rei stretch for rafting.

It is an easy descent for people used to white water with a physiognomy that narrows progressively until it reaches the Tronovo slalom area. The landscape has beautiful wooded banks with high walls and wooww mountains as a backdrop and the isolation is great as the road passes through the valley itself and is hundreds of metres above the river for most of the route.

In fact the section from Sprenica 1 to Sprenica 2 is the easiest but the main disadvantage of leaving or entering Sprenica 2 is the gradient from the car park to the embarkation area so I do not recommend Sprenica2 as an embarkation or disembarkation point.

Towards the end there is a pass with a strong side current that several of us swam that could perhaps be classified as class IV.

The section usually lasts about 2 hours and when you see the Tronovo bridge a little earlier you can disembark or you can add 1 km more of route and add the slalom course which already increases the level of the route to a class IV. In fact rivermap classifies this section as class III+/IV, so keep in mind that it is a demanding section.

Soca River. Packraft from Sprenica 1 to Tronovo 1

Apps y webs con información extra

Extra information on this section:

Eaux vives - P2- Parking between Žaga et Srpenica - Trnovo
Rivermap Soča Cave/Friedhofstrecke (Srpenica 2 - Trnovo 1) III+ (IV)
In the application Whitewater guide on the map of the Eastern Alps you will find the information about the river Soca.
In the RiverApp you will find all the documented stretches.

The route with GPS coordinates Packrafting Soca - Sprenica 1 to Tronovo1:

About the water levels in the first week I was there, this was the gŕafica of the riverApp app.

The first day it was raining hard and that helped the water levels. On the other hand, 15 days later the water levels were close to "low water". The entrance to the Gorga and the Gorga itself is very different depending on the water level, less water does not always mean easier but, in the case of canyoned sections like this one, high water levels do mean more potential dangers as the Gorga can form powerful drosholes. Be safe please!

Click on the map to see it in full.

https://www.ukriversguidebook.co.uk/site-media/socarivermap.pdf

Carlos Gang

The first team was sponsored by Packrafting Spain (Jamón Ibérico Sponsorship ™), the whole team with the tuticolori Aoraki Packraft:

Actividades complementarias

The hiking trails through the river valleys are highly recommended. Personally, it was a good idea to visit the starting point of the Koritnica Gorges just after arriving, we got some very mystical photos.

Velika korita Soče (Great Soča Gorge)

You will pass through here on your way to the Upper Soca T0 car park. It is well worth a stop to visit and get to know this narrow (and forbidding) canyon of the Soca River.

A picture is worth a thousand words...

Someday I will have to explain this story in detail, but for now here is a quick recommendation: climb Mount Triglav, there are several routes, but I recommend the one I chose, a climb with sections of via ferrata, a strenuous and unique experience.

If, like us, you fly to Venice, you can make an express visit...

Packraft in the Noguera Pallaresa river

The river is a living environment, changing and subject to permanent development. The publishers of the river sketches and the creators of this website cannot be held liable in any case of inaccuracy, omission or error in the river sketches. The topos editors and website creators disclaim all liability in case of any accident that may occur on the rivers described in this guide.