Ledena jama
Ledena jama je kraška jama ali brezno s stalnim ledom. Led nastaja v posebnih mikroklimatskih razmerah, ki omogočajo možno podhladitev v zimski polovici leta in nizke temperature preko poletja (t.i. jezera hladnega zraka). Glavni vir ledu je prenikla voda (deževnica), ki v ledenih jamah zaradi temperature pod 0 °C zmrzuje.. Če je ledna ploskev odprta proti jugu in občasno osvetljena, prispeva k ohranjanju ledu tudi tudi visok gozd.
V slovenskih klimatskih razmerah se ledene jame začnejo običajno pojavljati na višini okoli 1000 m. Le 10 % ledenih jam od več kot 150 se jih nahaja pod to mejo. Mednje, med najbolj poznane in najmogočnejše ledene jame se uvršča Ledena jama na Stojni, ki se v katastru jam pojavlja pod njenim prvim imenom, in sicer Ledena jama v Fridrihštajnskem gozdu.
Vhod v Ledeno jamo na Stojni leži na nadmorski višini 870 m. Severna stena je povsem vertikalna oz. celo previsna, medtem ko dostop z južne smeri omogoča položnejši žleb. Ker je jama izrazito odprta z južne strani in zato osvetljena v večjo globino, se led nahaja šele v globini 50 m. Tam leži 20 x 30 m velika ledena ploskev, imenovana tudi »ledeno jezero«, ki predstavlja vrh ledenega čoka in je zlasti spomladi polna ledenega okrasja. Iz stenskih razpok še dolgo v pomlad visijo ledeni slapovi. Zaradi taljenja ledu na stiku s steno se jama nadaljuje v globino ob vzhodni in zahodni razpoki – jamarji so med ledom in skalnato steno ob zahodni poči preko vmesne dvoranice prišli najgloblje – do globine 105 m pod vhodom. Količina ledu v jami je ocenjena na 30 tisoč m3, ki pa se zaradi klimatskih sprememb (segrevanje ozračja, razporeditev padavin, manj snežnih dni) hitro manjša. Ledena jama je včasih služila za turistične namene in kot naravni hladilnik. Zaradi hitrega taljenja ledu (5 m v zadnjih 20 letih) je lesena infrastruktura uničena, vstop do ledenega jezera pa brez tehnične opreme izredno nevaren. Zaradi globalnih klimatskih sprememb je pričakovati nadaljnje taljenje ledu, ki pa se bo z globino nekoliko upočasnilo.
Ledena jama na Stojni je vpisana tudi v Inventarju najpomembnejše naravne dediščine Slovenije, v knjigi Sto naravnih znamenitosti Slovenije in drugi literaturi
Že v prvem gozdnogospodarskem načrtu iz leta 1892 je zapisano, naj se v okolici Ledene jame drevje ne seka. Danes je to območje zavarovano kot gozdni rezervat Ledena jama. Gozdni rezervat leži na platoju pogorja Stojne, jugozahodno od Mestnega vrha, v gozdnem oddelku 69 c. Obsega jelovo – bukove gozdove s površino 14,79 ha. Prvotno je bilo z odločbo Skupščine občine Kočevje že leta 1976 izločeno iz gospodarjenja 2,00 ha gozdov okolici jame. Leta 1993 smo gozdarji območje rezervata razširili predvsem z namenom ohraniti klimatske razmere, ki zmanjšujejo taljenje ledu v jami ter obenem zavarovati naravne znamenitosti kot so Kraljevi studenec, ostenja in kraške jame.
Parkirajte na priporočenem parkirišču in se peš odpravite na kratek 15 minutni sprehod do Ledene jame. Zakladek je skrit malo višje od jame, zato ga v bližini jame ne iščite, saj je to lahko nevarno. Prav tako pazite, kako do jame dostopate, saj je pot spolzka in jama ni ograjena. V jamo ni varno vstopati brez primerne plezalne opreme.
Literatura: Opis je bil objavljen v Jame, Kočevska, Naravna dediščina.
Ice Cave
An ice cave is a natural cave or abyss with permanent ice. The ice forms in special microclimatic conditions that allow for possible cooling in the winter half of the year and low temperatures throughout the summer (so-called cold air lakes). The main source of ice is infiltration water (rainwater), which freezes in ice caves due to temperatures below 0 °C. If the ice shelf is open to the south and occasionally illuminated, the high forest also contributes to preserving the ice.
In Slovenian climatic conditions, ice caves usually begin to appear at an altitude of around 1000 m. Only 10% of ice caves out of more than 150 are located below this limit. Among them, one of the most well-known is the Ice Cave at Stojna, which is listed in the cave registry under its first name, the Ice Cave in the Fridrihštajn Forest.
The entrance to the Ice Cave at Stojna is at an altitude of 870 m. The northern wall is completely vertical or even overhanging, while access from the south allows for a more gradual gully. Because the cave is extremely open on the south side and therefore illuminated to a greater depth, the ice is located only 50 m deep. There lies a 20 x 30 m large ice shelf, also known as the "ice lake," which is particularly full of ice decorations in the spring. Due to the melting of ice at the contact with the wall, the cave continues to a depth of the eastern and western cracks - speleologists have reached the deepest through an intermediate chamber to the west - to a depth of 105 m below the entrance. The amount of ice in the cave is estimated at 30,000 m3, which, however, due to climatic changes (atmospheric warming, distribution of rainfall, fewer snow days) is quickly decreasing. The ice cave used to be a tourist attraction and was a natural refrigerator. Due to the rapid melting of ice (5 m in the last 20 years), the wooden infrastructure is destroyed, and access to the ice lake is extremely dangerous without technical equipment. Due to global climate change, further melting of ice is expected, which will slow down slightly with depth.
The Ice Cave at Stojna is also included in the Inventory of the Most Important Natural Heritage of Slovenia, in the book One Hundred Natural Sights of Slovenia and other literature.
Already in the first forest management plan from 1892 it is written that no cutting of trees should take place around the Ice Cave. Today, this area is protected as the Ledena jama Forest Reserve. The forest reserve lies on the plateau of the Stojna mountain range, southwest of the Mestni vrh, in the forest section 69c. It covers spruce-beech forests with an area of 14.79 ha. Originally, in 1976 by the decision of the Kočevje municipality assembly, 2.00 ha of forests around the cave were excluded from management. In 1993, foresters expanded the reserve area mainly with the aim of preserving the climatic conditions that reduce the melting of ice in the cave and at the same time protecting natural landmarks such as the King's Spring, rock formations, and karst caves.
Park in the recommended parking lot and take a short 15-minute walk to the Ice Cave. The cache is hidden a little higher from the cave, so don't look for it near the cave, as it can be dangerous. Also, be careful how you access the cave, as the path is slippery and the cave is not fenced. It is not safe to enter the cave without proper climbing equipment.
Literature: The description was published in Jame, Kočevska, Naravna dediščina (Caves, Kočevska, Natural Heritage).