Koča pri izviru Soče - Slemenova špica

Access to starting point:
From Kranjska Gora, over mountain pass Vršič we drive towards Bovec or vice versa, and we follow the road to 49th hairpin turn of road Ruska cesta or Vršiška cesta. Here we turn on a side road, on which after approximately 1 km of additional driving, we get to a parking lot at the mountain hut Koča pri izviru Soče.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we return on the road about 50 meters back, and then we continue in the direction of the footpath on Vršič. The path starts by a smaller stone fence, then past a smaller cottage leads in the forest. Through the forest, we are short time gently ascending, and then blazes lead on the other side of the stream Limarica. Ahead gradually we start ascending steeper on the left bank of Limarica, and from the path that runs below the steep mountain walls of Maklenova peč, nice views start opening up on Bavški Grintavec and ridge of Pelci. Higher, the path passes into the forest, through which it is then for quite some time ascending. Through the forest, we are ascending on an old mule track, which higher we leave because a sign for Vršič points us left on with leaves covered footpath which soon joins old macadam road.
We follow the road to the right, and after few minutes of ascent we leave it, because poorly visible blazes point us to the left. Higher, we again join the road, and out of the forest it brings us on the more and more panoramic slopes. With a view on surrounding peaks, we walk to the memorial and only few meters after memorial we leave the road and we continue left through a torrent ditch. This path, which is further ascending diagonally over occasionally also little steeper slopes, we then follow all the way until we get on an asphalt road.
When we reach the road Ruska cesta, on it we in good 10 minutes ascend to mountain pass Vršič.
Some 10 strides before the mountain pass for public traffic closed road branches off to the right, which leads towards the mountain huts Tičarjev dom and Poštarski dom, and we continue to red mountain signposts, which are located by the mountain pass.
From the mountain pass, we continue in the direction of Slemenova špica, Mala Mojstrovka on a very demanding path and valley Tamar (left Mala Mojstrovka - normal path) on the path which starts ascending diagonally towards the right. During the ascent, that runs on slopes of Šitna glava we cross some smaller scree and torrents after that from the right joins also the path from the mountain hut Erjavčeva koča na Vršiču.
Here we continue straight and past few meters distant viewpoint in few minutes we ascend on a saddle Vratca (1799 meters), where there is the next marked crossing.
Left continues secured climbing path on Mala Mojstrovka and unmarked path towards Sleme, to the right unmarked but well-beaten path towards Prednje Robičje branches off, and in the direction of straight continues normal path towards Sleme and Slemenova špica.
Next follows a short part of the path, where we cross slopes below Prednje Robičje, and then the path gradually starts descending towards the slopes above the valley Mala Pišnica. When we reach the mentioned slopes, the path turns left and then continues with some shorter ascents and descents. In dry undemanding path a little further brings us to a crossing, where from the right joins the marked path from Tamar through Grlo and also unmarked path through Mala Pišnica.
We continue in the direction of Slemenova špica, on the path which is still crossing slopes high above Mala Pišnica. With nice views, which reaches all the way to the nearby Italy and Austria we soon get to slopes of Slemenova špica, where slope, but not the path flattens. Next follows a short ascent, and then we get to a poorly marked crossing, where we continue slightly right (straight leads the path towards Tamar - path past Črne vode (even if we continue straight it is still possible to come on Slemenova špica)). After few minutes of additional ascent the path entirely flattens, and in front of us, we notice a smaller lakes and to all known view towards Jalovec. We bypass the lakes on the right side, or where we want, and then past the inscription box in few minutes we ascend on panoramic and precipitous peak of Slemenova špica.

On the way: Prelaz Vršič (1611m), Vratca (1799m)