Planina Jezerca - Košutna (via planina Košutna)

Access to starting point:
A) From highway Ljubljana - Jesenice we go to the exit Vodice, and then we continue driving to a first traffic light crossroad in Vodice, where we continue left in the direction of Cerklje na Gorenjskem and Brnik. When we get to the main roundabout in Spodnji Brnik we continue driving in the direction of Cerklje and ski slope Krvavec. At the end of the settlement Cerklje na Gorenjskem we leave the main road which continues towards Velesovo and Visoko and we continue driving slightly right on a road in the direction of the ski slope Krvavec. Further, we get to the village Grad, where signs for settlement Ambrož pod Krvavcem point us to the right on a steep asphalt road (straight bottom station of the cable car on Krvavec and Štefanja Gora). When the steepness on a steep road decreases a little, we will get to a crossroad, where we continue left in the direction of the settlement Ambrož pod Krvavcem (straight settlement Ravne, Apno and Šenturška Gora). A little further, the road for some time descends a little and then it is ascending through occasionally quite panoramic slopes. Higher, we get to Ambrož pod Krvavcem, where on the left side we bypass church of St. Ambrož and tourist farm Pr Ambružarju. From the tourist farm ahead road passes into the forest and is ascending through it all the way to the mountain pasture Jezerca, where there is a large parking lot.
B) From highway Jesenice - Ljubljana we go to the exit Kranj - east, and then we continue driving towards Brnik, Komenda and Mengeš. When we get to the main roundabout in Spodnji Brnik we continue driving in the direction of Cerklje and ski slope Krvavec. At the end of the settlement Cerklje na Gorenjskem we leave the main road which continues towards Velesovo and Visoko and we continue driving slightly right on a road in the direction of the ski slope Krvavec. Further, we get to the village Grad, where signs for settlement Ambrož pod Krvavcem point us to the right on a steep asphalt road (straight bottom station of the cable car on Krvavec and Štefanja Gora). When the steepness on a steep road decreases a little, we will get to a crossroad, where we continue left in the direction of the settlement Ambrož pod Krvavcem (straight settlement Ravne, Apno and Šenturška Gora). A little further, the road for some time descends a little and then it is ascending through occasionally quite panoramic slopes. Higher, we get to Ambrož pod Krvavcem, where on the left side we bypass church of St. Ambrož and tourist farm Pr Ambružarju. From the tourist farm ahead road passes into the forest and is ascending through it all the way to the mountain pasture Jezerca, where there is a large parking lot.

Path description:
At the end of the parking lot, where the road turns to the left, and the road branches off to the right towards the nearby mountain pasture Jezerca, we will notice red hiking signposts, which point us straight on a marked footpath in the direction of Kriška planina, Vrh Korena, Košutna, Kompotela and Mokrica, which ascends through pastures of the already mentioned mountain pasture. After a short ascent, we reach the cart track, and we follow it to the left, where we cross slopes of Križišče (1658 meters). Cart track, on which we walk quickly splits into two parts, and we continue straight on the lower. For some time a nice view opens up towards Kranj, Škofjeloško hribovje and Storžič, and then the path starts lightly descending. Next follows few minutes of walking, and then we get to the parking lot by the lower part of the mountain pasture Kriška planina.
From the parking lot, we continue in the direction of the mountain pasture Koren and we continue on a worse macadam road which goes through the underpass below ski track. The marked path after the underpass from the road goes slightly left, so that it continues parallel with the road by some sort of spruce tree-line. When we will after few minutes of a light ascent come on the eastern edge of the mountain pasture Kriška planina, where there is a smaller watering place for animals, we continue slightly left over a grazing fence (right mountain pasture Osredek and Kamniški vrh), but in light ascent we still continue in approximately same direction. The path ahead from the mountain pasture passes on little steeper slopes of Krvavec, over which we diagonally ascend to the vantage point, from which a nice view opens up towards Kržišče (Pokovše), ridge Kamniški vrh, valley of Korošica, Velika planina and towards the nearby Košutna and Veliki Zvoh.
From the vantage point, which is situated few steps right from the path, we start steeply descending towards the hunting cottage above the valley Korošica. When descent stops and the path continues without large changes in altitude, we will come on visible, but badly marked crossing, where the path branches off to the right towards the before mentioned hunting cottage and forward towards the valley Korošica and valley Kamniška Bistrica. At the mentioned crossing, we continue slightly left and we start slightly ascending through the forest. The path out of the forest quickly passes among bushes and dwarf pines, and then over a grazing fence gradually brings us to the next unmarked crossing, which is situated in the middle of sharp right turn.
From the mentioned hairpin turn in the direction of straight continues unmarked footpath towards the saddle Razor (saddle between Krvavec and Veliki Zvoh), and we continue right on still marked path. Next follows a short diagonal ascent and the path brings us on the south part of the mountain pasture Koren, from where a nice view opens up on the main part of the mountain pasture and surrounding peaks. From south part of the mountain pasture follows a short descent to the near shepherd hut, which is situated in the main part of the mountain pasture Koren.
Here at the cottage slightly right (direction southeast) path, which runs on the mountain pasture Planina Košutna branches off. The path at first crosses slopes almost horizontal, and then it brings us on technically demanding spot. The path steeply ascends over a shorter rocky jump, where we have fixed safety gear for help. The path then flattens and past a cross brings us to the mountain pasture Planina Košutna, where there stands a chapel and shepherd hut.
From the mountain pasture, we continue on a poorly beaten footpath which goes on the left side of the chapel into dwarf pines. The path ahead is slightly ascending on a moderately steep and panoramic slope of Košutna. When the path entirely flattens path to the summit of Košutna branches off to the right (turn-off is marked, but the path wrongly marked). This very poorly visible path, we then follow all the way to peak which we reach after 15 minutes of additional walking (we stick to the left passages, even though the trail blaze in the lower part goes right).
The path is marked but in some parts hard to follow. If we lose footpath we look for passage among dwarf pines and in doing so, we have to be careful, not to get lost in dwarf pines.

On the way: Kriška planina (1480m), Planina Koren (1675m), Planina Košutna (1778m)