Zavrate - Mrzlica

Access to starting point:
a) We drive into Laško, and then at the traffic light intersection we drive in the direction of Spodnja Rečica. Further on, Laško ends and we arrive at Spodnja Rečica, and later also at Zgornja Rečica, but we continue driving. When the main road turns right towards Šmohor, we go slightly left onto a side road, along which there are signs for Brezno. For a short time, we continue driving through the valley, and then the road turns sharply to the left and crosses onto the northern slopes of Baba, through which we ascend diagonally past individual homesteads. When we return to the forest, we quickly reach the Zavrate saddle, where we park in a suitable place. At the starting point, there is the log cabin Brunarica pri knapu below Baba and one of the entrances to the former Barbara rov mine.
b) From the Hrastnik - Rimske Toplice road, we turn left (or right from the direction of Rimske Toplice) towards the settlements of Sedraž and Trnovo. At the next intersection, we go slightly left towards Brezno, and then we start noticeably ascending towards the Zavrate saddle. When we reach the mentioned saddle, we park in a suitable place.

Path description:
From the Zavrate saddle, we head west on a footpath towards Baba and Ostri vrh (east of the saddle, a path leads to Govško brdo). The path at first leads past a log cabin "Pri knapu pod Babo", and then continues on at first a gentle cart track. After a few minutes of easy walking, we notice a signpost directing us left onto a well-trodden footpath that begins to ascend more steeply. Higher up, the path becomes so steep that fixed safety gear is available for assistance, though not necessary in dry conditions (in wet or snowy conditions, there is a significant risk of slipping). We then follow this quite steep and well-maintained path to the peak of Baba, from where a beautiful view opens up.
From the top of Baba, we continue along a marked ridge path, which first descends and then begins to ascend along the edge of quite steep slopes, dangerous for slipping in wet conditions. The path which occasionally relatively steeply ascends after approximately 40 minutes of walking from Baba brings us on Ostri vrh.
From Ostri vrh, we first descend steeply on a steep slope, where extra caution is needed, especially in wet conditions; after about five minutes of descent, we leave the steep slope, and an unmarked but fairly well-trodden path from the left joins us, leading through the settlement of Krištandol.
We continue straight, first ascending gently, then moderately descending, following the blazes at a few crossings. When we leave the forest, the path first leads past an abandoned farm; below the next house, we reach a macadam road, which we follow to a marked crossing by the NOB monument on Mali Kal.
Here, we continue right towards Kal and Mrzlica (straight to Hrastnik via Blate, left to Dol pri Hrastniku, Kopitnik, and Gore), and on the asphalt road, we first descend gently, then begin ascending again after the chapel. At a nearby house, there is an inscription box for the NOB path. We continue along the road, which first turns right, then follows a long, scenic left turn. We proceed along the marked road, which has several crossroads, and after a stretch of forest, we arrive at the ski slope Rajska dolina. We cross the ski slope (passage is forbidden and dangerous during its operation, as is passing through the tunnel). After the next NOB memorial, we reach a marked junction where paths via Klobuk and Ravne, both starting in Hrastnik, join from the left.
We continue straight, then the signs lead us right onto grassy slopes, where we steeply ascend straight uphill. Here, beautiful views open up in all directions, particularly striking is the view back toward Kum. The path soon flattens and begins a gentle descent on Kalska planina. A little further, we return to the road and continue to the nearby cottage Planinski dom na Kalu.
We bypass the cottage Planinski dom na Kalu on the left (to the right, before the cottage, are Šmohor, Malič, Gozdnik...), then turn right into the forest on a path toward Mrzlica. The path ahead leads gently through the forest, quickly bringing us to a small junction. We choose the slightly left path, marked by an inscription on a tree for the peak (the right path bypasses the summit of Kalski hrib and is about a minute shorter if continuing toward Mrzlica). Next follows a gentle ascent, and below the summit of Kalski hrib, the path becomes slightly steeper, quickly leading us to the inscription box on Kalski hrib.
From Kalski hrib, we continue northward and begin descending through the forest, soon joining the previously mentioned path that bypasses Kalski vrh. Next follows a moderate descent, where along the path in springtime we notice wild garlic, and then we reach the saddle between Kalski hrib and Mrzlica, where there is also a marked crossroads.
We continue toward Mrzlica, bypassing the kužni stone on the right side. Next follows an ascent over a grassy slope, then we return to the forest, through which we ascend quite steeply. Higher up, the path flattens and leads us to the edge of the forest, where it splits.
We continue slightly to the right, back into the forest (straight ahead leads a shortcut directly to the summit of Mrzlica) and then ascend gently to moderately in a diagonal ascent toward the right. When we leave the forest, only a short walk remains to the mountain hut Planinski dom na Mrzlici, and here we turn left and ascend to the panoramic summit of Mrzlica in less than five minutes of further walking.
Zavrate - Baba 0:40, Baba - Ostri vrh 0:40, Ostri vrh - Mali Kal 0:20, Mali Kal - Planinski dom na Kalu 0:50, Planinski dom na Kalu - Kalski hrib 0:10, Kalski hrib - Mrzlica 0:40.

On the way: Baba (nad Rečico) (789m), Ostri vrh (855m), Mali Kal (760m), Planinski dom na Kalu (946m), Kal (Kalski hrib) (985m), Kužni kamen (917m), Planinski dom na Mrzlici (1094m)