Križe - Tolsti vrh (steep path over Kriška gora)

Access to starting point:
A) From highway Ljubljana - Jesenice we go to the exit Naklo, and then we continue driving in the direction towards settlements Žeje, Spodnje and Zgornje Duplje to the settlement Retnje, where we turn right towards the settlement Križe. Further, we drive past NOB monument, sports field Križe to the parking lot by the cemetery and a parish church of Holy Cross.
B) From highway Jesenice - Ljubljana we go to the exit Podbrezje, and then we continue driving towards Ljubelj and Tržič. Before Petrol gas station in Bistrica pri Tržiču we turn right and then we drive in Tržič. When the road descends into the valley, we continue sharply right in the direction of Pristava and Križe, and further we drive on the main road which leads towards Zgornje and Spodnje Duplje, mentioned main road we leave at settlement Retnje, where we continue left in the direction of the settlement Križe and Golnik. Further, we drive past NOB monument, sports field Križe to the parking lot by the cemetery and a parish church of Holy Cross.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue on the road towards the east, where the path leads at first past the church, and then also past the post office, inn Pr Benk and bakery to a crossroad at the chapel, where we continue left in the direction of Pristava. The road then leads us also past the store Tušek market Markič, and then we already notice first signposts for Gozd, Kriška gora and Storžič, which lead right on street Planinska pot. At crossroads through the settlement we follow the blazes, and then the road loses an asphalt covering and passes into the forest. Few minutes higher, at the crossroad of the macadam roads we continue right, and then we gradually get out of the forest, from where a nice view opens up towards Gorenjska. After the panoramic part, the road becomes asphalted and it brings us to the spot, where we join the road which leads towards Gozd. We follow the road to the left, and there we walk only for a short time because blazes lead right on a cart track.
We leave the road at smaller information board, which informs us about openness of the cottage Zavetišče v Gozdu. From the cart track, we continue immediately 2 times left, so that we continue the ascent on a forest path, and it soon joins to other cart track, on which we in few minutes return on an asphalt road. Few strides we walk on the road, after that from the left joins the path from Tržič, and right continues a footpath or cart track towards the cottage Zavetišče v Gozdu, and we continue on the asphalt road to the nearby parking lot.
From the parking lot, we continue in the direction of the steep path on Kriška gora. For a short time, we still walk on a quite gently sloping path, and then it becomes steeper and steeper. Next follows a steep ascent on more or less forest path, and then we get on an indistinct ridge, where the path becomes even steeper. Next follows few minutes of walking through the forest and then forest quickly ends and we continue the ascent on the more and more panoramic grassy slope. With nice views on Julian Alps, large part of Gorenjska, part of Ljubljana basin and Notranjsko, Polhograjsko and Škofjeloško hribovje, we get to a bench on the upper part of a grassy slope. Above the bench the path returns into the forest, and from the left joins the path from Tržič through Mala and Velika Mizica.
Here we continue right, and then in a moderate ascent, at first still through the forest, and in the last part on a grassy slope, in approximately 15 minutes we reach the mountain hut Koča na Kriški gori.
From the mountain hut Koča na Kriški gori we continue on a marked path towards Tolsti vrh. The path only few meters behind the mountain hut turns slightly to the left (slightly right Gozd) and starts gently ascending over a grassy slope. After three minutes of walking almost unnoticeably path in Grahovše branches off to the left, and we continue on a well-beaten mountain path which continues by the main ridge of Kriška gora. Further, the path few times avoids the ridge on the right side, and a panoramic path mostly leads on grassy slopes. A little further, the path returns on the ridge, which we reach right on distinct notch, where pathless path branches off left downwards in Grahovše.
The path ahead leads us over a grazing fence, and then on the right side bypasses Vrata (1591 meters). Higher, the path returns on or by ridge and is for some time only gently ascending. After few minutes of crossing, we get to the spot, where the path starts ascending steeply towards the secondary peak of Tolsti vrh. From the secondary peak a nice view opens up on all sides, and the path ahead leads on for a short time narrower ridge. Next follows some descent through the forest and then the path again starts ascending. Higher the forest gets thinner, and an increasingly panoramic path brings us on Tolsti vrh.
Križe - Koča na Kriški gori 2:30, Koča na Kriški gori - Tolsti vrh 1:00.

On the way: Koča na Kriški gori mountain hut (1471m)