Ljubelj - Bielschitza/Svačica (upper path)

Access to starting point:
From highway Ljubljana - Jesenice we go to the exit Ljubelj and follow the road ahead to the border crossing. Only few meters before the border crossing signs for Zelenica point us to the left and after few 10 meters of additional driving the road brings us on a parking lot below the ski center Zelenica.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we go on a marked footpath in the direction of Zelenica, Vrtača and Stol. The path at first leads on a moderately steep cart track which ascends through the forest and then turns a little to the right and brings us out of the forest on a ski track. We continue the ascent on a ski slope, from which beautiful views are opening up on a wall and scree of Begunjščica, on the right side we see the ridge of Ljubeljšica. The path which then runs on a rough road, only a little higher brings us to the mountain hut Koča Vrtača, where ends chairlift Zelenica I and starts chairlift Zelenica II. Here transport road turns sharply to the right, and we continue straight in the direction of Zelenica and we continue on at first still gentle, after that more steep path, which ascends on a ski track. Higher, we are ascending through a thin lane of dwarf pines, and then we return on the road. We continue on a rough road, after the road turns to the left, we continue right on a steep footpath which returns on the road just below the upper station of the chairlift Zelenica II. From here a short descent follows and the path brings us to the mountain hut Dom na Zelenici.
Just before the mountain hut path which leads on Begunjščica and Roblekov dom branches off to the left and behind the hut we continue left and start ascending by children's ski lift Ciciban. Somewhere in the middle of the ski lift we get to a smaller crossing, where we continue right through a ski track (straight mountain hut Koča pri izviru Završnice, Srednji vrh and Stol - bottom path). On the other side of the ski track Ciciban path goes in a narrow lane of a forest, after which we get to the next ski lift. Also this ski track we only cross, after that by a smaller boulder we look for further marked path which leads towards Vrtača and Stol. Further, the path leads us on slopes below the ridge Na Možeh, and then it descends a little and it brings us to the spot, where the unmarked path in the valley Suho ruševje and Palec branches off to the right (by the crossing is a smaller cairn). After the crossing, the path gradually passes on slopes of Vrtača, through which it mostly ascending diagonally. Higher from the left also unmarked path from the mountain hut Koča pri izviru Završnice joins and we continue straight to the nearby marked crossing.
At the crossing a path to Vrtača and towards Stol and Svačica through Vatelce or Sklede branches off slightly to the right, and we continue straight on the bottom path, which crosses a lane of dwarf pines and raspberry bushes. After few minutes of additional walking, we get to the next crossing, where left downwards in few minutes we can descend to a saddle Šija, from where leads the bottom path on Stol, to the right a worse footpath towards Vrtača branches off to the right (the latter a little higher joins the before mentioned marked path), and we again continue straight, this time through occasionally steeper grassy slopes, which are interrupted by some less steep gullies. Crossing of the grassy slopes soon ends and the path brings us to a steep groove, through which we start descending on in parts rough and on some spots for slipping dangerous path. When the groove ends path passes on the scree, over which below the cliffs diagonally descends to the cirque V Kožnah. Here the path again starts ascending, and from the left joins bottom path and the path from Završnica.
We continue straight and the path further leads us past more large boulders. Next follows a little steeper short ascent and we get to a crossing, where the path branches off to the right towards the mountain hut Celovška koča and Svačica.
We continue in the mentioned direction (slightly left Stol), where we quickly get to ample scree below the ridge of Orlice. We cross scree in the direction of northeast, and then we get to a smaller gully, where we turn left. Further, we are ascending through the gully, through which leads us steep and on some parts a little damaged path. Gully quickly ends, and the path flattens on grassy slopes by sinkhole Vatelca or Skleda. Here the path on Vrtača branches off to the right, or joins the path over Vatelca or Skleda, and we continue straight to the nearby saddle Belščica, where there is a marked crossing.
From the mentioned crossing, by which there are Austrian hiking signposts we continue right (straight downwards Celovška koča / Klagenfurter Hütte) in the direction of Svačica (on a sign Bielschitza). The path ahead at first crosses slopes towards the right, and then it brings us on the ridge of Svačica. Here we continue slightly left and we still continue on at first still gentle ridge. Some 10 meters higher path which continues by the ridge starts very steeply ascending. Further, we are steeply ascending on some spots a little precipitous ridge, but because we have on the right side all the time lane of dwarf pines, ascent doesn't cause bigger problems. Higher the ridge narrows and from the right side joins also a little less steep unmarked path. Next follows a shorter gentle ascent on in parts exposed ridge and the path brings us on panoramic and precipitous peak.

On the way: Koča Vrtača mountain hut (1288m), Dom na Zelenici mountain hut (1536m), Sedlo Belščica (1840m)