Ljubenske Rastke (Vrnivšek) - Smrekovec
Starting point: Ljubenske Rastke (Vrnivšek) (875 m)
Starting point Lat/Lon: 46.4052°N 14.8816°E
Time of walking: 2 h
Difficulty: easy marked way
Difficulty of skiing: no data
Altitude difference: 702 m
Altitude difference (by path): 712 m
Map: Kamniške in Savinjske Alpe 1:50.000
Access to starting point:
From Mozirje, Gornji Grad or Luče we drive to Ljubno ob Savinji, from there we follow the signs for Smrekovec. Through Ljubno ob Savinji we at first drive on occasionally narrower road Cesta v Rastke, at the crossroads among houses we follow the signs for Smrekovec. After the settlement the road widens, and then to Ljubenske Rastke is mostly gently moderately ascending, and from here on it gradually becomes narrower and steeper. A little before NOB memorial path branches off to the right, which leads past the farm Atelšek. At the memorial road makes two hairpin turns, and then a little after MHE Naraločnik once again turns sharply right, crosses the stream Krumpah, and then on the left we already notice signposts for mountain hut Dom na Smrekovcu. We park on an appropriate place by the road.
Path description:
At the starting point signs for Smrekovec point us to the left, on a cart track which starts ascending through the forest. We are ascending on a cart track which runs on slopes above the left bank of the stream Krumpah, which is vegetated with grass, which in a narrower lane they occasionally mow, because otherwise the grass grows quite high. While walking on the cart track, on the right we notice pipes, through which runs water for the purpose of the nearby small hydropower plant, and a little higher we get also to a water catchment. At the water catchment marked path reaches also the riverbed of the stream, on which then continues. Considerably slippery path runs by the stream and a little ahead crosses it and for some time steeply ascends right from the stream. The steepness quickly decreases, because we reach the forest road which we follow to the left, and we walk there to its end, or to the spot, where it changes into ascending cart track. Cart track is again ascending by the stream, after we get closer to the nearby waterfall, we cross the stream (ascent from the riverbed isn't very easy, because from there we have to ascend with the help of arms) and on the other side, we continue on a marked forest path. Next follows a little longer diagonal ascent, where we cross few torrents, and occasionally the path leads us also below the cliffs. Higher, the path turns sharply right, where we at first ascend on a steep slope, after that slope flattens, and the cart track widens, but it becomes more overgrown. This part as well they occasionally in a narrower lane mow, so that the passage on an overgrown cart track is easier, only on part through younger spruces isn't mowed, but this part isn't long.
A little further, we cross a macadam road which crosses larger part of the south part of Smrekovec mountain range, and we continue on a cart track in the direction of Smrekovec.
Before nearby wooden cottage we continue left, and behind it twice right, again in the direction of Smrekovec. A little further, we cross another stream and then we are few minutes moderately ascending. When we reach the macadam road, we follow it to the nearby mountain hut Dom na Smrekovcu.
From Dom na Smrekovcu we continue in the direction of the peak of Smrekovec, where the path at first leads through the short panoramic part, from which a view opens up towards the main Kamnik Savinja Alps, and then it passes into a thin forest, where after a short ascent, we reach the marked crossing, where we continue right (straight Komen, Travnik...). From the crossing ahead the forest gets even thinner, and then already on entirely unvegetated part it leads a little more to the right, where with a view, which reaches far around, without any bigger problems we reach pyramid on the top of Smrekovec.
The starting point - Dom na Smrekovcu 1:30, Dom na Smrekovcu - Smrekovec 30 minutes.
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