Mašun - Snežnik

Access to starting point:
From Ilirska Bistrica or Pivka we drive to Knežak, and from there we follow the signs for Mašun. Next follows few kilometers of driving on a little winding, but entirely asphalted road to Mašun. We park on an asphalted parking lot near the inn Gostišče Mašun.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we walk to the nearby crossroad, from which we continue slightly right in the direction of European footpath E6 and Snežnik. At first, we still walk on an asphalt road, and the asphalt soon ends and we continue on a wider macadam road, on which we walk to a distinct left turn. At the turn, to which we need a little less than 20 minutes of walking, we go right on a marked cart track, and it quickly changes into a poorly beaten forest path, where we follow the blazes of European footpath. A little further, we reach the macadam road, on which we get to at the turning point, and from the turning point we go slightly left and we continue on a cart track which at first slightly descends, and then continues without large changes in altitude. At the smaller crossing, where a wider cart track turns slightly to the right, we go straight and then we reach another forest road which we follow to the left. Next follow few smaller crossroads, where we continue straight, when we reach a wider macadam road we follow it to the right in the direction of Snežnik and Sviščaki. The path ahead leads us also past the cottage Škrli, and at the marked crossroad, where the road sign for Snežnik and Sviščaki pointing to the right, we continue straight and we follow the blazes. Few minutes further signs for European footpath E6 point us to the right on a steeper cart track, on which we are ascending through the forest. At the smaller crossing of cart tracks we go right, and a little higher from the cart track slightly to the left on a footpath and then we soon reach a macadam road. For a short time, we follow the road to the left and then poorly visible signs point us slightly right, where we ascend through a newer clearing. When we again reach the road we ascend there through a left hairpin turn, and at the abandoned cottage we go right on a worse road, where we still follow the signs of the path E6. At the nearby crossroad, we go once again left, and when the road turns sharply left, we leave it and we continue right on a marked path, and after few minutes we reach another road, and we follow it to the right. Next follows some of a moderate ascent on a macadam road, and when we get to a crossing, where the path E6 branches off to the left, and the road leads towards Sviščaki, we continue left on a cart track following the signs of European footpath E6. The cart track soon changes into a steeper footpath which is ascending through the beech forest. When we reach at first an indistinct forested ridge of Mali Snežnik we join the path from Grda draga, where for the first time also classic Knafelc blazes show up.
We continue in the direction of Snežnik and Mali Snežnik, this time on a little steeper path which leads us past a memorial. Above the memorial a first wider view opens up, which reaches over Nanos all the way to the Alps. Further, we are ascending on a path which leads us through dwarf pines. When the steepness decreases we get to an old stone of a trigonometric point, which is situated on the summit, or few steps below Mali Snežnik, from where a view opens up on Veliki Snežnik, Istria, Primorska, Notranjska...
From Mali Snežnik we continue on the path which is barely noticeably descending on an indistinct east ridge of Mali Snežnik. Further, the path passes on the western and very panoramic ridge of Veliki Snežnik, on which continues mostly in a gentle to occasionally moderate ascent. A little further from the right joins the path Matetova pot, and a little ahead also normal path from Sviščaki.
At the both crossings, we continue straight, and then we diagonally ascend on a steeper slope of Veliki Snežnik, which is in snow dangerous for slipping. After few minutes, we reach the cottage on Veliki Snežnik, in front of which we continue left and we in few steps ascend on 1796 meters high peak.
Description and pictures refer to a condition in September 2020.

On the way: Vrata (1024m), Mali Snežnik (1694m)