Mežica - Jesenik (Jesenikov vrh) (via saddle Vrh šteng)

Access to starting point:
From Črna na Koroškem or from Ravne na Koroškem, or through the border crossing Holmec or Mežica, we drive to the center of Mežica, where we park on a parking lot by square Trg svobode.

Path description:
From the starting point, we go on a one-way road which on the left side bypasses parish church of St. Jakob. By the road on which we walk, we quickly notice first blazes, at the crossroads we follow the signs for Peca or trail blazes. After crossing the stream Šumec, we leave the road and over smaller wooden bridge we continue slightly right in the forest. Next follows a short ascent through the forest and then we reach the macadam road, on which we ascend to the end of left zig zag. After hairpin turn we ascend through a lane of a forest and then we are for some time ascending by the edge of the forest. On the part, where we are ascending by the edge of the forest are blazes rare, or some time there aren't any, and when the path returns into the forest, blazes return as well.
Higher, we reach a smaller hamlet, where the path leads past a trough with water, and on the road we ascend to the route of the former ski slope. Here blazes point us to the left on a ski track, on which we are then ascending with nice views. Higher, the path for some time leads in the forest and then returns on a ski slope, which only a little further we finally leave.
We continue right on a cart track which passes into the forest, and further we are ascending diagonally towards the right. For some time we are ascending on such path, and then we reach the saddle Vrh šteng, where there is a marked crossing and appropriate space for a short rest.
From Vrh Šteng, where we leave the marked path towards Peca, we continue left, on a worse road (not sharply left on a cart track and not left on a wider road, by which there are signs for Koča na Pikovem), from which we go a little ahead left on an older, partly already with grass vegetated cart track. On cart track we steeply ascend on the western ridge of Jesenik, on which we are then ascending on a worse footpath, over which on several spots there are fallen trees (consequences of strong wind in December 2017). This footpath which is occasionally quite steep, we then follow all the way to the top.
Description and pictures refer to a condition in the year 2018 (April and May).

On the way: Vrh šteng (1030m)