Mežica - Koča na Pikovem (via saddle Vrh šteng)
Starting point: Mežica (495 m)
Starting point Lat/Lon: 46.5214°N 14.8518°E 
Path name: via saddle Vrh šteng
Time of walking: 2 h 15 min
Difficulty: easy marked way
Difficulty of skiing: no data
Altitude difference: 497 m
Altitude difference (by path): 575 m
Map: Koroška 1:50.000
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 the saddle Vrh šteng, we go left in the direction of Koča na Pikovem (slightly right Jakobe, sharply right Mežica on the road) and we continue on the road which starts lightly descending towards Podpeca. After few minutes of descent, we leave the road towards Podpeca and we continue left on a marked path. Further, we for a short time cross the slopes of Jesenik, and then we for some time walk by the upper edge of a panoramic meadow, from which a nice view opens up towards Raduha and Peca. A little further, the path returns into the forest and from the left, the path joins from Mežica with the starting point at the cemetery Mirje, and a little further also the path through the gully Junčarjeva grapa. In both cases we continue in the direction of Koča na Pikovem and through the forest, we ascend to a wooden cross, by which there is a quite old bench.
We continue straight (left Pikov vrh) and we gradually start descending. On the part when we step out of the forest, another path branches off to the left on Pikov vrh, and we continue straight to the near homestead Pik, after which the nearby surrounding got its name. Next follows few minutes of walking on the road, from which at first a view opens up a little in the direction of Peca, and then through the forest we reach the church of St. Helena, behind which there is a mountain hut Koča na Pikovem.
Mežica - Vrh šteng 1:30, Vrh šteng - Koča na Pikovem 45 minutes.
Description and pictures refer to a condition in the year 2018 (April and May).
On the way: Vrh šteng (1030m), Sveta Helena (992m)
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