Podvolovljek (Petkov graben) - Rogatec (via Lepenatka)
Starting point: Podvolovljek (Petkov graben) (715 m)
Starting point Lat/Lon: 46.3041°N 14.7026°E
Path name: via Lepenatka
Time of walking: 3 h 20 min
Difficulty: easy unmarked way, very difficult marked way
Difficulty of skiing: no data
Altitude difference: 842 m
Altitude difference (by path): 990 m
Map: Kamniške in Savinjske Alpe 1:50.000
Access to starting point:
A) First, we drive to Kamnik, and then we continue driving in the direction of the mountain pass Črnivec. Only few 100 meters before the mentioned mountain pass we notice signs for Kranjski Rak, which point us sharply left on a narrow and at first also quite steep road. The road higher flattens and then brings us to mountain pass Volovljek, from where we start descending towards Podvolovljek. After we cross Petkov graben, we will on the right notice a road sign 8 km, and on the left side of the road appropriate space for parking.
B) From Gornji Grad we drive towards Kamnik, after that only few 100 meters after mountain pass Črnivec we continue right in the direction of Kranjski Rak. Further, we follow the description above.
C) From the valley Savinjska dolina at first we drive to Luče, and then we continue driving towards Kamnik. When the road starts ascending steeper towards the mountain pass Volovljek, we need to pay attention to the road sign. When we get to the road sign 8 km, we park on an appropriate place by the road.
Path description:
At the road sign 8 km from the main road towards the east forest road branches off, on which we start our tour. First, we are ascending diagonally on the road which leads us on a slope of the hill Ker (895 meters). On the part, where the road makes a longer right turn, for some time a view opens up a little towards Raduha, Mali Rogatec and Kunšperski vrh. At some crossings or crossroads we continue on "main" road, from which more often beautiful views are opening up on peaks of plateau Dleskovška planota. Higher, at the crossroad of two relatively "equivalent" roads we continue left, from the mentioned crossroad we walk on the road to the first turn-off of cart track to the right. Cart track from the road turns sharply to the right, and we continue there few minutes on diagonal ascent towards the right, and then we join the marked path Kranjska reber - Lepenatka, which we follow to the left.
A short time we continue on a cart track, and then we go slightly right on a marked footpath. The path immediately starts ascending steeply, and soon also turns a little to the right, where it ascends diagonally through more steep slopes. Further, the path is steeply ascending, and occasionally leads us also through some shorter exposed part, where mainly in wet or snow more caution is needed. Higher slope gradually flattens, and the path turns right and brings us on the ridge east from Kunšperski vrh (also Brezovec).
When we reach the ridge, we continue right (left Kunšperski vrh, 5 minutes of easy pathless terrain) on a marked path which continues on occasionally panoramic ridge. Further, we are gently to moderately ascending on or a little left from the ridge. Higher, the path leads over a grazing fence, behind which we step on the upper grassy slopes ofLepenatka. Next follows few minutes of a moderate ascent, on the path, from which beautiful views are opening up, which reach from the nearby Veliki Rogatec, over Raduha and Olševa, to the highest peaks of Kamnik Savinja Alps and we already reach the grassy peak Lepenatka.
From the top of Lepenatka we continue few 10 strides on a ridge and then at the marked crossing left downwards in the direction of saddle Kal and Veliki Rogatec. Next follows approximately 15 minutes of moderate descent on at first quite panoramic grassy slope, and then we get to a saddle Kal, where there is a marked crossing.
From the crossing, we continue straight in the direction of the climbing path on Veliki Rogatec (left Bivak na Kalu 1 minute, slightly right Rogatec past Zgornji Špeh, right Sveti Lenart). The path ahead turns a little to the left and it brings us to the entrance into a climbing part. Next follows a steep ascent on a slope, which is partly rocky and partly grassy, and then the path turns slightly to the right, where it continues steeply ascending, this time through a thin forest. Higher, the path brings us on a ridge, from which a nice view opens up on Kamnik Savinja Alps. We continue left, where at first we get help from few iron spikes, and we are then ascending on unsecured and partly precipitous ridge. After few minutes ridge passes into the forest, through which it few times steeply ascends. Higher, the forest starts to get thinner, and a little below the summit we step entirely out of the forest, and to the nearby peak we have only few 10 strides with nice views.
The climbing part of the path technically isn't too demanding, but it isn't secured and therefore in wet it is very dangerous for slipping.
Podvolovljek - Lepenatka 2:15, Lepenatka - Bivak na Kalu 15 minutes, Bivak na Kalu - Veliki Rogatec 50 minutes.
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