Rateče (Ledine) - Mala Ponca / Ponza Piccola

Access to starting point:
A) First, we drive to Kranjska Gora, and then we continue driving towards Rateče. When we get to a roundabout near Rateče, we go to the exit in the direction of Planica. When after a short descent, we reach the cycling path we turn right and we park on a marked parking lot.
B) Over the border crossing Rateče we drive to Slovenia, and then we soon go right towards Planica. When after a short descent, we reach the cycling path we turn right and we park on a marked parking lot.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue by the edge of the cycling path and we walk in the direction of Italy. After approximately 10 minutes from the right side the road from Rateče joins, and we continue left on a narrower macadam road which soon passes into the forest and starts ascending steeper. This road which mostly continues through the forest, we then follow all the way to the cottage Planinsko zavetišče Slatna, which we notice left from the road.
From the cottage, we still continue on the road, and it becomes even steeper and gradually it passes on the ridge of Drnica. At few smaller crossroads, we continue on a wider road, a little after that, when from the left the path by the ski jumping hills joins, we quickly get to the spot, where the road starts descending towards the torrential riverbed of the stream Beli potok.
On the mentioned part there is a smaller crossroad, from which we continue slightly right on a cart track which is ascending parallel with torrent ditch of the stream Beli potok. At the nearby crossing, we go straight, when the cart track ends we go left on a beaten path, by which there is a small cairn, and on the tree we also notice red arrow. Next follows a diagonal ascent towards the left, where we cross few torrents, including the main riverbed of the stream Beli potok. When the path flattens, there follows some more crossing, and then we join the hunting path which starts a little further from ski jumping hills in Planica.
Here we continue sharply right and at first, we still cross some gullies, and then by the gully, which is descending from Glave, we start steeply ascending in numerous zig-zags. Higher, we get into a smaller cirque, where the path for some time flattens, and after few 10 strides it turns left and it ascends to the next crossing, from which we continue right (slightly left Glave and continuation of the path Planica - Pokljuka).
Next follows moderate diagonal ascent towards the right, the path from which beautiful views opening up to mountain walls of Ponce and Kucerji, soon brings us below Vratica, where the path again becomes steep and this time also harder. On a short steep groove we ascend on Vratica, where we reach the national border with the neighbouring Italy and from there an outstanding view opens up on Mangart and other surrounding mountains.
Below interesting towers we descend on the Italian side, and at the nearby crossing we go right, so that we again start ascending (straight downwards lakes Belopeška jezera).
Next follows some of crossing, and then follows a short technically demanding descent, and then also a shorter exposed crossing. On the other side of the torrent follows few minutes of quite steep ascent and with increasingly beautiful views we reach the peak of Mala Ponca.
The starting point - cottage Slatna 0:40, cottage Slatna - Vratica 2:30, Vratica - Mala Ponca 0:20.
Description refers to condition in September 2019, and the pictures are from various periods.

On the way: Planinsko zavetišče Slatna (1023m), Vratica (1844m)