Valvasorjev dom - Prešernova koča na Stolu (Žirovniška way)
Starting point: Valvasorjev dom (1181 m)
Starting point Lat/Lon: 46.426°N 14.1468°E
Path name: Žirovniška way
Time of walking: 2 h 45 min
Difficulty: easy marked way
Difficulty of skiing: demanding
Altitude difference: 993 m
Altitude difference (by path): 1000 m
Map: Karavanke - osrednji del 1:50.000
Access to starting point:
From highway Ljubljana - Jesenice we go to the exit Lesce and follow the road ahead in the direction of Žirovnica and Jesenice. After few km of driving, we will get to a crossroad, where the road in Žirovnica and Moste branches off to the right (from the direction of Jesenice left). Only few meters ahead in the next crossroad, we turn left in Moste (right Žirovnica). Further, we drive past a monument to fallen soldiers, where the road starts ascending on a hill below the railway track. On top of the slope, we turn right (at the sign Vila Karin), and then drive towards the lake Završniško jezero and Valvasorjev dom. The road then flattens and it brings us to a crossroad, where the road to Valvasorjeve dom branches off to the left. We go on the mentioned road (straight mountain hut Koča pri izviru Završnice), that starts to at first gently, and then steeper and steeper ascending on an occasionally quite rough road (the most steep parts are paved with asphalt). Higher, the road brings us to a little bigger crossroad, where we continue left in the direction of Potoška planina (right Doslovška planina). The road then flattens and a little further brings us to the next crossing. This time we continue slightly right in the direction of the mountain hut Valvasorjev dom (slightly left Ajdna and Potoška planina) and we drive again on a steeper road all the way to the mentioned hut. We park on one of the parking lots by the road near the mountain hut, parking in front of the mountain hut there is only for guests.
From Poljane (crossroad before the lake Završniško jezero) to Valvasorjev dom is 5 km.
Path description:
From Valvasorjev dom we go right on a footpath in the direction of Stol. The path soon goes into the forest, where it slightly ascends and it brings us to a smaller crossing, where we continue right. The path then brings us out of the forest, where crosses slopes below Monštranca. This gentle path, which a little further crosses a short lane of a forest we follow to a crossing on Žirovniška planina.
We continue left in the direction of »Stol - Žirovniška pot« (slightly right Stol Zabreška pot) on the path which only a little higher passes into a dense forest, where we continue next 10 minutes. Forest then gets thinner, and the path passes among bushes, through which it then ascends all the way until we get in the next lane of a forest. When we again step into the forest, we will get to a pile of logs and a sign above them, which "asking", that if we can, carry one of them to the mountain hut Prešernova koča. A little further, we step out of the forest, by the edge of which we are then ascending steeper. Higher, the path turns a little to the left and crosses a short slightly exposed grassy slope. The path then for a short time slightly flattens and it brings us to a pleasant resting place, from which a nice view opens up on Gorenjska.
The path ahead is again steeply ascending, this time on a slope, which is mostly covered with dwarf pines. Higher, the path is turnning slightly to the right and from dwarf pines brings us on grassy slopes, where we also come on a less noticeable crossing. We continue slightly right (left Potoški Stol and Vajnež) on a still relatively steep path, which soon passes on the ridge of Mali Stol. This more and more scenic path, which higher leads past memorial, we follow all the way to the mountain hut Prešernova koča na Stolu.
Valvasorjev dom - Žirovniška planina 20 minutes, Žirovniška planina - Prešernova koča 2:25.
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