Zavetišče na planini Šija - Toplar (Kačja pot)

Access to starting point:
From highway Ljubljana - Jesenice we go to the exit Ljubelj. Further, we drive to the center of Tržič and we follow the road through gorge Dolžanova soteska to the village Jelendol, where signs for mountain pasture Kofce, Šija and Pungrat point us to the left. The road then loses an asphalt covering and starts ascending steeply. This road at the crossroads we follow in the direction of the mountain pastures Pungrat and Šija. We park on a parking lot near the cottage on the mountain pasture Šija.

Path description:
A little north from the cottage we notice a wooden sign with the caption "kačja pot na froncov greben" (mountain path we find a little more to the right from the direction to which the sign points to). The path ahead crosses a grazing fence and out of the forest brings us on smaller scree. After that scree path crosses a shorter lane of spruce forest and then brings us on avalanche slopes, where the path turns a little to the left. Further, we in a gentle ascent cross a grassy slope, lane of dwarf pines and a larger scree after which we come into a lane of bushes (dwarf pines and individual trees). Here the path starts ascending steeply and it quickly brings us below the rocky cliffs. We cross a narrow passage (watch out head) and steep path then brings us to the spot, where we join the marked path, which comes from the mountain hut Dom na Kofcah.
We continue right upwards on the path which ascends steeply and it quickly brings us to an exposed passage. Without fixed safety gear we cross a short, but crumbly and slightly exposed ledge after which we go in a lane of dwarf pines. The path ahead ascends through a short lane of dwarf pines, and then continues on a side ridge of Košuta. More panoramic and pretty steep path higher joins the ridge path.
We continue left in the direction of Veliki vrh (right Kladivo, straight upwards Kofce gora 10 strides) on a path which starts slightly descending by the edge of the ridge. The path which crosses slopes of Košuta towards the west after approximately 15 minutes of walking joins the normal path on Veliki vrh (option for a descent), where we step into a smaller indistinct valley. After that, the path from a small valley again passes on the south slopes, where on the south side bypasses the peak »Toplar (2000m)«. At this spot, we leave the marked path which leads on Veliki vrh and we go right on pathless terrain. After three minutes of steep but undemanding ascent on pathless terrain we step on Toplar.
Šija - Kofce gora 1:15, Kofce gora - Toplar 30 minutes.

On the way: Kofce gora (1967m)