NC Planica - Slemenova špica (via Grlo)

Access to starting point:
a) First we drive to Kranjska Gora, then continue driving towards Rateče. When we reach the roundabout near Rateče, we take the exit in the direction of Planica. There follows some more ascent and we arrive at the large parking lot next to the Nordic Centre Planica, where we park in the paid parking lot. The price for passenger cars is 2.5 euros / day (March 2019).
b) Via the Rateče border crossing we drive into Slovenia, then soon turn right towards Planica. There follows some more ascent and we arrive at the large parking lot next to the Nordic Centre Planica, where we park in the paid parking lot. The price for passenger cars is 2.5 euros / day (March 2019).

Route description:
From Planica we continue along the macadam road towards Dom v Tamarju, before the road enters the forest it splits into two parts. We continue along the road that branches slightly to the right in the direction of the footpath towards Tamar (slightly left is the drivable road, which is closed to public traffic).
The path ahead leads us along the road, which passes the last parking lot of NC Planica, enters the forest and which in winter is converted into a cross-country ski trail. This is followed by an ascent along a gentle road that mostly runs through the forest, when the path leaves the forest, there are information boards along the path about what can be seen. Higher up the forest thins out several times or we leave it for a while, so that beautiful views open up of the mountains rising above Planica and Tamar. When we get quite close to Dom v Tamarju a wonderful view of Jalovec opens up and the path splits.
We continue slightly left (slightly right is the source of Nadiža) and a few minutes further we join the drivable road, along which we continue left, back towards Planica (right to Dom v Tamarju, two minutes).
We do not walk along the road for long and soon arrive at a junction, where we turn right in the direction of Vršič and Slemenova špica through Grlo (you can also get here by road).
We head onto the mentioned path, which after a few steps takes us from the forest onto vast gravel areas. The path ahead ascends gently slightly to the left to the outlet of the mighty gorge that we see in front of us. The path then leads us right into the gorge along which the path continues. Further we ascend up the gorge looking for passages which change after every heavier rainfall. The path through the gorge is marked but many markings are upside down and where the marking is the passage is often almost impossible. The entire approximately 45-minute passage through the gorge is also exposed to falling rocks. The ascent through the gorge is difficult but nowhere exposed. We exit the gorge at the Grlo saddle, where a barely noticeable unmarked path from the Mala Pišnica valley joins us.
We continue right in the direction of Slemenova špica and Vršič. The path ahead crosses a shorter stretch of forest and a bit higher leads us to scree slopes which the path crosses in a slight ascent to steep slopes. Here the path steeply ascends, and we are assisted by a few pitons and a steel cable. Further we ascend along a moderately overgrown slope quite steeply upwards to the place where we join the path from Vršič.
Here we continue right along the path, which only occasionally ascends more and soon brings us to the small lakes on Sleme from which there is a nice view of Jalovec. We continue slightly to the right past the summit register box to the top of Slemenova špica, which we reach in a few minutes of further walking.

Planica - turnoff for Grlo 0:45, turnoff for Grlo - Grlo 0:55, Grlo - Čez Sleme 0:55, Čez Sleme - Slatnica 0:10, Slatnica - Slemenova špica 0:10.

Along the route: Dom v Tamarju (1108m), Odcep za Grlo (1090m), Grlo (1451m), Odcep v Pišnico (1489m), Čez Sleme (1773m), Slatnica (1814m), Jezerca na Slemenu (1855m)

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