Ljubelj - Spodnji Plot (športna zelo zahtevna ferata)

Access to the starting point:
Drive to Border crossing Ljubelj, where you turn left before the tunnel towards Zelenica. Drive over a small bridge, then park in a large parking lot.

Path description:
At the beginning of the parking lot, the mountain signs for Hochstuhl, Vertatscha and Dom na Zelenici direct us to the wide cart track, which begins to climb along the torrent. When the cart track turns left a little higher up, we continue straight on along the mountain path, which continues through the forest and soon returns to cart track. Cart track turns right a little higher up and leads us out of the forest onto the ski slope of the former Zelenica ski resort. There is a short, steeper climb up the ski slope, and then the trail flattens out and leads us along the foothills of the scree below Begunjščica.

The marked trail soon branches off to the right along a service road, and we continue along the "road" to the nearby Vrtača Hut.

At the hut, the road turns right and we continue straight ahead towards the mountain trail to Zelenica. For a short time we continue under the former single-seater Zelenica II, and then the path begins to climb steeply up the slope, which is partly overgrown by dwarf pines. After a few switchbacks, we return to the service road, which we continue along, overlooking the Šentanski avalanche.

The path ahead takes you along the slopes of the Lower Plot (the summit of which was covered by a sport climbing route a few years ago), then off the road turn right onto a footpath that cuts around a long bend. Once back on the road, we are at the top station of the former Zelenica II single-seater, and it is only a few steps downhill to the Zelenica Home.

From the Home on Zelenica, continue right to the north-east and follow the signs leading to the start of the climbing routes. At first you walk on grassy slopes where the path is not very visible and then you reach steeper slopes on the south side of Spodnji Plot. The steep slopes are then traversed, which quickly leads us to the starting point of the climbing routes.

At the starting point, equip yourself with a self-protection kit, helmet and climbing gloves. An extra umbilical cord for resting and climbing shoes are also recommended.

The climbing route initially ascends transversely along a steel (difficulty up to B/C) and then turns to the left and becomes significantly more difficult. Then climb over a vertical pillar (difficulty D), which leads to a crossroads.

To the left is an easier route (a learning protected climbing route) and to the right a harder route (a sporty very difficult ferrata). If you choose the harder route, continue to the right and cross the vertical wall with the help of a rope for a few metres. This is followed by a very difficult vertical climb on a smooth wall (difficulty E). The route then crosses the wall to the left (difficulty D) and then climbs up again to the right (difficulty D/E). This is followed by a shorter overhanging climb (difficulty E). The difficulty then drops a shade and the route continues for a while, crossing the slope to the right (difficulty B/C). In the last part, the route turns to the left and there is a final slightly overhanging climb (difficulty E). The protected route then ends and the summit is only a few steps walk away.

Descend the easy path on the north-west side towards Dom na Zelenica.

The trail described is extremely difficult and is currently the only trail of this difficulty in Slovenia. The route is suitable only for climbers and experienced mountaineers who are physically fit, as the climb requires a lot of strength in the arms.

The height difference of the climbing part is 90 metres and the estimated climbing time is 45 minutes.

On the way: Koča Vrtača mountain hut (1288m), Dom na Zelenici mountain hut (1536m)

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