Ljubelj - Pautz/Zelenjak

Access to starting point:
From the highway Ljubljana - Jesenice we take the exit Ljubelj and follow the road ahead to the border crossing. Only a few meters before the border crossing signs for Zelenica direct us to the left and after some 10 meters of additional driving the road brings us to the parking lot below the ski center Zelenica.

Route description:
From the parking lot, we head onto the footpath in the direction of Zelenica, Vrtača and Stol. The cart track, which runs along the left side of the ski slope, brings us after approximately 15 minutes of moderate ascent through the forest to the aforementioned slope, along which we then ascend. The path, which offers nice views of the extensive scree of Begunjščica on the left and the ridge of Ljubeljščica on the right, then brings us in a gentle ascent to the hut on Vrtača. From the hut we continue straight on the marked path, which slowly turns slightly to the left and brings us after a shorter transverse ascent into a belt of dwarf pines. Further on, the path steeply ascends for a short time and then brings us to a cart track (transport rescue road), which we then follow in a moderate ascent to the mountain hut Dom na Zelenici.
From the Dom na Zelenici hut we continue right in the direction of Stol and Vrtača (left Begunjščica) on the path which immediately behind the hut turns left and ascends alongside the children's ski lift. Somewhere halfway up the ski lift we come to a less noticeable junction, where we continue right and transversely ascend across the ski slope (straight to Koča pri izviru Završnice). Further on we cross a short belt of forest and the path brings us to the next ski lift, which we cross in a gentle descent. On the other side of the ski slope we notice a larger rock and on it a marker that directs us into the forest. The path then gently descends and after a few minutes of further walking brings us to the end of the valley of Suhega ruševja, where an unmarked path to Palec branches off to the right upwards.
We continue in the direction of Palec (straight Stol and Vrtača) on the path which ascends through a belt of forest and higher brings us below the scree of Vrtača and Palec. Here the steepness eases, and the path then leads us through the valley of Suhega ruševja. Higher up the path turns slightly right and once again steeply ascends. After a few minutes of further walking we reach the border ridge (Žleb 1916m) from where a view opens onto the Austrian side.
We continue left (right Palec) on the path which transversely ascends across the scree below Zelenjak. After a few minutes of ascent the path brings us to the next saddle, this time on the western side of Zelenjak. From here we continue right on a poorly visible path which transversely ascends the very steep summit slope of the mountain. The path, on which cairns indicate the direction, leads us along the steep slope which is dangerous for slipping. After approximately 10 minutes of difficult terrain we step onto the panoramic summit.
Great caution is required on the descent from the summit.
Ljubelj - Zelenica 1:20, Zelenica - Zelenjak 1:35.

Along the route: Koča na Vrtači (1288m), Dom na Zelenici mountain hut (1536m), Žleb (Suho ruševje) (1916m)

The trip can be extended to the following destinations: Vertatscha/Vrtača

We recommend: trips from the same starting point, similar trips, summit register