Ravenska Kočna - Vratca (on ferrata)

Access to starting point:
From the Ljubljana - Jesenice highway, take the exit Kranj - east and follow the road ahead in the direction of Jezersko. On Zgornje Jezersko, just a little after the gas station, we will notice a road that branches off to the right from the main road (direction Planšarsko jezero). The road then leads us past the mentioned lake and behind it steeply ascends for a short time. Higher, the road flattens and at the beginning of a large meadow loses its asphalt surface. We then follow the macadam road to a marked larger parking lot.

Route description:
From the parking lot, we continue on the macadam road following the signs »Češka koča, Ledine« and after approximately 15 minutes of walking we come to a cargo cableway. At the cargo cableway, where there is a junction, we continue following the signs for Kranjska koča na Ledinah (Skozi žrelo/Slovenska pot) and Češka koča (umik žrela). At first for a short time we walk through the forest, then the path brings us to terrain that is partly covered with dwarf pines. Here the path starts to ascend somewhat more steeply and then brings us to a junction.
We head right onto the scree where a sign on the rock »Ferata Češka koča« directs us. After a short ascent on the scree we come to the entrance to the climbing path. At the entrance to the climbing path, an easier path also branches off to the left that bypasses the initial most difficult part of the climbing path. This path is marked with the sign »umik«.
At the beginning, the climbing path ascends very steeply along the steel cable (difficulty C/D) and since there are few footholds, considerable arm strength is needed. A short less demanding traverse on the slope covered with grass and dwarf pines follows (A/B). The path then becomes more demanding again and ascends diagonally up the steep wall (C/D). In the wall the path turns left upward and brings us through a short but nonetheless quite demanding overhang (E) to somewhat less demanding terrain. Here we ascend along the steel cable on the slope that is partly covered with grass and dwarf pines (B/C). The path then brings us to easier terrain where the first part of the climbing path ends.
For some time we then ascend on an undemanding slope through dwarf pines, then we come again to the steel cables where the second part of the secured path begins. Here the path that bypasses the initial most difficult part also joins from the left. For some time we then ascend along the steel cable on a not overly demanding slope (A/B), then the path turns left and a short vertical ascent follows (D). In the continuation we then steeply ascend along the steel cable for quite some time (C and C/D). Such a path then brings us to the logbook box where for a short time the path becomes a shade less demanding (B/C). The path then ascends more steeply once again (C/D), then the steepness begins to ease. The steel cables then end and soon we join the »umik Žrela« path. Here we continue right and to the hut, which we already see ahead, it is only a few minutes' walk.
From the hut we continue right on the path in the direction of Kočna, Grintovec and Vratca (left Kranjska koča through Žrelo). After a short ascent we come to flat ground marked H (intended for helicopter landing). The path continues over initially gentle scree that is partly overgrown with dwarf pines. In the lower part of the scree we come to a small junction where the path to Vratca branches off to the right (slightly left Kočna and Grintovec). The path ahead ascends the scree and soon brings us to the gully below Vratca. The path through the gully is well secured but caution is needed due to falling rocks. When we step out of the gully the path turns right. From here to the summit we have only a few minutes of scenic walking.
Ravenska Kočna - Češka koča 2:00, Češka koča - Vratca 45 minutes.

Along the route: Češka koča na Spodnjih Ravneh mountain hut (1542m)

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