Podrožca / Rosenbach - Rosenkogel/Hruški vrh

Access to starting point:
Through the Karawanks Tunnel, we drive to Austria, and then we drive on the highway towards Beljak, which we leave on the first exit. From the point where we left the highway, we follow the signs for Šentjakob v Rožu / Sankt Jakob im Rosental. When we get to the mentioned place, we leave the main road and continue driving right in the direction of the place Podrožca / Rosenbach. After a few kilometers of additional driving, we get near the railway station in Podrožca, where we continue left downwards, and then at the next crossroad right in the direction of the valley Medji Dol / Bärental. Further, we drive on a somewhat narrower asphalt road, which we follow to the first crossroad, by which we notice hiking signposts. We park at an appropriate place by the road.
From the toll station at Hrušica to the starting point, there is approximately 23 km.

Route description:
From the starting point, we go on the left road following the signs Rožca / Rosenbachsattel (straight Kepa / Mittagskogel). The road first crosses a bridge over the stream Gračenica / Schönbrunnen, and then starts first gently, later moderately ascending through the forest. Further, we ascend for quite some time on the forest road, and then we get to a marked crossroad at an altitude of 900 meters.
Here a road towards Golica / Kahlkogel branches off to the left, and we continue slightly right in the direction of Rožca. From the crossing ahead the road temporarily descends to the nearby stream, which it then also crosses. On the other side of the stream, we again start ascending, and the marked path splits into two parts. We can continue further on the road, or left on a marked footpath, which starts to ascend more steeply and continues through the forest. The path higher returns to the road and leaves it again at the sharp right turn. We continue through the forest, on an occasionally steeper and in the upper part also more overgrown slope. Higher, we join a cart track and follow it to the left. From the cart track, we soon go left on the path towards Rožca, and to the right continues the path to Koprivnjak.
The path ahead crosses a torrent, and then we ascend a few more minutes through the forest. A little further, the path turns right and brings us out of the forest, where we quickly reach the mountain pasture Rožca, where on the right side we notice a larger shepherd hut.
A little before the hut yellow hiking signposts direct us to the left in the direction of the mountain hut Koča na Golici, saddle Rožca and Hruški vrh. The path ahead first leads transversely across the mountain pasture, and then starts first gently, then moderately ascending, while following the blazes, as the path on the mountain pasture is occasionally harder to follow. When we arrive at the edge of the mountain pasture, the path turns somewhat to the right and becomes clearly visible. Further, in a few rare zigzags, we start ascending towards the state border with Slovenia. Higher with ever better views we reach the border ridge, from where we also get a nice view of the Slovenian mountains.
From the saddle, we continue right in the direction of Hruški vrh (left Klek, slightly left Koča na Golici, straight downwards hut on Rožca) and continue on the initially gentle ridge. Already after a few minutes, the path becomes somewhat steeper and with nice views leads mainly on the Slovenian side of the border. Higher, the path flattens, and only a little walking on the border ridge separates us from Hruški vrh.
Podrožca - Planina Rožca 2:45, Planina Rožca - Rožca 35 minutes, Rožca - Hruški vrh 30 minutes.

Along the route: Roschitzaalm (1407m), Rosenbachsattel/Rožca (1587m)

The trip can be extended to the following destinations: Klek, Frauenkogel/Dovška Baba ( 50 min)

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