Ruski križ - Križ

Access to starting point:
First we drive to Kranjska Gora, then continue driving towards the Vršič pass. Just a little before the 3rd hairpin bend of the Russian or Vršič road, we will notice the Ruski križ on the right side, and a smaller parking lot on the left where we park. Because the parking lot is relatively small and fills up quickly, we can also park a bit higher at the larger parking lot a little above the 4th hairpin bend (in this case we have to descend a bit to our starting point at the Ruski križ).
We can also reach the starting point from the Primorska side via the Vršič pass.

Route description:
A little before the 3rd serpentine of the Russian road, we will notice the mountain signs for Koča v Krnici by the road, which direct us slightly left onto a wide cart track that immediately begins to descend moderately. After a few minutes of descent through the forest, the path levels out and brings us to the bed of Suha Pišnica. Shortly after crossing the mentioned stream, the path turns slightly to the left and leads us out of the forest onto the vast grassy slopes of Planina V Klinu, where we notice an isolated hut on the right and a smaller memorial park Mali Tamar on the left. The path ahead completely levels out, then joins the forest road that comes from the former Hotel Erika or the bridge over Velika Pišnica. Here we continue right and follow the relatively steep forest road all the way to Koča v Krnici, which we reach after about 20 minutes of further walking.
From the hut, where there is pleasant shade, we continue straight in the direction of Kriška stena through the Krnica valley, first gently, then ever steeper upwards. The path soon exits the forest, where a nice view of the nearby walls opens up. Next we cross the scree that storms bring from the surrounding gullies. The path ahead becomes steeper and still leads us in the same direction. The last trees are already behind us and we slowly transition to the scree below the walls of Kriška stena. In the upper part of the scree the path slightly turns left to the entry into Kriška stena. Here the climbing section of the path begins, where we put on our helmet.
The path at the beginning of the wall turns left and ascends steeply. In the wall the path is mostly routed along natural passages, sometimes aided by fixed protection. On this section we also take care not to dislodge stones! After about an hour of climbing the wall, which is occasionally quite difficult, we step out of it.
Above the wall the path levels out and brings us to a junction at Vrh Kriške stene, where we continue right in the direction of Križ (left Vrata and Škrlatica) and the path that transitions to a wide ridge quickly brings us to Bovška vratica, from which a view of Kriške pode opens up, where we can see the highest Slovenian lake, Zgornje Kriško jezero, which lies at an altitude of 2159 meters.
We continue left towards the summit of Križ (straight Pogačnikov dom, Zadnjica and Razor), to which we have only 10 minutes of walking left. The path ahead first ascends gently along an ever narrower ridge, then with the help of a steel cable steeply ascends over a slightly exposed rock slab, after which we come to an interesting passage through a natural gully. With some skill we climb through the narrow gully to the panoramic Križ.

Starting point - Planina v Klinu 0:20, Planina v Klinu - Koča v Krnici 0:25, Koča v Krnici - Vrh Kriške stene 3:30, Vrh Kriške stene - Bovška vratca 0:15, Bovška vratca - Križ 0:15.

Along the route: Mali Tamar (996m), Planina v Klinu (980m), Koča v Krnici (1113m), Pod Kriško steno (1945m), Rob Kriške stene (2300m), Bovška vratca (2378m)

The trip can be extended to the following destinations: Križ (7 h 15 min), Stenar (1 h 30 min)

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