Golte (Alpine garden) - Smrekovec

Access to starting point:
We drive to Mozirje, and then we follow the signs for Golte and Šmihel nad Mozirjem. When Mozirje ends at a road junction, we choose the right road leading towards Šmihel and further to Golte (the left road leads to the lower station of the cable car to Golte), and at all subsequent crossroads, we follow the signs for Golte. When we arrive at the parking lot by the once-maintained alpine garden, we park in a suitable spot.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we head onto a macadam road towards Mozirska koča na Golteh (sharply left hotel and Medvedjak, left Kolarica and Stari stani) and begin descending along mostly northern slopes of the peak Okence, a peak where an Alpine garden was once maintained. Lower down, we reach the chapel of Jesus the Good Shepherd on Mozirska planina, where the next marked crossroads is located.
We continue left over a grazing fence towards Smrekovec and Boskovec (straight to Mozirska koča na Golteh, 1 minute), and immediately after the grazing fence, the path splits again.
We choose the left path towards Smrekovec (slightly right Boskovec) and ascend diagonally into the forest. We continue alongside a clearing, where there is often heavy dew, and upon re-entering the forest, we notice signs for an ice cave, which is a minute off the path.
We continue straight, ascending gently to moderately for some time, then arrive at Hleviška planina, where a path from Stari stani joins from the left.
We continue slightly right towards Smrekovec and Boskovec, proceeding diagonally across grazing slopes to a crossroads at the Isteje saddle.
We continue straight north (right Boskovec), initially descending with beautiful views, then descending through the forest, following blazes at several crossroads. Lower down, the path leads us through the Zagradiški hlev pasture, offering a fine view towards Uršlja gora, and we descend all the way to the Kal saddle, where we cross a macadam road. Here, we continue straight (or optionally right on an unmarked road) and steeply ascend to Kalski greben, continuing along it for some time. From the highest point of the ridge, we gradually descend and lower down reach Atelsko sedlo, where we cross a macadam road again.
We continue following the signs for Smrekovec, ascending again, and at a smaller crossroads, we choose the right marked path. A gentle descent follows, then we ascend diagonally along the slopes of Črni vrh, bypassing its peak on the right side. A little further in a gentle descent, we reach a macadam road, along which we continue by a large meadow; when a passage opens by the grazing fence, we take a footpath that continues through the meadow, and in the middle of the meadow, we join the marked path from Bele Vode. We continue through the meadow and quickly arrive at the cottage Dom na Smrekovcu, which is visible from the initial part of the meadow.
We bypass the cottage on the left side and continue in the direction of Smrekovec and Raduha, while we diagonally ascend through a strip of forest. A few minutes higher, the path splits, and we choose the right path, marked with signs for Smrekovec (left for Komen, Travnik, and Raduha).
Next follows a steep ascent through an increasingly sparse forest, and we reach the peak of Smrekovec in a moderate ascent on an increasingly scenic grassy slope.
Starting point - Ledenica 0:15, Ledenica - Atelsko sedlo 1:25, Atelsko sedlo - cottage Dom na Smrekovcu 0:20, cottage Dom na Smrekovcu - Smrekovec 0:30.
Description and pictures refer to the condition in June 2024.

On the way: Kapela Jezusa Dobrega Pastirja (1371m), Mozirska koča na Golteh (1356m), Ledenica na Golteh (1405m), Hleviška planina (1468m), Isteje (1525m), Kal (1319m), Atelsko sedlo (1317m), Dom na Smrekovcu (1375m)