Mežica - Šumahov vrh (via Pikov and Veliki vrh)

Access to starting point:
From Črna na Koroškem or from Ravne na Koroškem, or through the border crossing Holmec or Mežica, we drive to Mežica, where signs for the cemetery Mirje point us towards the west on a local road. We also drive past the old cemetery, and then we park on a marked parking lot.

Path description:
From the starting point, we continue on the asphalt road upwards; when the road turns left, we leave it and continue straight on a cart track in the direction of Pikov. We continue on the cart track, which ascends along the route of a former ski slope, and today along the path we notice the disc golf course Mežica. Initially, when looking back, we still see Mežica and the surrounding hills, then the path, along which there are almost no blazes, passes into a small valley between the 729-meter-high hill on the left (unnamed peak on maps) and Štalekarjev vrh on the right. When the valley turns towards the west, a marked cart track branches off to the left from the ski slope, which we continue on. The cart track quickly turns even a little more to the left and then ascends transversely to the ridge, where we continue right in the direction of the Koča na Pikovem hut. For some time the path follows the ridge, then gradually passes slightly left onto the slopes over which we mostly ascend transversely. Higher up, we bypass the Jesenik homestead from the lower left side, where the path leads past the ruins of an old house. A little further on, we cross a macadam road (to the left we descend into the valley or continue to the Koča na Pikovem hut along the old path; to the right, Jesenik homestead), then we ascend more steeply on the cart track, which we follow all the way to the saddle from which a view opens towards the southwest.
From the saddle, we continue straight in the direction of the Koča na Pikovem hut and quickly descend to the point where we join the Vrh šteng - Koča na Pikovem path.
We follow the path to the left; a little further on, an old path also joins from the left. We continue again in the direction of the Koča na Pikovem hut and ascend through the forest to a wooden cross, next to which there is a quite old bench.
At the mentioned landmark, we leave the marked path and continue left on a trail that begins to ascend steeply through the forest. After a few minutes of ascent, we join the path that leads from the Pik homestead, but we continue left on a gradually less steep path, which we follow to the nearby Pikov vrh, where a wooden observation tower stands.
We bypass the observation tower on the right side, then initially descend slightly along the ridge, after which the path continues with some shorter ascents and descents. When we are already quite close to Veliki vrh, a path branches off to the right to the Pikove jame caves; we continue left and ascend transversely to the transmitters on Veliki vrh; the stamp box is located a few steps further to the right.
From Veliki vrh, we descend on a wide cart track in 10 minutes to Šumahovo sedlo, where several paths and roads intersect.
From Šumahovo sedlo, we continue left from the cross on a cart track that moderately ascends slightly to the left. After a short ascent, we reach an indistinct ridge where the cart track turns slightly to the right and ends a little higher up. From the end of the cart track, we continue slightly right on a beaten trail that ascends through the forest; when it levels out, it brings us to a short panoramic section from which a nice view opens in the direction of Peca. A further minute of easy walking follows, and the path brings us to the cross on Šumahov vrh, from which a nice view also opens onto the other side.
Mežica - Pikov vrh 2:00, Pikov vrh - Veliki vrh 40 minutes, Veliki vrh - Šumahov vrh 25 minutes.
Description and pictures refer to the condition in 2018 (May).

On the way: Pikov vrh (1149m), Veliki vrh (nad Mežiško dolino) (1165m), Šumahovo sedlo (1065m)