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Kopa (Belska Kopa), cave in Varvanju

garmont19. 04. 2023 15:43:14

And another year has passed. velik nasmeh

From Kopišč up the wide gully to the summit.
Descent along the traverse path (which we cleared) to Martinj path and from there to Dol and the same-named boring gully to the valley.
No snow anywhere anymore. nasmeh

Regards

(+6)

palček plezalček7. 05. 2023 23:19:35

Western ridge of Belska Kopa, Martinj path, Kuklarji

Yesterday I thought four pairs of legs would rush to exploration, but in the end half less brave or foolish (ticks swarming, so must be at least a bit brave and foolish for this world this season).
Along forest road before stone bridge, on the other side of which marked path leads along Kamniška Bela valley, we made a few steps and already turned into undergrowth. Terrain quickly stood upright, but to the barrier nicely. At it left and then up extremely steep terrain. When slope eases, wall soon stands before you. Here to the left, then attractive passages with beautiful views follow. After them to Kopa summit still some knee-knockers among scree.
From summit descended to Martinj path and amid lazily gathering clouds continued along it to planina Dol. Then climbed to Konjščica and zigzagged to Kobilna valley and further over Kuklarji, which in picturesqueness can confidently compare with hiking on Martinj path. Continuation of descent through Dolski graben happened like leisurely final movement of a symphony. Well, not quite... in the end led companion to 'sidepath' or better white road leading nowhere. On top of that poured like from a bucket, so final movement ended with wading through young beeches and briars.
Anyway, good end, all good. nasmeh

To the left and then through very interesting passages

Wonderful world between Bela and Repov kot

Zigzagging between the mountains Dol and Konjščica

You step on shingles, then a few zigzags through the forest and you already bump into the marked path by the large boulder

The party with rain and umbrella (!) has just begun :D

(+16)

andi28. 05. 2023 10:16:29

Excellent off-trail parts with Zoki, bravo! Is the ridge very exposed? Sometime need to add this bit too. If I read right somewhere, Volk a few years ago climbed passage through Grdi graben where others quickly got stuck with pitons and belay. Good nose needed for these areas nasmeh

(+2)

geppo8. 05. 2023 11:10:50

Congratulations!! cool

Ticks are my nightmare. Despite all preventive measures I persistently bring them home. Last one brought from Gorenjska (Brežiške p.) and long dug under skin to remove black spot (head).
lp

(+2)

iztok19608. 05. 2023 12:13:56

@geppo, try tick remover for dogs, there are 2 sizes, it's a kind of tweezers but with a slot at the end which you "push between tick and skin and twist". By my experience you remove the whole, complete with head no problem.

(+4)

smatjaz8. 05. 2023 17:10:15

Does anyone have a GPS track for the cave in Vrvanje? I know the path to Belska Kopa very well, but someone told me that one of the paths goes from the saddle under Kopa to the cave, and one through the gully straight before the little bridge on the Martinj path. lp Matjaž

(+1)

j.8. 05. 2023 23:51:30

Wilderness to weep over, right near civilization. Congratulations!

(+4)

palček plezalček9. 05. 2023 10:04:00

Thank you. nasmeh

andi2, I don't like writing about exposure and difficulties, as everyone perceives them subjectively; what is a problem for me isn't necessarily for someone else and vice versa. Škrjanec's note on the ridge seems relevant and objective to me, so I'm attaching: https://www.gore-ljudje.si/Objavljalci/kopa-in-rzenik-po-pozabljenih-lovskih-prehodih
Since you mention Volk - special tours that can give many new ideas, shame he doesn't post them more often.

geppo, I completely agree, ticks are a plague for me too, the worst are those almost microscopically small ones.

(+3)

andi29. 05. 2023 12:36:53

Very good answer, thanks. True, Škrjanec's above note is among his must-reads. Maybe he's even the greatest connoisseur of all possible nooks that branch out above the Bistric valley. Together with Habjan they've done a lot to popularize passages unnecessary for climbers, but a big challenge for us ordinary folks nasmeh

(+2)

zokipoki9. 05. 2023 17:00:48

My opinion on the exposure from Kopa's ridge is that the terrain is very exposed! From the overhang to the window it's about 200m of world where slipping is not an option! You need to be calm and ascend smartly! Whenever I looked down in this section I knew there must be no mistake and heaven forbid if I get dizzy! The song Tamara by Boris Novković crept into my mind by itself. The calm tempo of that song seemed made for ascending this steep, really beautiful world,...slowly, with feeling, awareness...

(+4)

jprim9. 05. 2023 19:31:03

I really can't add anything to this topic, I'm not at home here, you others are more experienced. nasmeh

But I can just write a simple recipe for pulling ticks, 100% tested.
Well, maybe someone has already checked it in practice or at least heard of it, but thinks it's too simple.
Around the tick, we make circles with the index finger counterclockwise. We do a few circles, pause for a while, continue the process. We mustn't rush, be patient. Because with this we move the skin around the tick, which causes the bite itself, or the tick's proboscis, to loosen. Meanwhile, gently try with the nail if it's loose yet, if not, continue circling.
That's how we've been pulling ticks for years. Also on the dog, if he brings one home.
LP!

(+7)

ločanka31. 05. 2023 08:27:23

Yesterday the visit to Belska Kopa finally came true nasmeh

. Beautiful peak, even nicer than we imagined. The path to it also a bit more demanding than expected. But both filled us with lots of joy and satisfaction after the tour.

But to avoid that really annoying traverse on the way back, we went straight down the gully below the saddle that Grega mentions and it leads right to the supported boulder nasmeh

. Worth it nasmeh

marked supported boulder by the path to which you also return on the descent via the gully

then along a very narrow, steep path, branch towards Belska Kopa

further towards the saddle, but you have to turn left below it

along the ridge path towards the summit, but the path is only a trace

from the first summit of Kopa towards the second

arrival at a really beautiful summit with beautiful views

also a stop at the pond in the village Križ

(+11)

j.9. 04. 2024 09:33:18

Saturday, April 6th. From Kopišče along Martinj path to Belska Kopa and further along the path to Dol. Descent via Dolske gully.

The devastation above Kopišče after last year's floods stunned me. The tractor track above the hamlet, several hundred meters long, is gone, replaced by a channel up to two meters deep in places. The rest of Martinj path is undamaged. At the rock supported by poles we continued slightly right up the comfortable chute and just below the saddle hit a cross path leading towards Kopa. From Kopa summit we returned along the same path and continued across to Martinj path. The slope there is quite steep. The grass on the cross path was mostly dry, but on a tens-of-meters section just before Martinj path you still need to step very carefully. Especially if going opposite direction, as the path slightly descends. Very dangerous when wet.

Rest of the path without issues, in the upper part of Dolske gully part of the path turned into a torrent channel, but trodden on the earthen terrain beside. Could be tricky when wet there too. Overall we crossed about five water channels during the whole tour that raged down the slopes last year.

Ramsons in abundance, no ticks.

Fork above Kopišče. Once there was a forest road.

View from below the saddle down to the gully, which is comfortable enough for ascent and descent.

Rooty traverse to the left under the saddle.

View in the direction of Kopa. Beautiful places these are.

Snow-covered Ojstrica in the background, below Šraj peski

Above 1800 meters there is still plenty of snow.

A section of the path in the upper part of Dolski graben has been washed away by water.

(+6)

suhy30. 10. 2024 23:42:16

Yes, everything j. described about conditions around Kopa holds as if nailed down even half a year later. Today the trail follower's intentions were more ambitious - besides Kopa he wanted to climb Rzenik too -, but there were so many wonderful views from Kopa, Martinj path and bivouac of good will that there was no time for it. No problem, instead of the summit collected more nice snapshots in the camera for memory. The last 200m descent from Pl. Rzenik through Dolski graben to the road passed in pitch dark. nasmeh

(+5)

suhy6. 11. 2024 13:03:59

Given the season, ramsons of course no more, but ticks as many as you want. I myself caught them against my will and removed at home, would you believe, twenty-seven (27) mrk pogled

(+1)

zokipoki29. 03. 2026 16:41:56

I nicely avoided the northerly wind on the path past the abandoned mine, but it caught me on the saddle below Kopa. I approach the summit from the south side, abandoning the idea of ascent towards Varvanju.
I step onto the top of Kopa just for a photo, then into the shelter, and in the direction of the traverse, which was dry today. The strong wind and snow mists I luckily left above Bela, snow on the Martinj path was only by the chain for the little bridge.
I descend along the markers through the gully to the parking lot.
Good luck!