Aljažev dom v Vratih - Begunjski vrh (via Prag)

Access to starting point:
We drive to Mojstrana, then follow the signs for Vrata Valley. We continue along the toll road, which is closed to public traffic in winter, to the large parking lot a few minutes before Aljažev dom v Vratih.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue along the gravel road closed to public traffic, passing Šlajmerjev dom and quickly reaching Aljažev dom v Vratih.
We bypass Aljažev dom on the right and continue straight towards Triglav, Sovatna, Luknja... (right Škrlatica, bivouac at Rušje...). We continue along the poorer gravel road, which takes us past the winter room to a marked junction by the famous peg (monument to fallen partisan mountaineers).
We continue straight again (left Tominškova pot), a gentle path leading with fine views of Triglav and its north face. After a few minutes of walking, we reach a beech forest, where the path to Sovatna branches right; we continue straight towards Luknja and Triglav - the path over Prag. A short ascent on a cart track follows, then the markers direct us left onto a path approaching the bed of Triglavska Bistrica. Here the path passes a memorial to mountain victims, and shortly after we reach the next marked junction.
Straight ahead the path continues to Luknja, but we go left towards the path over Prag, first crossing Triglavska Bistrica stream (the source of Bistrica is a bit higher).
On the other side of the stream, we quickly reach the first steep section, aided by the first pegs; after a few minutes, the difficulty eases, but we continue steeply ascending, with increasingly beautiful views across the valley from the path.
This section is partly overgrown with bushes, higher up safety gear reappears, and soon we reach probably the most difficult part of the path over Prag, where with the help of brackets and cables we climb a nearly vertical 15-meter chimney. The path gradually becomes easier again, Tominškova pot joins from the left, and a few steps further we reach Begunjski studenec.
We continue steeply ascending, the path technically not demanding here; after about 15 minutes, we reach the next junction near Kotel.
We go left towards Staničev dom pod Triglavom (slightly right Triglav and Triglavski dom na Kredarici) and traverse the high karst terrain on the left side around Kotel valley, the path leading along fissures and sheer drops, requiring extra caution especially in fog and snow, though technically not demanding. Higher, we traverse a short scree slope, then reach the plateau, ascending with fine views of Triglav and surrounding peaks to Dom Valentina Staniča.
From the hut, we go left towards Begunjski vrh, Visoka Vrbanova špica and Cmir (straight Kot valley, right Krma and Rjavina valleys, sharply right Triglavski dom na Kredarici and Triglav). A fairly gentle path brings us to Begunjski preval after a few minutes, where the path to Vrbanove špice branches right; we continue straight on a path that soon splits into two. Here we go left towards Begunjski vrh (straight to Cmir) on a path traversing rocky slopes. The path then turns slightly right and steeply ascends along the summit ridge of Begunjski vrh. We follow this increasingly scenic path to the summit.
Starting point - Aljažev dom 0:05, Aljažev dom - source of Bistrica 0:55, source of Bistrica - Begunjski studenec 2:45, Begunjski studenec - Kotel 0:15, Kotel - Dom Valentina Staniča 0:30, Dom Valentina Staniča - Begunjski vrh 0:30.

On the way: Aljažev dom v Vratih (1001m), Spomenik padlim partizanom gornikom (1020m), V Plazičih (1040m), Izvir Bistrice (1160m), Begunjski studenec (2091m), Kotel (2166m), Dom Valentina Staniča (2332m), Begunjska vratca (2342m)