Dom na Osankarici - Mali Šumik waterfall (via Črno jezero)

Access to starting point:
A) We drive to Oplotnica (to here from the Styrian motorway exit Slovenske Konjice or Slovenska Bistrica - south), and then we follow the signs for Osankarica. After approximately 12 km of ascent from the center of Oplotnica, we arrive at the parking lot near Dom na Osankarici.
B) First, we drive to Lovrenc na Pohorju (to here from the road Maribor - Dravograd), and then we continue driving towards Rogla and Koča na Pesku. From Koča na Pesku we follow the signs for Osankarica, where we park at the parking lot below Dom na Osankarici. From the center of Lovrenc na Pohorju to the starting point, there is approximately 26 km of mostly macadam road.

Route description:
From the parking lot, we head onto the marked path in the direction of Črno jezero. At first, we ascend the stairs, then we ascend along the paved wooden path. Higher up, the path flattens and then slightly descends along the still-paved path to Črno jezero.
We continue alongside the lake for a short time, then the path forks.
We continue left in the direction of Sv. Trije kralji (slightly right Oplotnica - path past Kos) and then mostly moderately ascend through the forest. Higher up, we reach the indistinct northern ridge of Veliki vrh, where there is a marked junction.
We continue left in the direction of the Šumik waterfall and Ruše (right sv. Trije kralji).
We continue along a gentle path through the forest, which leads us across Peščena ravna; past the indistinct summit Trije studenci, the path gradually begins to descend. A little lower, the forest thins out, the path—which temporarily stops descending—has several junctions where we follow the blazes. After a short gentle ascent, we begin descending again and lower down reach a macadam road leading from Areh toward Osankarica, which we merely cross and continue the descent to the next road, which we follow to the left (right Ruška koča na Arehu); along it we soon arrive at the starting point Bajgot na Šumiku, where one of the paths to Ruše branches off to the right downward (Holcarska pot through the Lobnica valley).
We continue in the mentioned direction, alongside which there are also signs for the Mali and Veliki Šumik waterfalls (straight ahead posestvo Šumik, Koča na Klopnem vrhu...).
The path ahead begins to descend gently alongside Lobnica, and soon we arrive at a warning that the path ahead is very steep and slippery. A little farther, we cross Lobnica over a footbridge, then descend along its right bank, gradually transitioning to ever steeper slopes. Further on, pegs and steel cables assist us at the more difficult sections; a little lower, with the aid of fixed protections, we descend over a short wall. Even below the wall, the slope is quite steep and prone to slipping; we descend mainly without protections.
A little lower still, we reach the spot with the stamp, then descend along the secured path to the viewpoint for the Veliki Šumik waterfall.
From the Veliki Šumik waterfall, we continue along the path, which continues descending alongside Lobnica over locally steep slopes. A little farther, with the aid of a steel cable, we cross the Verna stream, which at high water levels turns into several smaller waterfalls. Just a little farther, we cross the Lobnica river over a small bridge. Immediately after the bridge, we notice signs for the waterfall, which is 9 m high.
From the signboard, we see the waterfall from above; if we want to see it from below, we continue along the path, which first ascends then descends to a path junction. Here we continue right downward along the steep path, which quickly brings us to the bed of Lobnica, from which the view of the Mali Šumik waterfall opens up.
Osankarica - Veliki Šumik waterfall 1:55, Veliki Šumik waterfall - Mali Šumik waterfall 0:15.

Along the route: Črno jezero on Pohorje (1196m), Veliki Šumik waterfall (950m)

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