Gozd - Storžič (via Psica)

Access to starting point:
a) From the Ljubljana-Jesenice motorway, take the Kranj-west exit and follow the road towards Golnik. Just after Golnik (more precisely after the settlement of Senično), a steep road branches off to the right uphill towards Zgornji Vetrni and Gozd. After the village of Zgornje Vetrno, the road mostly continues through the forest; we follow it to the marked parking lot, which is located directly next to the Shelter in Gozd.
b) From the Jesenice-Ljubljana motorway, take the Podbrezje exit, then continue driving towards Ljubelj and Tržič. Before the Petrol petrol station in Bistrica pri Tržiču, turn right and then drive into Tržič. When the road descends into the valley, continue sharply right towards Pristava and Križ, then drive along the main road leading towards Zgornji and Spodnji Duplje; leave the mentioned main road at the settlement of Retnje, where we continue left towards the settlements of Križe and Golnik. Continue towards Golnik; after the settlement of Križe, we soon arrive at a small intersection where a steep road branches off to the left towards Zgornji Vetrni and Gozd. After the village of Zgornje Vetrno, the road mostly continues through the forest; we follow it to the marked parking lot, which is located directly next to the Shelter in Gozd.

Route description:
From the Shelter in Gozd, walk to the nearby church of St. Nicholas, then reach a marked junction where the path from Golnik joins from the right. Continue left uphill along the increasingly poor road, which brings us to a junction in a few minutes.
Continue along the right track towards Storžič, Tolsti vrh, and Mala and Velika Poljana (left to Koča na Kriški gori). The track, which ascends transversely to the east, has a few junctions in the lower part, but they are well marked so there are no major orientation problems. Higher up, the track turns into a gradually steeper footpath, which leads us from the forest to scenic grassy slopes. After a while, the path levels out and brings us to a pleasant viewpoint with a bench, next to which we notice a memorial plaque.
Further on, the path crosses a steep grassy slope (danger of slipping and in winter also avalanche) and then enters dense forest, where we reach the next marked junction. Continue straight towards Velika Poljana (left to Tolsti vrh), crossing forested slopes for a short time, then the forest gradually thins and turns into the steeper slopes of Štajnarica, where it continues with some shorter ascents and descents; on the more difficult sections, a few wire cables assist us. In the last part of the crossing over Štajnarica, we cross another steep grassy slope, from where we get the first close-up view of Storžič. After the bench, the path enters the forest and then begins to descend transversely towards Mala Poljana, which we reach after a few minutes. When we step out of the forest, we also step onto the track, along which we descend to the Hunters' Hut at Mala Poljana.
From Mala Poljana, where the path from Tolsti vrh, Dom pod Storžičem, and Zaloga joins us, continue along the left side of the hunters' hut on the path towards Velika Poljana. The path, which further follows the track, quickly enters the forest, where it then ascends transversely. After a few minutes of walking, we reach a scenic slope from which we have a nice view of the surrounding mountains. A little further on, the track turns right and after a short ascent brings us to the upper edge of Velika Poljana, from where we can descend to the Koča na Veliki Poljani in one or two minutes, otherwise continue left towards Storžič.
The path continues along the ridge of Psica (Psica is a kind of western subpeak of Storžič), occasionally veering slightly to the right. After about a half-hour ascent from the junction at Velika Poljana, we arrive at the next marked junction located below the summit of Psica. Turn left onto the path over Psica, right leads an easier path to Storžič.
From the junction, the path initially runs through grassy terrain among scree and sparse trees, then re-enters the forest and begins to ascend steeply. In a few places, the path is somewhat exposed. Followed by ascent along the grassy slope among sparse scree to the scenic ridge. We ascend the increasingly exposed ridge for some time, then reach the indistinct summit of Psica.
From the summit, we descend slightly and then continue along the exposed ridge. Further on, the path along the ridge rises and falls several times more, with some safety gear to assist. Later, the path through the gully joins from the left, but we continue along the ridge path. In the last part of the path, we ascend steeply several more times, with some safety gear assisting. A little below the summit, the easiest path to Storžič joins from the right, which leads over Planina Javornik or along the southwest gully. Followed by only a short ascent along the summit slope of Storžič, whose summit we reach in a few minutes of further walking.

Starting point - St. Nicholas 0:05, St. Nicholas - junction above Gozd 0:10, junction above Gozd - Stajnar junction 1:10, Stajnar junction - Mala Poljana 0:40, Mala Poljana - Velika Poljana 0:15, Velika Poljana - junction below Psica 0:35, junction below Psica - Psica 0:30, Psica - Vrh Žrela 0:25, Vrh Žrela - Storžič 1:00.

Along the route: Mala Poljana (890m), Velika Poljana (890m), Razpotje nad Gozdom (950m), Saškina klopca (1395m), Razpotje Stajnar (1402m), Stajnar (1388m), Mala Poljana (1325m), Sedlo nad Veliko Poljano (1406m), Razpotje pod Psico (1595m), Psica (1769m), Vrh Žrela (1842m), Razpotje pod vrhom Storžiča (2114m)

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