Koča na Šumiku - Žigartov vrh

Access to starting point:
A) From the Ljubljana–Maribor highway, take the Slovenska Bistrica – south exit, then follow the signs for Šmartno na Pohorju, and from there drive to the settlement Smrečno. In the continuation, drive on forest roads on Pohorje, where you drive along Bistrica. Higher up, join the road which leads past Ruška koča na Pohorju. Here go left towards Osankarica, at the next crossroad go slightly right in the direction of the estate Šumik (slightly left Osankarica). When you arrive at the mentioned estate, park on the macadam parking lot before the estate.
B) Leave the Štajerska highway at the exit for Slivnica and Rogoza, then follow the signs for Pohorje and Areh. The route ahead leads through Spodnje and Zgornje Hoče, Slivniško Pohorje, after the settlements follow the signs for Areh. From Areh follow the signs for Cojzerica and Šumik and Osankarica. After a few kilometers, go slightly right in the direction of the estate Šumik (slightly left Osankarica). When you arrive at the mentioned estate, park on the macadam parking lot before the estate.
C) Drive to Ruše, then follow the road towards Fala. After crossing Lobnica go left in the direction of Smolnik and Šumik, then follow the signs for the estate Šumik, where park on the parking lot before the Gozdarska koča na Šumiku.

Path description:
From the starting point, direct to the marked path towards Osankarica and Koča na Klopnem vrhu (along the road leads a somewhat shorter unmarked path), where through a belt of forest we ascend back to the road. When we reach the road, continue straight (right Ruše), at the nearby road junction choose the slightly left road (slightly right Klopni vrh), along which we quickly arrive at the marked junction.
From the junction continue left downwards (straight Koča na Pesku and Tiho jezero, right Klopni vrh) and along the moderately steep path descend back to the road, where we join the somewhat shorter path which leads along the road. Cross the road only, a little lower cross Lobnica too, after which return to the road. Along the road continue left and pass the branch of the path towards Ruše - Holcarska pot ob Lobnici, which leads past both Šumik waterfalls and past the branch of the path towards Črno jezero and Sv. Tri kralji.
At both junctions follow the direction of Ruška koča na Arehu, the path soon leaves the road, a little higher cross the road towards Osankarica. Follows a traverse ascent on the northern slopes of Bajgotov vrh (1161 m), then the path levels out, we follow the blazes at the junctions. The path ahead leads along a poorer macadam road, after a short descent cross a wider macadam road. Follows some more walking through the forest, then reach another road, where from the right joins the path from Sv. Tri kralji. Along the road continue to the nearby NOB monument, from where continue along the marked path, the path a few minutes higher joins a cart track, where follow the blazes. Higher cross a poorer forest road, a little further arrive at the marked junction, where to the left branches the path to Žigartov vrh.
Continue in the mentioned direction (straight Ruška koča na Arehu) and initially still walk along a wider cart track. Further cross the slopes to the left, when the forest ends, in the belt of sparse young forest continue right onto the often overgrown path, along which the blazes accompany us. After less than 5 minutes reach another path, follow it to the right, along it through the forest continue to Žigartov vrh.
Description and pictures refer to the condition in June 2022.