Koča pod slapom Rinka - Velika (Koroška) Baba

Access to starting point:
Drive into Logarska dolina, then follow the main road towards the head of the valley, where we park at the turning area near Bar Pod slapom, also known as Koča pod slapom Rinka.

Entry by motor vehicle into Krajinski park Logarska dolina requires payment of an entry fee or ecological tax amounting to 10 € for a passenger car (7 € for motorcycles, 20 € for vans). The fee is collected during the tourist season (from spring to the end of October) and also applies to electric vehicles. Payment of the tax includes use of all parking areas within the valley. Entry is free for pedestrians and cyclists.

The current price list is available on the official website of Krajinski park Logarska dolina.

Route description:
From the place where we parked, we first walk to the Bar Pod slapom, then head onto the marked path, along which numerous mountain destinations are indicated. We continue along the mountain trail through the forest (a slightly less steep tourist path leads a little more to the left), which after a few minutes of ascent joins the tourist path, along which we continue with an easy ascent to the junction near Slap Rinka.
We continue slightly left in the direction of Frischaufov dom na Okrešlju (straight ahead the foot of Slap Rinka and Orlovo gnezdo), where a little further on we cross the Savinja over a wooden bridge. It then sinks into the gravel bed, but immediately after the bridge a fine view of Slap Rinka opens up on the right side.
Further on we begin a steep ascent along a well-maintained path, which higher up turns right and passes under the walls, where there is a risk of falling rocks. Here, with the help of fixed safety gear, we ascend transversely to the right, then cross the Savinja over a footbridge just above the mouth of Slap Rinka.
The path then leads for some time along the picturesque Savinja, where a few fixed safety features also help us to progress more easily, and higher up the slope levels out. This is followed by crossing the Savinja riverbed, which at this point has almost no water, and then we reach the marked source of the Savinja.
After the source the path enters the forest, through which we ascend moderately to steeply, and higher up it levels out and forks.
We continue right in the direction of Kamniško sedlo, Turski žleb, Savinjsko sedlo and Mrzla gora (straight ahead leads the path to Frischaufov dom na Okrešlju – two minutes, from where all the mentioned paths also lead). From the forest we then step onto the grassy plain of Okrešelj, from which a magnificent view of the surrounding mountains and their walls opens up.
Here a path quickly joins from the left, leading past Frischaufov dom, while slightly to the left a demanding mountain path branches off towards Kamniško sedlo. We continue right towards Turski žleb, Savinjsko sedlo and Mrzla gora. The path returns to the forest and a little further on crosses a regulated torrent, then leads us to a second torrent. We walk along it for a short time, then continue beside it, where we encounter the next junction.
We head slightly right in the direction of Mrzla gora and Savinjsko sedlo. To the left branches the path towards Turski žleb, beside which stands a boulder with memorial plaques to rescuers who perished in a tragic accident during a rescue exercise in June 1997, as well as others who died in the surrounding mountains (the boulder is only a minute’s walk away). Further on we ascend through a picturesque landscape surrounded by sparse larch forest, called Mrzli dol. Higher up we leave the small valley and head slightly left onto the scree slopes below the Rinkas. Here we ascend transversely to the right, then cross a mighty torrent gully behind boulders. On the other side of the gully we see a large waymark indicating the correct direction. At the foot of the wall we then ascend transversely along a steep and in places slippery slope. When the terrain levels out, we cross to the right over another torrent, then through a belt of sparse dwarf pine we ascend to the next junction.
We continue left towards Savinjsko sedlo (slightly right branches the path to Mrzla gora) and from a short grassy section we again enter scree.
Here the path forks once more, and we choose the right direction leading towards Savinjsko sedlo (left to Češka koča and Kranjska koča via Križ and the climbing route to the Rinkas). For a few minutes we ascend transversely across the scree, then move onto steeper slopes covered with dwarf pine. A few minutes of steep ascent await, after which we reach the place where Bivak pod Mrzlim vrhom once stood, of which today only the foundations remain visible.
This is followed by a short steep ascent through dwarf pine, after which the path levels out and leads us to the state border, which we reach at Savinjsko sedlo.
We head slightly left in the direction of Ledine and Jezersko sedlo. The path runs on the Austrian side of the state border, where we first ascend a little more, then reach scree slopes. Across them we first descend transversely, then begin ascending towards Jezersko sedlo. Below the saddle the scree ends, and we ascend a steep gravelly slope to the mentioned pass, where a junction is marked and where we again reach the border line.
Straight ahead the path continues towards Kranjska koča na Ledinah, while we continue right in the direction of Ledinski vrh and Velika Koroška Baba. The path ahead leads us with exceptional views of the northern walls of the mountains above Ledine and Spodnje Ravne. Along the ridge path we ascend to the junction on the saddle between Ledinski vrh on the left and Storžek (Belski turn) on the right.
We continue straight down in the direction of Baba (left Ledinski vrh) and begin a steeper descent along a gravelly gully. Lower down the gravelly terrain beside the path gives way to a grassy scree slope, the path turns slightly left and continues across slopes below Ledinski vrh. A short ascent follows and we reach Sedlo pod Babo, where a secured climbing route from the direction of Kranjska koča na Ledinah (Rudijeva vertikala) joins from the left.
The path now becomes somewhat more demanding. Initially it leads north, then turns slightly left and bypasses the steep walls on the left, mostly western side. The path, running along a rather steep slope, then begins to turn more and more to the right and gradually leads us onto the ridge. Along and beside it we ascend in a few minutes to the scenic summit of Velika (Koroška) Baba, where a register box stands.

Starting point - Slap Rinka 0:15, Slap Rinka - Izvir Savinje 0:35, Izvir Savinje - Frischaufov dom na Okrešlju 0:20, Frischaufov dom na Okrešlju - junction at the memorial 0:15, junction at the memorial 0:10 - turn-off for Mrzla gora 1:00, turn-off for Mrzla gora - turn-off for Križ 0:05, turn-off for Križ - former bivouac 0:15, former bivouac - Savinjsko sedlo 0:05, Savinjsko sedlo - Jezersko sedlo 0:15, Jezersko sedlo - junction below Ledinski vrh 0:08, junction below Ledinski vrh - Sedlo pod Babo 0:22, Sedlo pod Babo - Velika Koroška Baba 0:35.

Along the route: Slap Rinka (1100m), Izvir Savinje (1305m), Frischaufov dom na Okrešlju (1396m), Razpotje pri obeležju (1449m), Odcep za Mrzlo goro (1831m), Odcep za Križ (1878m), Nekdanji Bivak pod Mrzlim vrhom (1968m), Savinjsko sedlo (1999m), Jezersko sedlo (2036m), Razpotje pod Ledinskim vrhom (2066m), Sedlo pod Babo (1969m)

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