Koča pri Savici - Mala Zelnarica (via Vrata)

Access to starting point:
From the Ljubljana - Jesenice motorway, take the Lesce exit and follow the road towards Bled and onwards to Bohinjska Bistrica. Continue driving towards Lake Bohinj (Ribčev Laz), where you reach a junction and continue straight ahead on the left (southern) side of the lake towards Ukanc and the Savica waterfall. Follow this increasingly narrow road to the large parking area at Koča pri Savici. The parking is paid.

Path description:
From the parking lot, head right towards Črno jezero, Koča pri Triglavskih jezerih and Hotel Zlatorog (straight ahead Savica waterfall and Dom na Komni). The path initially follows a gravel road that crosses the Savica river over a bridge. Just beyond the bridge, signs for Komarča direct left (straight to Hotel Zlatorog) onto a path that is initially still fairly wide and relatively gentle forest trail. The path soon begins to climb more steeply and a little higher leads to the point where the path to the Savica spring and Velika Savica cave branches off left; continue right on the increasingly steep path.
The well-maintained and relatively wide mountain path soon transitions to very steep and slippery slopes of Komarča, where there is also a high risk of falling rocks. The path ahead climbs steeply through the mostly forested wall of Komarča, with fixed cables assisting on more difficult sections.
Higher up, some views open towards Bohinj; the path leads to a short technically demanding section where, with the help of rungs and a cable, you cross an otherwise not very exposed gully. The path continues steeply for a while longer and, with the help of some fixed protections, reaches the edge of Komarča, from where a nice view opens to the starting point. A short moderately steep ascent follows, then the path gently descends towards Črno jezero, reached in less than five minutes of further walking.
Near the lake is a marked junction where the path to Planina Viševnik and Pršivec branches right; continue slightly left on the marked trail that bypasses Črno jezero on the right. On the other side of the lake, the path from Dom na Komni joins from the left; continue on the relatively gentle path along the edge of Lopučniška dolina. Higher, the path climbs moderately along the edge of overhanging cliffs to a small spring that dries up in dry periods.
Continue on the marked path, which near Bela skala turns sharply right and climbs steeply. After a few minutes of steep ascent, the path levels and reaches a marked junction where the path from Planina Blato joins from the right (the path čez Prode). Continue left towards Koča pri Triglavskih jezerih on the relatively gentle path, reaching Dvojno jezero in ten minutes. The marked path bypasses the lake on the right and, before reaching the far side, leads to a junction where the path to Štapce and Mala Tičarica branches right.
Continue straight and reach Koča pri Triglavskih jezerih in a few minutes.
From the hut, continue towards Triglav, Dolič, Hribarice, Prehodavci and Veliko Špičje; the path first passes the dam and artificial lake Močivec. It bypasses the lake on the right (eastern) side and moderately ascends through the Valley of Triglav Lakes, overgrown with increasingly sparse forest.
Still in the sparse forest belt, the path forks; continue on the slightly right path towards Prehodavci and Hribarice (left path to Veliko or Lepo Špičje across the Zgornje Komne plateau), passing through sparse larch forest, then under scree slopes of mighty Kopica and later Mala Zelnarica. The path later climbs temporarily more steeply to a small saddle with a fine view of Jezero v Ledvicah.
The marked path bypasses the lake on the right over extensive scree at the foot of both Zelnarice. Beyond the lake, it returns from scree to the Valley of Triglav Lakes for a relatively gentle ascent. The fully alpine path briefly climbs steeper higher up, then flattens completely and reaches Zeleno jezero after a few minutes.
At Zeleno jezero, continue right towards Triglav, Dolič and Hribarice (straight to Rjavo jezero and Prehodavci) and ascend towards scree under Poprovec, where the path from Prehodavci (past Rjavo jezero) joins from the left; continue right towards Hribarice.
A traversing ascent across scree to the right follows; upon reaching the valley under Hribarice, the next junction is reached.
Continue right towards Vrata pass (slightly left to Hribarice, Kanjavec, Dolič and Triglav), initially traversing moderately steep slopes, later reaching steeper slopes under Vršaki and crossing a short exposed ledge requiring caution over several dozen steps to avoid slipping. A short descent on gentler terrain follows, then gradual ascent to Vrata pass between Zadnji Vogel (left) and Velika Zelnarica (right).
From the marked junction at Vrata, continue right towards Mala Zelnarica and Koča pri Triglavskih jezerih (straight to valley Za Kopico, Planina Dedno polje and Koča na Planini pri Jezeru) on the path traversing up the relatively steep slopes of Velika Zelnarica, reaching Sedlo med Zelnaricama in just over ten minutes. A poorer trail branches right to Velika Zelnarica; stay on the left marked path, first traversing scree, then moving to steep slopes of Mala Zelnarica where caution is needed due to loose gravel. After the demanding section, enter grassier terrain and ascend along the edge to the panoramic summit of Mala Zelnarica.
Starting point - edge of Komarča 1:35, edge of Komarča - Črno jezero 0:05, Črno jezero - junction above Lopučniška dolina 1:15, junction above Lopučniška dolina - Dvojno jezero 0:10, Dvojno jezero - Koča pri Triglavskih jezerih 0:05, Koča pri Triglavskih jezerih - branch to Veliko Špičje 0:25, branch to Veliko Špičje - branch to Jezero v Ledvicah 0:30, branch to Jezero v Ledvicah - Zeleno jezero 0:45, Zeleno jezero - junction below Vršaki 0:30, junction below Vršaki - Vrata 0:45, Vrata - Sedlo med Zelnaricama 0:15, Sedlo med Zelnaricama - Mala Zelnarica 0:20.

On the way: Komarča (810m), Rob Komarče (1295m), Vrh Komarče (1313m), Črno jezero (1294m), Bela skala (1575m), Razpotje nad Lopučniško dolino (1671m), Ruski grob (1686m), Dvojno jezero (1689m), Koča pri Triglavskih jezerih (1685m), Močivec (1690m), Odcep za Veliko Špičje (1762m), Odcep k Jezeru v Ledvicah (1854m), Lake Jezero v Ledvicah (1831m), Lake Zeleno jezero (1988m), Razpotje nad Rjavim jezerom (2087m), Razpotje pod Vršaki (2192m), Vrata (2192m), Sedlo med Zelnaricama (2222m)

Trip can be extended to: Velika Zelnarica ( 15 min)