Križe - Storžič (through southwest groove)

Access to starting point:
A) From the Ljubljana - Jesenice highway, take the Naklo exit, then continue driving towards the settlements Žeje, Spodnje and Zgornje Duplje to the settlement Retnje, where we turn right towards the settlement Križe. Further on, we drive past the NOB monument, Križe sports field to the parking lot by the cemetery and the parish church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.
B) From the Jesenice - Ljubljana highway, take the Podbrezje exit, then continue driving towards Ljubelj and Tržič. Before the Petrol gas station in Bistrica pri Tržiču, turn right and then drive into Tržič. When the road descends into the valley, continue sharply right in the direction of Pristava and Križ, further on the main road leading towards Zgornje and Spodnje Duplje; we leave the mentioned main road at the settlement Retnje, where we continue left in the direction of the settlements Križe and Golnik. Further on, we drive past the NOB monument, Križe sports field to the parking lot by the cemetery and the parish church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue on the road towards the east, where the path leads first past the church, then also past the post office, inn pri Benk and bakery to the crossroads at the chapel, where we continue left in the direction of Pristava. The road then leads us also past the store Tušek market Markič, then we already notice the first hiking signposts for Gozd, Kriško gora and Storžič, which lead us right onto Planinska pot street. At the crossroads through the settlement we follow the blazes, then the road loses its asphalt surface and passes into the forest. A few minutes higher, at the crossroads of macadam roads we continue right, then gradually we arrive out of the forest, from where a nice view opens towards Gorenjska. After the scenic section the road becomes asphalt and brings us to the place where we join the road leading towards Gozd. We follow the road left, but walk on it only briefly, as the blazes lead us right onto a cart track.
We leave the road at a small information board which informs us about the status of Zavetišče v Gozdu. From the cart track we continue immediately twice left, so that the ascent continues on a forest path, which soon joins another cart track, on which we return to the asphalt road in a few minutes. A few steps we walk on the road, then a path from Tržič joins from the left, right continues the footpath or cart track towards Zavetišče v Gozdu (straight on the road Koča na Kriški gori - steep path).
We continue on the right path (cart track), which initially runs parallel to the road and further leads us past a trough with water. A little further we leave the cart track, as the blazes lead left onto a somewhat steeper transitional path, which soon returns to the cart track, then to the asphalt road. We follow the road right, and we walk on it for a few more minutes, or until the place where on the right side we notice a large parking lot and next to it Zavetišče v Gozdu.
From the shelter we walk to the nearby church, then we arrive at a marked junction, where a path from Golnik joins from the right. We continue left upwards on the increasingly poor road, which brings us to a junction in a few minutes.
We continue on the right cart track in the direction of Storžič, Tolsti vrh and Mala and Velika Poljana (left Koča na Kriški gori). The cart track, which ascends diagonally towards the east, has some junctions in the lower part, but they are well marked, so there are no major orientation problems. Higher the cart track turns into a gradually steeper footpath, which brings us from the forest onto panoramic 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.
Further the path crosses a steep grassy slope (danger of slipping and in winter also avalanche) and then passes into dense forest, where we arrive at a marked junction. We continue straight in the direction of Velika Poljana (left Tolsti vrh), where we cross wooded slopes for a short time, then the forest gradually thins and transitions to steeper slopes of Štajnarica, where it continues with some shorter ascents and descents, and on more difficult spots some steel cables assist us. In the last part of the passage over Štajnarica we cross another steep grassy slope, from where the first nearby view of Storžič opens up. After the bench the path enters the forest, then begins to descend diagonally towards Mala Poljana, which we reach after a few minutes. When we step out of the forest, we also step onto a cart track, on which we descend to the hunting cottage on Mala Poljana.
From Mala Poljana, where paths from Tolsti vrh, Dom pod Storžičem and Zalog join, we continue on the left side of the hunting cottage, on the path in the direction of Velika Poljana. The path, which further runs on a cart track, quickly enters the forest, where it then ascends diagonally. After a few minutes of walking we arrive at a panoramic slope, from which a nice view opens onto the surrounding mountains. Just a little further the cart track turns right and after a short ascent brings us to the upper edge of Velika Poljana, where there is a marked junction.
We continue straight into the forest on the path in the direction of Storžič over Psica (right Koča na Veliki Poljani 1 minute). The path ahead starts to ascend quite steeply, then turns slightly right and the steepness eases a bit. Such a path soon brings us out of the forest and to the junction of paths below Psica.
At the mentioned junction a very demanding path continues left along the ridge of Psica, while we continue right in the direction of the easier path to Storžič. From the junction onwards the path several times descends and ascends diagonally, leading us along the slopes of Psica, from which some views occasionally open up, otherwise the first part of the traverse mostly runs through the forest. After a further 30 minutes of walking we arrive at a junction, where the traverse ends, and we join the path leading to Storžič via the southwestern gully.
We follow the mentioned path left upwards (right downwards planina Javornik, Povlje, we can also arrive at the hamlet Laško and village Bašelj) and begin steeply ascending on the path leading through the southwestern gully of Storžič. Through the mentioned gully, from which increasingly beautiful views open towards Gorenjska, we ascend for another good hour, then the path turns slightly right and brings us to the southwestern ridge of Storžič, where an unmarked path joins from the right, leading along the mentioned ridge.
We continue along the ridge, the marked path then turns slightly right and soon other paths from Dom pod Storžičem and Kališče also join. From here to the summit, which we already see ahead, only a short ascent remains amid wonderful views.
Križe - Zavetišče v Gozdu 1:15, Zavetišče v Gozdu - Mala Poljana 2:00, Mala Poljana - Velika Poljana 15 minutes, Velika Poljana - Storžič 2:35.

On the way: Zavetišče v Gozdu mountain hut (891m), Mala Poljana (1325m), Velika Poljana (1410m)