Križe - Storžič (via Psica)

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, 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 Križe, further driving on the main road which leads 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, 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 Pr 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 Tušek market Markič store, then we already notice the first mountaineering signs for Gozd, Kriška 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 turns into forest. A few minutes higher, at the crossroads of macadam roads, we continue right, then gradually emerge from the forest, from where a nice view opens towards Gorenjska. After the panoramic section, the road becomes asphalted 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 informing us about the openness of Zavetišče v Gozdu. From the cart track, we continue immediately twice left, so 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. We walk a few steps on the road, then a path from Tržič joins from the left, and to the 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 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, and then to the asphalt road. We follow the road right, walking on it for a few more minutes, or until the place where we notice a large parking lot on the right side and next to it Zavetišče v Gozdu.
From the shelter, we walk to the nearby church, then reach a marked junction, where the path from Golnik joins from the right. We continue left uphill on an 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 up, the cart track turns into a gradually steeper footpath, which brings us from the forest to 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 plaque.
Further, the path crosses a steep grassy slope (danger of slipping and in winter also avalanche) and then enters dense forest, where we reach a marked junction. We continue straight in the direction of Velika Poljana (left Tolsti vrh), crossing forested slopes briefly longer, then the forest gradually thins and transitions to steeper slopes of Štajnarica, where it continues with some shorter ascents and descents; on more difficult spots, a few steel cables assist us. In the last part of the passage over Štajnarica, we cross another steep grassy slope, from where the first close-up view of Storžič opens. 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 ahead runs on a cart track, quickly enters the forest, where it then ascends diagonally. After a few minutes of walking, we reach a panoramic slope, from which a nice view opens onto the surrounding mountains. 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 via Psica (right Koča na Veliki Poljani 1 minute). The path ahead begins to ascend quite steeply, then turns slightly right and the steepness eases somewhat. Such a path soon brings us out of the forest and to a path junction. We head left onto the path via Psica, right leads the easier path to Storžič.
From the junction, the path initially runs across grassy terrain amid dwarf pines and sparse trees, then re-enters the forest and begins to ascend steeply. In some places, the path is also somewhat exposed. This is followed by ascent across a grassy slope amid sparse dwarf pines to a panoramic ridge. We ascend the increasingly exposed ridge a bit longer, then reach the indistinct summit of Psica. From the summit, we descend slightly, then continue along the exposed ridge. Further on, the path along the ridge ascends and descends several more times, aided by some safety equipment. Later, the path through Žrelo joins from the left, but we continue along the ridge path. In the final section of the path, we ascend steeply several more times, aided by some safety equipment. A little below the summit, the easiest path to Storžič joins from the right, leading over the Javornik pasture. Only a short ascent up the summit slope of Storžič follows, reaching its summit in a few minutes.
Križe - Zavetišče v Gozdu 1:15, Zavetišče v Gozdu - Mala Poljana 2:00, Mala Poljana - Velika Poljana 0:15, Velika Poljana - Storžič 2:30.

On the way: Zavetišče v Gozdu mountain hut (891m), Mala Poljana (1325m), Velika Poljana (1410m), Psica (1769m)