Plaz Črlovec - Vrtaški vrh (via Vrtaška planina)

Access to starting point:
We drive to Mojstrana, then follow the signs for the Vrata valley. Along the road through the Vrata valley we drive to the road sign 8 km or some 10 meters further to the Plaz Črlovec gulley, where the described path begins. Parking in the area of the TNP is allowed only on marked parking spots.

Path description:
From the Plaz Črlovec gulley we return along the road a few tens of meters back, then continue on the side road which continues towards the northeast. The path ahead leads us past the gate, behind the gate an unmarked path branches off to the left towards Kukova špica and Njivice, and we continue straight and still walk on the road. While walking on the road, the path leads us past the mountain pasture Višek, behind it we quickly arrive at the Peričnik stream, which we cross over the footbridge. On the other side of the stream we walk on the road for only a short time, then go left onto the well-beaten forest path along which we begin to ascend through the forest. After a few minutes the path splits, and we continue left (straight the well-beaten shortcut (the path via the shortcut is shorter by approximately 10 minutes and also easier)) on the made path which gradually begins to ascend steeply. After a short ascent we arrive at the vantage point, above the vantage point the path becomes quite steep. We ascend steeply for some time, then arrive below the cliffs of Lengarjev Komen (1520 m), where we continue right. Next follows crossing of partly vegetated scree and behind it also a few gullies and ravines, where the footpath is narrower and especially when wet dangerous for slipping. When the slope becomes less steep, the shortcut joins from the right, and the path gradually becomes steeper again. Higher we ascend steeply again, and the slope also becomes steep. Next follows some diagonal ascent, then we arrive at the steel cable, which helps with the short steep ascent on the exposed slope. When the safety gear ends we are at a nice vantage point from which a nice view opens onto the Vrata valley and the mountains above it. Next follows crossing of a grazing fence, then we continue right and walk a few minutes without major changes in elevation. After a few minutes we go slightly left and ascend to the shepherd's cottage on the Vrtaška planina.
From the mountain pasture we continue in the direction of Vrtaški vrh and Sleme, and the path, when it passes into the forest, turns slightly left and begins to ascend moderately to occasionally steeply. Higher the path flattens and leaves the grazing area (on this part the old path to Vrtaški vrh branches off to the right). In the continuing gentle ascent we cross increasingly panoramic and occasionally steeper slopes, after some time we arrive at the pasture on Njivice, where we arrive in a nice little valley.
At the beginning of the little valley the "upper path" from the Plaz Črlovec gulley joins almost unnoticeably from the left, and we continue to the nearby marked junction.
From the junction we continue right in the direction of Vrtaški vrh (straight Sleme), where the footpath over the grassy slope is at first not the easiest to follow, but when we arrive in the band of dwarf pines, it is no longer hard to follow it. We ascend through the dwarf pines for a few minutes, then at the unmarked junction continue left and in a few minutes of further walking ascend to Vrtaški vrh.
Starting point - Vrtaška planina 1:45, Vrtaška planina - Njivice 1:20, Njivice - Vrtaški vrh 0:20.
The description refers to the condition in the year 2018 (August), and the pictures are from various periods.

On the way: Planina Višek (975m), Vrtaška planina (1460m), Njivice (1820m)