Ruski križ - Špik (via Koča v Krnici)

Access to starting point:
First we drive to Kranjska Gora, then continue our drive towards the Vršič Pass. Just a little before the 3rd hairpin bend of the Russian or Vršič road, we will notice the Ruski križ on the right side, and a smaller parking lot on the left, where we park. Because the parking lot is relatively small and fills up quickly, we can also park a bit higher at the larger parking lot just above the 4th hairpin bend (in this case we have to descend a bit to our starting point at the Ruski križ).
We can also reach the starting point from the Primorska side, namely via the Vršič Pass.

Path description:
A little before the 3rd hairpin bend of the Russian road, we will notice the mountain signs for Koča v Krnici by the road, which direct us slightly left onto a wide cart track that immediately begins to descend moderately. After a few minutes of descent through the forest, the path levels out and brings us to the bed of Suha Pišnica. Shortly after crossing the mentioned stream, the path turns slightly to the left and leads us out of the forest onto the expansive grassy slopes of Planina v Klinu, where we see a solitary hut on the right, and a small memorial park Mali Tamar on the left. The path ahead completely levels out, then joins a forest road that comes from the former Hotel Erika or the bridge over Velika Pišnica. Here we continue right and follow the relatively steep forest road all the way to Koča v Krnici, which we reach after about 20 minutes of further walking.
From the hut we set off left in the direction of Špik (straight on Kriška stena) and for a short time still walk on the flat path through the forest. The path then crosses two smaller torrent beds, at the next wider bed the path turns slightly right and in continuation ascends along the bed for quite some time. Here we mostly ascend through dwarf pine, and from the path we have a nice view especially towards Prisank and Razor. Higher up, the path crosses the bed to the left side and ascends over a steeper slope. When the dwarf pine begins to become somewhat sparser, the marked path turns left, and along the path we will notice a large rock with the inscription „Špik 3h“.
The path ahead ascends transversely across slopes that are still partially overgrown with dwarf pine, higher up from our path a quite inconspicuous PP path (Planica - Pokljuka path) branches off to the left, and we then ascend to the upper part of Tarmanova žlefa, a slope that steeply descends towards Krnica.
Here the path ascends steeply and turns more and more to the right, so that we gradually arrive at the northern slopes of Gamsova špica (1931 m), a bit further we arrive at an indistinct saddle, where the path turns left and after a short ascent brings us to the more demanding part of the path, where with the help of safety equipment we begin to ascend towards Lipnica (on some maps marked as Liprtica). Below the summit of Lipnica the steepness eases and we reach the summit of Lipnica without major difficulties.
From Lipnica we continue along the ridge, the path soon becomes technically demanding. First we descend a little, then with the help of fixed safety aids we traverse steep slopes that connect the Lipnica ridge with Špik.
When we reach or approach a kind of saddle or notch a bit further, the path through Kačji graben joins us from the left (possibility of return to the valley).
We continue straight towards Špik, where there is still the last very steep part in front of us, where we ascend over quite crumbly broken rock on a fairly steep incline, where there is a great danger of falling rocks, the path on this part is not secured.
After 15 minutes the steepness eases and in a few steps we reach the mighty and panoramic summit of Špik.

Starting point - Planina v Klinu 0:20, Planina v Klinu - Koča v Krnici 0:25, Koča v Krnici - branch to Veliko Dnino 0:50, branch to Veliko Dnino - Lipnica 2:40, Lipnica - junction below the summit of Špik 0:20, junction below the summit of Špik - Špik 0:15.

On the way: Mali Tamar (996m), Planina v Klinu (980m), Koča v Krnici (1113m), Odcep v Veliko Dnino (1425m), Lipnica (2418m), Razpotje pod vrhom Špika (2401m)