Sviščaki - Veliki Snežnik (by road)

Access to starting point:
a) From Cerknica or Nova vas na Blokah we drive to Bloška Polica, from where we continue towards Lož and Babno Polje. In the settlement Pudob we turn right in the direction of Snežnik, Ilirska Bistrica, Knežak and the nearby settlement Kozarišče. In Kozarišče we drive slightly left towards Snežnik and also at the following intersections follow the signs for Snežnik. At the end of Kozarišče the asphalt ends, and immediately after the bridge over Mali Obrh we turn left in the direction of Mašun and Knežak. A long drive on a gravel road follows. After approximately 19 km from Kozarišče we arrive at an intersection where the road from Mašun joins from the right. Here we continue left towards Sviščaki. Approximately another 10 km of gravel road separates us from there, and at intersections we constantly follow the signs for Sviščaki. After a total of approximately 29 km of gravel we arrive at the Planinski dom na Sviščakih, where we park.
b) We drive to Pivka, from where we continue towards Knežak. In Knežak at the marked intersection we turn left towards Mašun and the settlements Bač and Koritnice. A little further we go right in the direction of Mašun and Koritnice (straight Bač). After Koritnice the road starts to climb noticeably. After 18 km drive from the main intersection in Knežak we arrive at Mašun, from where we turn right towards Sviščaki. Approximately another 12 km of gravel road separates us from there. When we arrive at the Planinski dom na Sviščakih, we park.
c) First we drive to Ilirska Bistrica, then continue towards Sviščaki (the turnoff in the middle of Ilirska Bistrica is marked, but perhaps somewhat less visible). The entire regional road to Sviščaki is asphalted. After approximately 19 km of ascent we arrive at an intersection in the immediate vicinity of the Planinski dom na Sviščakih, where we continue straight to the hut and park.

Route description:
On the opposite side of the road from the Planinski dom na Sviščakih we notice the mountain markings for Snežnik and the viewpoint Pogled na Snežnik. The signs direct us onto a gravel road that gently leads across the meadow. On the other side of the meadow we pass a water reservoir, after which the path turns slightly left into the forest, through which it moderately ascends for a while. After a short ascent we reach another road and follow it to the right. Past a few holiday cottages we arrive at a wider road, where we turn left (to the right the asphalted main road descends towards Ilirska Bistrica). A light ascent on a wider gravel road follows, after which in approximately 10 minutes we arrive at a marked junction. Here the path to the viewpoint Pogled na Snežnik branches off to the left, while the marked footpath to Snežnik continues to the right.
We continue along the road, which leads us further through the forest, and past a chasm we quickly arrive at a marked intersection below Lom at an altitude of 1330 meters. Here too we continue straight along the road in the direction of Snežnik. Along the right road we could otherwise join the previously mentioned footpath or continue to an unmarked path from the hunting hut in Travni dolci. Higher up some view opens temporarily, after which we arrive at the next intersection (in descriptions starting point Snežniška Grda jama). Here we continue along the upper right road, while the slightly left path leads towards Snežnik via Mali Snežnik. A few minutes higher, at a small saddle, the footpath from Sviščaki joins from the right, where the drivable road for public traffic also ends.
We continue the path along a poorer road, which soon turns sharply to the left, then in a transverse ascent turns more and more to the right. During the ascent ever more beautiful views begin to open, reaching from the nearby Mali Snežnik across Notranjska and Primorska all the way to the Dolomites. When the road turns a little more to the right, it ends at a nearby turning area.
From the end of the road, where a few benches stand, a beautiful view of Veliki Snežnik opens, and we continue along a wide marked path through dwarf pine. A transverse ascent to the right follows, during which we enjoy wonderful views reaching across Gorski kotar all the way to Velebit, and the Kvarner islands and Učka are also nicely visible. Higher up the path passes into an indistinct valley between the two Snežniks. Here first Matetova pot branches off to the left, and higher up the path from Grda draga and Mašun also joins from the left (both lead via Mali Snežnik).
At both junctions we continue right. Approximately another 5 minutes of transverse ascent across a somewhat steeper slope, where there is greater risk of slipping in snow, separates us from the Zavetišče na Velikem Snežniku.
When we reach the shelter, before it we turn left and in a minute of further walking ascend to the highest non-Alpine peak in Slovenia, from which a view opens in all directions.

The description and pictures refer to the situation in October 2015.

Along the route: Križišče pod Lomom (1330m), Kapetanova bajta (1460m), Obračališče (1564m)

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