The Kot Valley - Mali Triglav

Access to starting point:
We leave the Gorenjska motorway at the Hrušica exit and follow the road towards Kranjska Gora. Just before the village of Dovje, a road branches left from the main road leading to Mojstrana (Vrata, Kot and Krma). We continue following the road towards the village of Radovna and the Krma and Kot valleys. The relatively steep road then takes us past the TNP sign, after which the road soon levels out and brings us to a junction where a gravel road branches right into the Kot valley (straight on to Radovna and Krma). We then follow this occasionally somewhat rougher road to the parking lot, where we also notice the mountain signposts.

Path description:
From the end of the road we continue along the wider marked path towards Staničev dom and Kredarica, which gently ascends through the forest. After a few minutes we reach the scree of Kotarica, which we cross transversely to the other side where the trail reappears.
There follows some easy walking through the forest, but after about half an hour of walking the path quickly becomes quite steep and due to the often very slippery ground also dangerous for slipping, especially on descent, so considerable extra caution is needed on this section. On this part, a few pegs assist us at the more difficult spots. Higher up the steepness eases and the path leads us to the spring Pri studenčku, which dries up in dry weather.
Here an unmarked path branches left towards Macesnovec, we continue straight across the torrent gully, and after the gully we cross a short secured but not particularly demanding section. This is followed by ascent through the dwarf pine belt, higher up we arrive in increasingly rocky terrain where we can already nicely see a larger boulder ahead. Here the PP trail (Planica - Pokljuka trail) unobtrusively crosses our path, and we ascend with ever better views to the aforementioned boulder called Debeli kamen.
At Debeli kamen the dwarf pines occasionally end completely and we continue through increasingly alpine terrain where we mostly ascend on scree. On this section a nice view opens up back to Ladja (Ladja is a prominent sheer promontory or peak overgrown with dwarf pines rising above the Kot valley), and we then climb to the marked junction where the climbing path to Vrbanove špice, or Lojze Rekar's path, branches right.
We continue on the left path towards Triglav, Rjavina and Dom Valentina Staniča pod Triglavom, where the steepness eases and the path leads along the left side of the gully Pekel.
Here first a marked very demanding secured path to Rjavina branches left, and we ascend transversely above the gully along the northwest slopes of Rjavina. As we approach Dovška vrata somewhat further on, a passage opens left to the Rjavina ridge or the passage leads us right to the mentioned gates from which a marked ridge path leads towards Rjavina, we continue straight towards the marked path to Dom Valentina Staniča.
Further on we mostly ascend moderately through alpine terrain, following such path all the way to Dom Valentina Staniča pod Triglavom from where a nice view opens to Triglav and the surrounding peaks.
We continue towards Triglav and Triglavski dom na Kredarici (left Rjavina via ridge path, Krma valley, slightly right Vrata valley, right Begunjski vrh, Cmir and Visoka Vrbanova špica) but the path soon turns somewhat left and continues south towards the nearby Rž. When we reach the scree slopes below Rž the path turns right and ascends transversely across the screes where later a passage to the summit of Rž opens left, we follow the marked path which increasingly approaches the ridge connecting Rž with Kredarica. Here the path becomes technically demanding and partly exposed, with safety gear assisting at the more difficult spots. This is followed by a short unsecured descent on fairly friable terrain, then we cross to a scenic and occasionally exposed ridge. As we approach the summit of Kredarica the ridge widens and we reach the cairn on Kredarica without major difficulties.
Beyond the summit of Kredarica the ridge widens into a gentle slope where the path turns left and we descend in a few minutes to Triglavski dom na Kredarici located above the chapel of Marija snežna.
We continue towards Triglav (left Krma valley and Pokljuka, right Vrata valley) and descend on a technically not demanding path to Ledeniški preval from where we begin ascending towards the face of Mali Triglav. Here we follow the marks and the larger one visible from afar near which the very demanding path to Triglav begins.
Initially we ascend a not yet very steep slope with the aid of a few pegs and individual cables, but upon reaching the face of Mali Triglav we begin ascending transversely to the left where cables were added to the pegs a few years ago allowing self-belaying with a via ferrata kit. This is followed by some quite steep and exposed ascents where we must watch not to slip, and on the section with loose stones we must also be careful not to dislodge rocks as this can be deadly dangerous for hikers below us. The path ahead is quite narrow and with a larger number of visitors congestion can occur due to difficult passing.
Higher up the steepness eases and from the left the path from Dom Planika pod Triglavom joins us, namely the path via Mali Triglav which we reach shortly after.
Starting point - Pri studencu 1:25, Pri studencu - Debeli kamen 1:20, Debeli kamen - Pekel 0:45, Pekel - Dom Valentina Staniča 0:40, Dom Valentina Staniča - Kredarica 0.55, Kredarica - Triglavski dom na Kredarici 0:05, Triglavski dom na Kredarici - Ledeniški preval 0:05, Ledeniški preval - Mali Triglav 0:35.

On the way: Pri studencu (1330m), Debeli kamen (1810m), Pekel (2089m), Dom Valentina Staniča (2332m), Kredarica (2541m), Triglavski dom na Kredarici (2515m), Ledeniški preval (2484m)

Trip can be extended to: Triglav ( 35 min)