The evening before the trip I want to find out how to get via Mlinarica to Razor or Planja. Everything I find is useless for women. "I park at the bend and go to the pasture..." Is that a description?!
In the end the choice narrows to two paths; one starting at the road hut somewhere at 1000m on Vršič road and at the 29th bend of the same road. I even use gsm info. And in the same moment I decide that this time I'll make a description. For real and properly, so even every blond guy finds it.
Gsm info advises against the first path due to collapsed gullies. So, today (oops it's already yesterday) I park at the 29th bend of Vršič road. Looking towards Trenta there's a small parking on the right side of the road, for two or three cars (depending on who parks
). Step to the left side of the bend and at sign 29 peek over the road edge into the forest. The only hole, actually, where they could hide the path start. Immediately clear it's the right one: wire rope, boards over the gully. And after a few meters of path a roe deer stands a few meters in front of me. We look at each other for some moments - two brown-eyed, not too scared. Then it finally jumps down, I continue in good spirits. The path is nicely traceable, trodden, winds through the forest in sometimes steep zigzags upward. And when I'm relieved that obviously you can't get lost here, as there's only one path, I step out of the forest onto abandoned Kranjska Planina. Right at the exit red dot. Look look, someone will help! The path becomes less visible, heads right away to the right along the lower edge of the pasture. But other options appear too. After a few steps I reach the trough. Check point, correct. Right behind the trough left upward, still along the edge of the pasture, this time the right one. The path becomes less and less visible, more overgrown and dots disappear. And the path almost disappears too. Here and there I still think I see it. All the time following the right edge of the pasture, all the time to the right, after about 15 minutes wet to the knees of course, but anyway, I stand on the marked path that leads from Vršič towards Razor or Planja. The watch shows altitude around 1650m. I'm sure I found the shortest possible crossing from the pasture to the marked path, not necessarily the most used. Well, now I need to remember this junction for the way back too, as it's not marked. But there are grasses, tree, old branch on the ground and marking plus red line on the rock. Enough. The path leads first to Mlinarica saddle, then via secured path to Planja saddle. From Planja saddle I first went to Planja, which was in the sun and while pondering at the top in which forum to post this description, I remembered that the forum title is Razor and Planja. Although the guy was in the clouds, I descended back to the saddle, and even visited him so he wouldn't be bored, and I solved the forum posting issue
. No need to describe the marked paths separately, as there are precise descriptions on this forum too (Vršič-Razor e.g.) Today it was without peculiarities, for those interested in snow conditions, no snow to Mlinarica saddle, to Planja saddle only traces, path to Planja dry, on Razor there was a little snow, but in those screes it's more help than hindrance. Weather doesn't matter, it changes. But the day will remain in memory for the beautiful path, for the flowers, as probably none from this forum was missing, especially noticeable gentians (those from which they make gentian, although on the bottle for impression another flower), fauna: met fox, squirrel, roe deer, ibex and chamois, not to mention birds, and two specimens of human species on the whole path. Since after a long time I was on a solo trip, no official photographer, photos from phone therefore, quality accordingly. And importantly, the day was overflowing and heartwarming, although wind was blowing, which helped clearing the head, which we all sometimes need so much. With clear thoughts and incredibly good mood I arrived back to the car, hit the junction first try of course, in between photo session with ibex and let chamois scare me. In short: dangerously someone gets diabetes. Perfect day.
Some technical data: The path is officially marked on TNP map (!), but practically no markings (last "paintbrush" maybe passed after WW2), start at sign for 29th bend and not marked, altitude approx 1340m (today by my watch), exit to marked path some 300m higher. Path to pasture traceable, further stick to mostly less traceable path, right and edge of pasture. To Planja from car a bit more than two and half hours, from Planja to Razor good hour, back another three and half, with sitting and ibex performance. Total thus good 7 hours, (my) non-stop pace. Elevation gain 1590m, it was my 79th ascent this year. Tip for those having trouble distinguishing animals: If it stands, looks at you and lets you photo, it's ibex. If it jumps on the path, front or back, races down the hill almost vertically and doesn't let photo, it's chamois. Quite simple.
Well, is there anything better than that: in beautiful morning I park at the bend and step on the path leading under Prisojnik?...
Best to open umbrella, rain coming…..
