Ljubelj - Begunjščica (via Šentanski plaz, snowy approach)

Access to starting point:
From the Ljubljana–Jesenice highway, we take the Ljubelj exit and follow the road ahead to the border crossing. Just a few tens of meters before the Ljubelj tunnel, signs for Zelenica direct us to the left and after a few tens of meters of additional driving, the road brings us to the parking lot below the former ski center Zelenica.

Route description:
From the parking lot, we head up the former groomed ski slope towards Zelenica, or we can take the parallel marked footpath (cart track) that runs through the forest. After approximately 15 minutes, both paths join, and we continue the ascent below the scree of Begunjska Vrtača. A little further ahead, the path splits again, and we continue straight towards the Koča Vrtača mountain hut (or also right on the transport-rescue road, which higher up joins the path past the mentioned hut (the latter path is more exposed to snow avalanches than the one past the hut)).
When we arrive at the Koča Vrtača mountain hut, the less steep part of the path is behind us, ahead of us lies the steepness of the former steep ski slope. At the top of the slope break, the previously mentioned service path joins us from the right, and at this point we leave the path leading towards Zelenica and continue the ascent left up the Šentanski plaz. This is followed by a steep ascent of approximately 500 elevation meters, then we choose the right exit onto the ridge (slightly left approach towards Begunjska Vrtača), where the steepness of the plaz becomes even somewhat greater. In the last part, the ascent can be made difficult by insufficient snow, which the wind blows away, or the last part may be icy, or both. When there is a lot of snow, the passage can also be hindered by huge cornices, which are especially dangerous in warm weather, when they can detach and fly down the plaz.
When we step onto the ridge, we reach the marked path from Prevala, but this is usually under snow in wintertime, though orientation further on presents no difficulties, as we follow the ridge the whole time, or walk slightly left of the scenic ridge. A few minutes higher, we reach the forepeak, from which Veliki vrh is already nicely visible in the ridge of Begunjščica, just a few minutes' ascent away.
The described path is exposed to avalanches, especially in the upper part also to slips.
The description and pictures refer to conditions in 2017 (February).

Along the route: Koča Vrtača mountain hut (1288m)

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