Rinka (plural: Rinke) is the center of the range, the water divide.
To the N, below the Savinja saddle, the Vellach (Bela in Slovene) flows towards the Drau (Drava). To the E, we find the Savinja source; to the S, the Kamniska Bistrica source, and to the W, the Kokra gathers the Rinka waters.
There are four Rinkas: Kranjska Rinka, Kriz (Koroska Rinka), Stajerska Rinka and Mala Rinka. These four summits are related by a circling ridge above a craterlike basin.
The E and the S faces of Kranjska Rinka (2453m) fall upon the Mali Podi karstic grounds. The NW and the N wall drop upon the Ledine plateau above the Jezersko trailhead, the beautiful Rinka-Skuta ridge making the link westward. The W, NW and N walls of Kriz (Koroska Rinka) (2433m) rise above the Ledine glacial basin and the N ridge leaves us off at the Savinja saddle. The E and NE walls of Koroska Rinka (Kriz) are at the upper end of the Logarska Dolina valley, above the Okreselj basin. Stajerska Rinka (2374m), with its N, NE and E face, most captures one´s attention above Okreselj (Savinja valley). The magnificent buttress is 600m tall. The N, NE and SE walls of Mala Rinka (2289m) are the eastwardsmost defenders of the Rinka group. The famous Turski Zleb passage (ravine) separates Mala Rinka of Turska Gora to the E, coming down to Okreselj from the Mali Podi grounds.
The heights were of course copied from a map; some publications differ.
Here is a former version of this page.

Stajerska Rinka Buttress (NE) in winter

Kriz (Koroska Rinka), and Kranjska Rinka above Jezersko (photo Vid Pogachnik)

Rinka panorama, upper Logarska Dolina valley (photo by haubi)

Rinke from the E (photo by Vid Pogachnik)

Getting There

Logistics:
Youth hostels, campings, public transports (including airports), gear stores and so on are available in Klagenfurt (Austria). and in Ljubljana (Slovenia).

Trailheads:
The Logarska Dolina Trailhead, with its hut, is at the upper end of the Savinja valley (road 428 to Solcava). Bus Info, search: Celje to Solcava.
The Kamniska Bistrica Trailhead and its hut are at the upper end of the Kamniska Bistrica valley (get off the 225 road at Stahovica). Bus info, search: Ljubljana to Kamniska Bistrica.
The Jezersko Trailhead, and the Vellach Trailhead are along -the 210 road from Kranj continuing to the 82 road towards Voelkermarkt-. Bus Info, search: Ljubljana to Jezersko. See this page by SPer flow for info regarding the Vellach trailhead.

N view (photo by flow)

Huts:
Mountain paths connect each of the mentioned trailheads to mountain huts. This hut access map might help. Throughout Slovenia the marked and secured mountain paths are categorized in: mountain path (planinska pot), demanding mountain path (zahtevna planinska pot), very demanding mountain path (zelo zahtevna planinska pot).

The Kranjska Koca na Ledinah, situated NW, stands below the many faces of Kriz (Koroska Rinka) and of Kranjska Rinka; This SP featured mountain-hiking route leads through the NW wall of Kriz. The hut surroundings offer ski possibilities. Reachable from the Jezersko or the Vellach traiheads.
The Okreselj Hut (Frischaufov Dom), at the NE of the range, lays below the many walls in Kriz (Koroska Rinka), Stajerska Rinka and Mala Rinka. Reachable from the Logarska Dolina traihead and from the Vellach trailhead, the hut is open from May to October, as well as on nice winter weekends. SP features the Turski zleb route. Boarders and skiers favour the slopes below Savinjsko sedlo, or even Turski Zleb.
The Kamnik saddle Hut start is an option for summer mountain-hiking, but requires crossing Turska gora to the Mali Podi grounds.
The Kamniska Bistrica trailhead Hut is the starting point for Crossing Zmavcarji towards Mali Podi. Open all year long, except on Mondays.

The Bivouac on Mali Podi (2070m) finely promotes winter alpine ascents in the Kranjska Rinka S face, and supports mountaineers, skiers and summer scramblers. It stands on the south brink of the Mali Podi plateau. We discover it as we arrive at the end of the ascent along the Crossing Zmavcarji route, or following the cairns from the marked paths on the Mali Podi grounds. It has 10 beds, blankets, a bench and a table.
S approach: from the Kamniska Bistrica trailhead Hut, Crossing Zmavcarji or even Crossing Gamsov skret.
N approach: from the Okreselj hut via Turski zleb.

photo by morceaux

Maps:
Grintovci 1:25000
Kamnisko-Savinjske Alpe 1:50000
Steiner Alpen 1:50000
Steiner Alpen 1:50000

Red Tape

Unless expressly signalized (barrier, signpost), and upon your own responsibility, macadamized roads are allowed and visible on maps (these roads are mainly maintained for lumbering and hut cable station access purposes).
Fishing & hunting is regulated.
Wild camping and open fires are not allowed.

The Kamnik-Savinja Alps are part of the Natura 2000 program.
The Vellacher Kotschna is a Nature Conservation Area.
The Logar valley (Logarska dolina) is a Landscape Parc and there is probably a fee for the road along the upper part of the valley, in the summer months during the daytime.

Camping

Ljubljana
Kamnik
Trzic
Voelkermarkt

Images



[ View Gallery - 78 More Images ]