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| Stegovnik   | 
| Page Type: Mountain/Rock Location: Karavanke/Karawanken, Austria/Slovenia, Europe Lat/Lon: 46.39510°N / 14.42010°E Activities: Hiking, Skiing Season: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter Elevation: 5551 ft / 1692 m | Page By: Vid Pogachnik Created/Edited: Mar 20, 2005 / Dec 24, 2006 Object ID: 153833 Hits: 2017 Loading... Page Score: 89.27% - 15 Votes Loading... Vote: Log in to vote |
What's new on this page? March 20th, 2005 - Initial set up of the page.
Overview
A self-made map of the mountain area between Trzic and Jezersko
South east of the impressive Koschuta, the 120km long Karavanke range forms a side crest, where a group of smaller hills stand. The highest Karavanke range goes towards east more on the north side, here, between Trzic and Jezersko, the range hits on Kamnik Alps, and beyond Kokra nad Jezersko valley the nature of mountains drastically changes. In this group we shall describe mountains, standing in two crests: the first one is stretching from Koschuta to Jezerski vrh / Seeberg Sattle (saddle), the other crest deters from this one towards south, where on Javornisko sedlo (sadle) it hits the Storzic group, belonging again to Kamnik Alps.
Here we are dealing with a small group of mountains. So why this page is named after Stegovnik, the mountain, which is nor the highest, nor the most known among them? The group does not have a common name. Its mountains are remote and the majority of them seldomly visited. The highest mountain in the group, Plesivec, stands so close to Koschuta that only few people visit it. So, I have chosen as a representative the Stegovnik, which is a nice mountain and is standing in the middle of the group.
Mountains around Stegovnik are primarilly hiking goals. Even if remote, they can be approached by many forrest roads, where you can use also a mountain bike. The whole region offers a few really nice biking tours. Some summits are also nice ski tours goals, especially in winter, when higher mountains are too dangerous because of avalanches. Although some summits have short rocky faces they are not appropriate for technical climbing. Only a few passages of ordinary paths are secured by steel ropes and pegs. And finally, besides solitude, mountaineers will enjoy in these mountains great panoramas - on Kamnik Alps, Karavanke and also more distant ranges of Alps.
Plesivec, 1802mThe character
 The first mountain SE of Koschuta is almost to the top covered with forrest and pine-bush. Its name means 'baldy', so in the past probably it was more grassy on the top, but even in nowadays warm times from its summit the view is opened. The most attractive is the whole range of Koschuta, stretching just in front of us. When having enough snow, it offers also a nice ski tour.
Routes
Almost exclusively people reach Plesivec from Dolga njiva alpine meadow (from the west) - 30 minutes from the highest part of the meadow. Where the marked path reaches the saddle on the main crest between Koschuta and Plesivec, you turn right and ascend the summit by the clearing, which remained from the times when the state border was still hardly guarded. This is also the normal ski tour. Especially Dolga njiva is in winter a paradise for skiing. South around the mountain a marked path goes towards Fevca alpine meadow and Pecovnik. From this path to the summit you need to overcome a great obstacle - very dense 'plantages' of pine-bush, where you can only hardly proceed.
A Memory
I missed the direct path by a frontier clearing and proceeded by the marked path south around. When realised the mistake I said to myself: 'Ok, at least I gained some heigth'. And started to ascend directly up. An early summer day was hot, I soon began fighting with pine-bushes. 'How can these monsters be so dense'! Crawled below, pushed them away, floated over their branches - and came nowhere. Exhausted the whole vocabulary of dirty words and started to repeat them. Nothing helped me. Finally I started crossing, tending to crawl a bit downwards until reached the clearing. Then, reaching the summit was only a matter of minutes.
Pecovnik, 1640mThe character
This mountain is more important in a geographical sense than in a mountaineering sense. Here the side ridge deters towards south. The panorama from the summit is nice.
Routes
Pecovnik can be reached by trails which start on forrest roads, ascending quite high on the mountain. From Brsnina meadow it can be reached in one hour, from Belscica meadow (on the Austrian side) also in one hour, from Komatevra (Jezersko side) even in a shorter time.
Virnikov Grintavec / Kaerntner Grintoutz, 1654mThe character
This is a nice mountain, which looks fine especially from Jezersko side (from SE). Its most attractive feature is a great panorama over Jezersko to the north walls of Kamnik Alps.
Routes
The mountain can be reached from Jezersko by marked paths (2 hours), if we use forrest roads, we can start walking higher, so shortening the hike considerably. One road goes from Spodnje (Lower) Jezersko into Komatevra valley and from there further up, the other road approaches the mountain from Zgornje (Upper) Jezersko, yet the third one from below Jezersko sedlo / Seeberg Sattel. Roads go up towards the summit also from Troegern/Korte.
A Memory
Late autumn, a very clear, windy day. We are sitting alone, just below the summit, enjoying the fantastic view towards Kocna and Grintovec. Suddenly high above us a big bird shows up. It gains altitude, does a few circles, we can still clearly distinguish the characteristic wings - it's an eagle! Then the big bird decides to take the direction over Jezersko valley towards the east. With a help of the west wind the bird gains an incredible speed. You can't say how fast, but it goes like a jet fighter. In a few seconds it disappers and we remain sitting there, asking ourselves if that was true or just a beautiful dream!
And a Second Memory
 If it's such a beautiful day, you can shorten the working Friday. But it's 5:30 p.m. when I reach Jezersko. I'm hiking around, shooting pictures, then I'm driving down and into the Kokra valley. I have no map so I miss the forrest road right upwards. My road soon ends and I take by foot a cart-road approximately in my direction. Then I go directly upwards over a steep forrest slope, hit another path and leave it again, until below what seem to be the summit rocks I'm totally doomed. A hunters passage climbs up the sharp ridge, then crosses steep western slopes to avoid rocks. It's already snow up here, so I must be careful. On a steep scree slope I can track hunters passages no more. So, directly upwards! In a ravine it gets so steep that I must pull up with hands, steep grass, rocks, some pine-bushes and the outcome of my passage is uncertain. Dude, Vid! Perhaps nobody ever went here. Finally I exit - just on the summit. And it's time, because Kamnik Alps on the other side of Jezersko valley are receiving the last sunrays. Still, I long enjoy the beautiful panorama. I don't care if I'll have to run down.
Pristovski Storzic / Kaerntner Storschitz, 1759m
The character
As the second highest mountain in this group is standing just above Jezersko sedlo / Seeberg Sattel, the saddle where the main road crosses these mountains, it is often visited. Perhaps from its summit one has the best view on Kamnik Alps from north. The east face of the mountain is rocky, all other sides are covered with woods and higher with pine-bush. In the east face one clibming route is recorded - V. Wolf v. Glanvell, September 19th, 1901.
Routes
The shortest approach comes to the summit from the saddle. On the Austrian side we first follow a good forrest road (some 300m), then the marked path goes over an alpine meadow and through the forrest, until it becomes steep and exposed. Here the route is secured with pegs and steel ropes. Through a short ravine we climb to the notch in the south ridge and on the other side proceed by western slopes. Through pine bushes the path reaches the open summit ridge and the summit itself. 1h 45min. Much longer are approaches from the north and west (Troegern/Korte).
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Veliki vrh, 1634mA completely unimportant summit south of Pecovnik. It can be reached by the same paths and forrest roads.
Rus, 1614mFrom Komatevra valley or from Mali Javornik this summit looks quite sharp, but its importance is a minor one. Covered with woods it is rarely visited.
Stegovnik, 1691mThe character
 The mountain, that this page carries its name, is broad, rocky, for this altitude nice looking from all sides. As some easy rock climbing is needed for the ascent from any side, we should consider it visiting in times when paths can be covered with snow or even ice. Its long summit ridge offers besides a nice view all around also a decent rocky scenery. On the lower parts it seems that the rocky structure is not so hard. On the south-western part, one of the marked routes leads us through a nice, quite big window in stone, on the eastern part the mountain is hiding also a cave.
Routes
Stegovnik can be best ascended from the south-western side. We use the forrest road (bike?), which ascends on the mountain from Medvodje, the road, coming below the summit from Lom, or the road to Javornik alpine meadow. Using any of these, we must reach the saddle between Mali Javornik and Stegovnik. From there the marked path takes us through the window in rocks of the SW face, later it climbs on the main ridge and follows it to the summit ridge. It still takes us some 15 minutes to get to the highest point on the other side of the summit ridge. The other option to ascend Stegovnik is from Jezersko side. A steep forrest road and a cart road takes us high below the saddle on the NE side of the mountain, from there an airy path takes us to the top.
A Memory
It's been a few years since I hardly reached the summit in winter conditions. It's autumn now and we shall certainly be able to make it up there with small children. Well, now we are on the top of summit rocks. Both kids are enjoying the summit feeling, but with Jasmina we are a bit scared - we shall again struggle down with small children in a complete darkness.
Mali Javornik, 1684mThe character
This is a quite fine summit south of Stegovnik, less appropriate for an independent tour, but nice in a combination with its bigger brother Zeniklovec. It is covered with a forrest almost to the top, only its last meters are grassy. So the summit has the same nice panorama as its neighbours. In winter a ski tour can be done from the summit, but the best descent through one of its ravines towards west is still an unknown to me.
Routes
The finest ascent comes from Javornik alpine meadow, either over the summit of Zeniklovec or by the marked path which crosses western slopes of this crest. From the saddle between Zeniklovec and Mali Javornik in 30 minutes to the top. From Javornik meadow 2h 30min. The other option is the road which ascends below Stegovnik from Medvodje. We ascend first the saddle between Stegovnik and Mali Javornik and from there to the top. Some 2 hours. From Jezersko side we can ascend the summit from Dol valley in some 2 hours.
A Memory
It's April, snow is fastly melting and I'm hiking along the crest from Zeniklovec to Mali Javornik. While above the grassy ridge is still covered with snow, some 100 meters lower I can enjoy in abundance of spring flowers. This is the best way how the nature konvinces me of life power. Around a strong tree there's still some 50 cm of snow. But, must be only in the last few days, the circle around the tree has melted and now it is already densely covered with flowers.
Zeniklovec or Veliki Javornik, 1716mThe character
This summit is so different from the rest that it would perhaps deserve even its own page. Nice grassy slopes, an alpine meadow below the summit with quite some huts, frequently visited. This summit was a great surprise when we first time visited it. How is it possible, that, so hidden behind Storzic, it offers such a nice panorama? And the skiing down was like a beautiful dream. That video is still the best I have ever made. So, Zeniklovec is used as the mountain of the first snow criteria. When a fresh snow falls, you drive as long as you can into Lom valley and then continue to the top. Skiing down can be done over many meadows, not only on the top part of the mountain. Perhaps a few pictures on this page can also convince you.
Routes
From the alpine meadow below the Javornik meadow (and hut) can be reached in good 30 minutes, the summit in an hour. Nice is also the marked path, coming to Javornik meadow from the summit of Storzic.
A Memory
Half meter of a fresh powder snow. I'm just sinking down towards the hut. Without stopping, the whole slope in one dreamy ride. Then I'll go up again...
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Getting ThereFor the broader overview see the Karavanke/Karawanken page!
From the south to reach trailheads you enter either the valley of Trziska Bistrica (through Trzic town) or drive by the main road towards Jezersko. From Trziska Bistrica valley you can deter for some summits also towards east into Lom valley. From Kokra valley, leading you towards Jezersko many side valleys go into the massif. The first one (from below) is Reka valley into which towards north Zabukovski potok flows. The second one is Komatevra, through which Kokra river flows. From Zgornje (Upper) Jezersko many short side valleys go towards north and west.
From the Austrian side these mountains can be reached by the main road which runs through the valley of Bela. Eisenkappel / Zelezna Kapla is the town in the lower part of the valley. From Eisenkappel / Zelezna Kapla a good road goes towards west, following the valley of Obirski potok. This valley divides the massif of Obir from Koschuta and our mountain massif. From this road towards south a road goes to Troegern / Korte. Hamlets and farms in this valley and roads leading to and through them, enable ascents on our summits from north.
Red TapeThere are no limitations.
When To ClimbThese summits can be climbed throughout the whole season. Though, in deep snow some ascents can become very tedious if not impossible. Also take care that some harder routes may not be passable in winter or in hard conditions.
Huts and CampingTo ascend any of the summits huts are not really needed. These are all one-day hikes. So, there are no mountain huts. A few private huts offer food in summer, for example on Javornik meadow, Dolga Njiva meadow (under Koschuta), Medvodje, in Troegern/Korte.
Jezersko is a well developed tourist resort. There you can find any tipe of accomodation. Eisenkappel / Zelezna Kapla is a spa, for tourism also farms north of our massif are developed.
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