Rodica from the south

Overview

While on one hand Rodica from the north is very praised as a ski tour par excellence, the southern approach is almost equally popular in summer and autumn. Great views from the summit are as nice in winter as in summer. The summer ascent excells with a pleasant "mule trail" - Italian mulatiera - which helps you to gain altitude without much effort.Very picturesque are also the old villages on sunny terraces below the mountain range: Rut, Grant, StrŽišče.

Getting There

The trailheads are in the villages Rut and (more remote) StrŽišče. Paths come together on a mountain road which ascends from Rut towards Rodica, on the altitude of some 1000 meters.

Rut trailhead. From Baška grapa valley (Koritnica village) you drive up by a mountain road to Rut village, 671 m. In the middle of the village there is a big lind tree - very worth to see. From the village you continue by the mountain road northward till the altitude of some 1000 m. There is now a barrier on the road, but the road is not often blocked. In the future it looks it will be, because we are in the core part of Triglav National Parc, where driving should not be allowed. And it doesn't matter much if you park there or 200 meters of altitude higher.

Stržišče trailhead. From Baška grapa valley (above HudajuŽina) you drive up by a mountain road to StrŽišče village, 756 m. From there you go westwards (inscriptions: Rut, Rodica). First you follow a cart-road, actually a narrow ex military road which brings you in 15 minutes on a crossroads above the village. You continue westwards. The ex military road is narrow and on many places deteriorated. It is marked as a gelogical route and on some 3 or 4 points thera are explanatory plates. Geology of the area is really interesting and diverse. The road goes mostly horizontally. In the first half it slightly descends into a creek bed and then slightly goes out and up. It is winding around many side ridges, so it takes almost one hour and half to reach the road above Rut, on the altitude of 1000 m, where we join the first access option. This connection between StrŽišče and Rut is also suitable for mountain biking.

Stržišče

Beech forrest above Rut

Stržišče

Route Description

We first continue by the broad mountain road up. The direction is allways towards the west. Where the road branches, we allways continue in the westward direction and keep up. There are also inscriptions and marks. On some 1300 m we approach the side ridge of Rodica - the outcrop is named Špičasta kupa, 1662 m. The ascent trail is clearly seen in its eastern slopes. But before a little hut out path turns right (inscription: Rodica), does a long turn and then higher resumes the western direction again. We cross pine bush covered slopes. When the trail reaches the side ridge, it goes up in several comfortable turns. So we gain the ridge and continue by it. The path is more and more panoramic. Now we already see far towards the west. After gaining some 200 more meters of altitude we gain the main ridge of South Bohinj mountains. A stupendous panorama towards Triglav. On the right there is the famous triangular summit slope of Rodica and by the right (southern) ridge we have only some 15 more minutes to the top.

Towards the S ridge

On the S ridge

The summit pyramid

We descend by the same route or:
> do a round tour if we have a car in StrŽišče. By the main ridge we go on Črna prst and then down to the parking place.
> do a round tour in the lower part. Below the hut on 1300 m we continue down by one of the paths to Grant village and from there by the road to Rut village (if our car is there).

Essential Gear

Good shoes and hiking poles.

Images

View Rodica from the south Image Gallery - 19 Images