Mali Podi is an upper plateau (chaotic karstic grounds -a lot of holes) at the altitude of ca. 2150m, on the south side of the central group.
It is called "mali" (small) in opposition to Veliki Podi (the big grounds) which are situated to the west, at the same altitude (see here).

Mali Podi is surrounded by the following:
to the W, the Skuta SE & E face form a beautiful ridge which further drops to Kamniska Bistrica (trailhead).
to the N, the Kranjska Rinka S face (ca 150m tall, scree-footed ) which beautifully links (left, W) to Skuta along the famous "Rinka-Skuta ridge".
to the E, the shallow rocky slopes of Turska Gora.
To the S, from the edge of Mali Podi (that's where the bivouac is) the drop above the Kamniska Bistrica trailhead is breathtaking.

The plunging views from the bivouac include the E face of Veliki Greben (Big ridge, 2006m) to the right, and especially the awesome Brana W face to the left.

A famous feature in the range, the Turski Zleb couloir reaches Mali Podi from the N, along a very demanding mountain-hiking path starting from the Okreselj hut (Frischaufov Dom).

Getting There

There are many ways which lead to Mali Podi, but which ever we may come by, please sign the Climber's Log on this page.

Most often hikers on a range traverse swiftly move accross,
-coming from the E, from Turska Gora, passing by the upper entrance to the Turski Zleb couloir, and heading for the Skuta summit (or doing the Skuta lower south traverse, towards Veliki Podi).
-Coming from the W, from the Skuta summit, or along the Skuta lower south traverse coming from Veliki Podi.

The famous Turski Zleb couloir provides for a thrilling N approach, from the agreable Okreselj hut, emerging on the N edge of Mali Podi.

Crossing Zmavcarji, a demanding unmarked route is a direct south approach from the Kamniska Bistrica trailhead.

Route Descriptions

The blue line is the Skuta E ascent, a very demanding marked and secured mountain-hiking path.
The yellow line is the circling Rinka S ascent, (demanding, to very demanding if snow is still around).

Blue line = Skuta E ascent.

Yellow line = Rinka S ascent
(a loop below Mala Rinka, Stajerska Rinka and Kriz/Koroska Rinka, before summiting Kranjska Rinka)

Skuta E ascent
At the top of the Turski Zleb couloir, the Skuta south-traverse is signposted SKUTA, RINKA, COJZOVA KOCA (maybe even Grintovec).
Walking down in this direction, we further find a signpost for SKUTA, RINKA, to the right, which we follow.

Our path now approaches the Kranjska Rinka S face (soon the inscription "Rinka" shows to a path leaving ours to the right).

We stick to traversing the screes below the Kranjska Rinka S face (along the path, left) and further below the Rinka-Skuta ridge.

As the blazes suddenly guide us (righthand) up steep rock slabs, further winding among small ledges, the route is aided, with pegs, wires and steps (secured in a way for people using via-ferrata self protection to be able to clip in).
We are now ascending the Skuta SE wall!
We attain the SE ridge, which we then follow righthand (the terrain is now far less demanding) to the summit of the third highest peak in the range, the central peak of the Kamnik-Savinja/Steiner Alps. Congratulations!

Rinka S ascent
Let us follow the Skuta E ascent (described above) until the second right split.
The inscription "Rinka" is to be searched among the rocks. This "not that clearly" marked path begin is due N.

To our left, the Kranjska Rinka ridge comes down.
We don't even notice Mala Rinka's slanted summit to our right, but we are treated to the view of the main Rinkas' cirque, lefthand.
Our path circles to the left, just missing the Stajerska Rinka summit (summit book slightly offtrack, righthand, above the abbyss of the N side).
We continue along the inner side of the cirque, now below the Kriz (Koroska Rinka) walls (a marked scramble leads to its summit, optional).

As we continue circling left, we finally arrive to the Kranjska Rinka E ridge which we then follow righthand to the summit.
Kranjska Rinka is the highest of the four Rinkas.

DESCENT: Reverse!

Essential Gear

A map, a whistle, a head lamp, rain and wind clothing.
Possible use of via-ferrata type self protection on the secured sections.
A helmet is quite common wear nowadays among mountain-hikers.

Images



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