Stogi

Overview

Stogi is a plural name for three summits, concluding the broad Bohinj group on the north-east. They are the start of a long mountain ridge, which rises from Voje valley, up to the beautiful Krstenica alpine meadow, and then over Krsteniški (Mali) Stog, 1879 m, Jezerski Stog, 2040 m, Prevalski Stog, 2075 m, Škednjovec, 2309 m and Vrh Hribaric, 2388 m to the high plateau of Hribarice, where also many other long crests join.

Otherwise the word 'stog' means in our language a big heap of hay, which is left on a meadow to get dry.

Stogi are a part of an old pasture world of Bohinj. See more on the page of High Bohinj Alpine Meadows! Today, many alpine pastures below these summits are abandoned. Shepherds huts are converted to weekend huts, meadows, which were once a few hours of walk above the civilised world, are today reachable by 4WD or even ordinary vehicles. Indeed, last weekend I was terrified, when I saw vehicles tracks all the way up to the beautiful Krstenica. There are debates on Slovenian mountain forums - with which rights some people devastate nature and build roads in the heart of Triglav National Parc. On Laz, now on Krstenica, and elsewhere. But nothing helps. Only don't tell me that this, what penetrates the to-be-protected nature, is civilisation!

But Stogi are still (for now) rising high above all of this. Jezerski Stog is the first 2000-er in the range. There still is solitude, especially if you come out of a season, you will rarely meet anyone on their summits. They offer some scrambling, some easier slopes, in the SE face of jezerski Stog there are even a few real climbing routes. On none of these summits a marked path goes. And the view on neighbouring, mostly higher mountains is nice as well. As the three mountains share a common name and they are less important in a mountaineering sense, let them have one common page on SP.

Mali (Krsteniski) Stog, 1879 m

It is named by the alpine meadow above which it rises - Krstenica. Its summit is overgrown with pine bushes, but we have some panorama from the top. The summit can be reached by both ridges - from Krstenica or from the saddle between Mali Stog and Jezerski Stog. So, it is best to cross the summit and perhaps to continue also on the neighbouring Jezerski Stog.

Approach: From Krstenica we ascend the south ridge, switch on the other (eastern side) and continue by shepherds paths upwards. In good 30 minutes we reach the top. From the summit we can continue towards the NW on the saddle, 1819 m, below Jezerski Stog. From there we can descend towards the left and return on Krstenica, or we can proceed by the ridge on Jezerski Stog (demanding for hikers, it requires also easy climbing).

Jezerski Stog, 2040 m

The summit is named by Jezerce (lake) meadow, which is lying west of it (today there's no more lake) and by Jezerski preval (saddle), which divides this summit from the neighbouring Prevalski Stog massif. Jezerski Stog is already a 'real' mountain. It is shaped nicely and has, besides normal approaches, also a short, but steep south-east wall, which rises above Jurjevčeva vrtača meadow. In this wall there are a few harder climbing routes. Towards the west Jezerski Stog falls with still steep grassy and partially rocky slopes. North-west of the summit is Jezerski preval (saddle), 1945 m, over which a marked path goes from Jezerce towards the north on Mišeljska planina and further on Velo polje. So, you can also reach this saddle from Vodnikov dom.

The summit of Jezerski Stog is also a metium hard ski tour (from the saddle on both sides).

Approach: The easiest approach on top goes from Jezerski preval. It is a non-marked path, easy in the beginning, a little more steep and rocky at the end. The other approach, convenient on the crossing tour, goes from the saddle between Mali Stog and Jezerski Stog. You keep on the south ridge, when you reach a steeper face, you have to climb up over a more steep terrain, and finally through a ravine and rocky terrain scramble to the top.

Climbing routes in the SE wall

- Kaminska smer, IV-/III, 150 m. Pavel Odar & Marko Šurc, 1976.
- Srednji steber, IV/III, 120 m. Marko Šurc, 1977.
- Jugovzhodni raz, IV/III, 160 m. Marko & Matej Šurc, 1977.
- Pizza za mamo, IV+/IV, 70 m. Damjan Slabe, Mire Steinbach & Izidor Tasič, 1993.
- Levi kamin, IV-/III, 80 m. Jože & Tine Mihelič, Peter Ravnikar, 1984.
- Marinkina smer, III/III, 140 m. Pavel Odar & Marko Šurc, 1977.

- Levi steber, IV/III, 150 m. Andrej Žmitek, 1979.

Prevalski Stog, 2075m

Finally, Prevalski stog is a mini massif of three summits and a shoulder on the western side. The highest summit is a grassy pyramid, with some rocks on the western side and with a steeper rocky north-eastern face. Towards the south-east it lowers to Jezerski preval, but before it reaches it, the mountain forms two small peaks, named Adam and Eva. They are steep and rocky also towards the south and the west, so to follow the main ridge down to Jezerski preval (or up from it) would mean also some easy climbing. North-west of Prevalski Stog summit is the broad Miseljski preval (saddle), which divides Stogi from the much higher and sharper Skednjovec. Over this saddle also a marked path goes, connecting Laz meadow and Velo polje. So, you can also reach Mišeljski preval from Vodnikov dom or from Laz meadow.

Approach: The main summit can quite easilly be reached from below Mišeljski preval. By the western slopes we ascend in a shallow valley between the summit and the western shoulder, when we reach the area among the main summit, Adam and Eva, we turn left and over a steeper grassy slope ascend the main summit without any difficulties. Similarly from here also Adam and Eva can be easilly ascended.

In winter and spring Prevalski Stog can offer a nice ski tour. You best do it by the described normal ascent. In normal conditions you can ski down also more in the direction of Mišeljski preval (but not directly by the main ridge).

Summit view: Debeli vrh

Summit view: Tosc

Summit view: Vernar

Getting There

For a broader overview, see the Julian Alps page and the Bohinj Group page!

In Bohinj valley we arrive by car, bus or train from Bled (by train also from Gorizia).

From the main Bohinj valley (Stara Fužina village) we can drive by car towards north into Voje valley. After 2 km there's a crossroad, where we take the left forrest road. It takes us through Suha valley to Planina Blato (alpine pasture), 1147 m. There's a big parking place. In summer, the road through Suha valley needs to be paid.

Maps:
Julijske Alpe - Vzhodni del (Eastern part). Planinska zveza Slovenije. 1:50000.
Julijske Alpe - Triglav. Planinska zveza Slovenije. 1:20000.

From Blato meadow we hike further up to Krstenica alpine meadow, which can be reached in some 1h 30min. On Blato we go right by the cart-road, which soon starts ascending steeply. After it flattens for the second time, we can leave it and soon find a hunters path, which brings us most directly on Krstenica. It goes more or less all the time in the vicinity of the forrested ridge above Blato basin. We can also go on Krstenica by cart-roads. They are illegally built and as they are more and more every year, the description is unreliable. If you follow the cart-roads 'system', a good advice is, to keep allways left. Anyway you can't miss Krstenica - they all go up there.

Blato

Blato

Krstenica

Dolina Za Debelim Vrhom

Its name means: The valley behind Debeli vrh. This name is not older than some 50 years and comes out of the mountaineering literature (M. Lipovšek). It seems that locals never named this valley with one name - probably because it is not uniform. Between Ogradi and the three summits of Stogi there is a clearly formed valley, which then falls abruptly down to Blato meadow (basin), and continues further down into Bohinj as Suha valley. The step above Blato basin is rocky and no common path goes there. When we reach (by the detour) Krstenica meadow, we are on the eastern slopes of the valley, we are describing, and from there into it a nice and comfortable path goes, crossing mainly the slopes of Stogi.

But after Jezerce meadow the valley continues by two branches around a small hill, after which it suddenly hits the distinct rocky barrier - a some 100 m high rocky wall, stretching ortogonally on the valley, connecting thus Lazovški preval (saddle) on the left and Mišeljski preval (saddle) on the right. Paths go left and right and the two saddles are also connected by a marked path, which goes above the rocky barrier.

Above the barrier Dolina za Debelim vrhom is not unique any more. Between Debeli vrh on one side and Škednjovec and Vrh Hribaric on the other side many valleys and ravines are ascending upwards to Hribarice plateau. This is an incredibly confused karst world, full of holes, ravines, rocky bumps and shoulders - a bit easier passable only in winter and spring, when this world is covered with snow.

Red Tape

The mountain is in the Triglav National Parc.

In summer, for the road from Voje valley trough Suha valley up to Blato alpine pasture you should pay toll.

Camping

The nearest hut is:

Vodnikov dom on Velo polje, 1817 m, +386(0)51 607 211,
Trzaska Koca na Doliču, 2151 m, (050) 614780.

Official camping place is in Bohinj valley - here is the link to the tourist web site.

When To Climb?

In summer and autumn - the best months are July to October. In good conditions both higher peaks can also be ascended in winter or spring, Prevalski Stog offers a ski tour just from the summit, while Jezerski Stog has on its peak a few rocks.

Images

View Stogi Image Gallery - 25 Images