The ridge of Pozar

Overview

As our beloved mountain writer, the late Tine Mihelič says, this tour hardly belongs to any known category. It's just hiking along an overgrown (above with dwarf pines, below with woods) ridge, summiting a few unimportant bumps. The summit of Požar will hardly get it's own SP page, so I'm attaching the route page to Triglav's group. Still, there is nearby a mountain, worth of description. Higher up the ridge there's Požgana Mlinarica, 1873 m. But the tour would be different if including that summit. When I do it once, then may be I'll attach also this page there.

Požar means fire in our language and also Požgana Mlinarica means a burnt mountain. Yet nowadays you will se no trace of fire up there on the ridge.

Geographically the ridge which is lowering from Požgana Mlinarica is the continuation of a much higher ridge of Vrbanove špice. Below Požgana Mlinarica it is dividing two famous valleys of Triglav group: Vrata and Kot. Its direction is SW-NE.

The value of this tour lies in its solitude. You do it best when larches are most beautiful, yes you are guessing correctly, in October. But views from the ridge can be beautiful any season of the year. Only in a hard winter you better avoid this tour. Even if it's not hard in normal conditions, the terrain is steep enough to make you troubles in winter. The most beautiful views from the ridge are on Martuljek group, which is seen from its SE side, and on the other side on the long ridge descending from Rjavina.

Rating the Route (By Hiking Standards)

The grading system for hiking and scrambling routes is here.

0. General: From Kot, 950m to cca 1600m, exposition SE, SW, NE. First by a comfortable hunters path over steep slopes on the ridge, then by a steep, narrow ridge on the panoramic point, finally by the whole ridge down (predominantly woods, a few steep sections). Gear: Only good shoes and poles.

1. Effort: cca 850m, less than 5h.
2. Power: 1 - No difficulties, only walk-up.
3. Psyche: 3 - Mostly easy (2), but a few steper passages.
4. Orientation: 3 - medium. Don't try to go down the ridge on your own!

Getting There

You can drive in Kot valley, some 300 meters after Lengarjev rovt (alpine meadow) there's the parking place. You will however end the tour in the beginning of Kot valley. Those 5 km you will have to do in addition, or plan to have a bike or two cars.

Route Description

From the parking place the marks towards Triglav lead left across the scree, while a cart road goes right. You follow it and soon a good hunters path deters up the hill. It is not marked, but easy to follow. If you have problems with it in the beginning, you will find it near a distinct ravine where you can usually find water. Now the path goes in turns up, then left across the ravine and then up again. Soon the terrain opens, offering you nice views across the valley of Kot - On Macesnovec, Dimniki, Luknja peč and Rjavina. Pine bushes, larches, a few rocks among them. The slope is steep however and the usual care is required.

Macesnovec

Hunters path

Golden larches

Above, the path starts crossing the slopes much towards the right (N direction) and goes in turns through woods again. After a flat section the path reaches a small saddle in the side rib and it is certainly worth going right on the panoramic point in the middle of the slope. Above this point the path is weaker, but with some care you are still able to follow it. It goes up and finally right again until it reaches the main ridge. The ridge is surprisingly narrow, still overgrown, but on many places it offers great views on both sides. Remember well this point in case you need the ascent route for a quick emergency descent! The tour will later go down the ridge, so right, in the NE direction. But from the point where we gain the ridge it is very worth going some 50 altitude meters up, towards Požgana Mlinarica summit. The path is well beaten, but steep and requires quite some care (even if you are in woods). Above, the path makes it through pine bushes and reaches a very panoramic point where our tour has the highest point. Good 1h 30 min for 650 m of ascent. Further on the ridge would be even harder and would require some easy climbing. And from Požgana Mlinarica you would probably not go down by the same ridge.

Luknja peč

Škrlatica and Rokavi

Stenar

The upper 50 meters of the descent goes by the approach path. Then we continue by the main ridge towards the NE. The ridge is never boring. Either it's open and panoramic, or you go through nice larch woods. Where pine bushes are, dense hunters cut through comfortable passages. So we soon reach a minor rocky elevation, called Požar, 1544 m. After a steep descent you continue by a narrow ridge which again reguires some care. The next elevation is Lengarjeva glava, 1497 m, after which the path lowers significantly and goes through wood again.

On the ridge

Rjavina

Črna gora

On the flat saddle of Nizka dolina, 1352 m, some care is needed. There is one path which goes right (towards the E) and after steep sections and some orientation riddles comes down in Kot valley. But it is not recommended, unless you know it or have enough time to explore. Go simply by the main ridge (directly up the bump) and you will soon be on a good path again. Now with some ups and downs the main ridge lowers to the last summit of Črna gora, 1378 m. There you will find a bivouac from which there's again a nice view across Vrata valley. Now the path starts descending in steep turns. The forrested slope is steep, the path narrow and when slippery it again requires some care. In the lower part you leave the ridge right down and by good paths and finally cart roads reach the macadam road going in Kot valley.

Images

View The ridge of Pozar Image Gallery - 17 Images