Veliki vrh ski tour

Overview

The ski tour from Veliki vrh in Koschuta is one of the classics in Karavanke/Karawanken. It offers more than 1000 altitude meters of skiing, on the upper part over a just perfect slope. The slope is oriented towards the East and South-East, so you should come early when the sun is softening snow. The lower part of the tour goes through light woods, so if enough snow, you can ski everywhere.

In addition a benefit is also quite a good road which brings you to a starting point - Matizovec farm. But in winter be sure that you'll be able to drive up only with a complete winter equipment. So, your ski tour will be even longer.

Getting There

See the main page how to get to Podljubelj village, on the Slovenian side of Ljubelj/Loibl pass.

From Podljubelj you drive up by the road, following some tables, where 'Kofce' is written (mountain hut). You park at Matizovec farm, 1050m. Parking is free, but there's a box into which you can put some money.

Route Description

From Matizovec farm you start walking towards the NE. First you have a cart-road, so you decide whether to use skins or to have skis on your backpack. After some 20 minutes the path comes to a nice meadow in woods, where the route branches. You have two options:

1. Follow the marked path towards the right, finally reaching Kofce hut, 1488m. Till here some 45min to 1h. This route goes actually away from Veliki vrh summit, so you are making a big detour. But there are allways tracks and the path is not steep. You can later also ski down here.

From Kofce hut you proceed by a nice snowy shoulder towards the north. There you decide again. If snow is good, you can continue with skis, crossing the slopes of Kofce gora and the binding ridge all the way to the top of Veliki Vrh. If you don't have tour skiing equipment you can go up directly by the steep ridge on the summit of Kofce gora. There are usually tracks, as nowadays also many boarders come on high summits. From Kofce gora you proceed by the main ridge towards the West to the summit of Veliki vrh. From Kofce some 2 hours.

2. If you keep left (northwards) you will have to ascend through some steep woods, or, if you go by the ravine, some quite unpleasant passages with deep snow. Here there are rarely tracks and also ascending with skins on skis is hard enough. But in spring, or if snow is hard, this is far the most recommendable route. In ascent you soon keep left, cross the ravine and do a steep step, which is in spring often snowless. Above it, you are already at the bottom of the best ski terrains, so you can proceed with skis till the top. Or, if snow is hard, you can walk-up, as the slope is quite steep.

Skiing Down

You ski down first by a nice shoulder towards the South, then eastwards into a broad valley and down by it. If you proceed even further down, you'll need to ski down by some steep passages, to reach the bottom ravine. Then through the woods to the meadow and down to the farm.

You can also traverse the slopes towards the shoulder of Kofce. From that shoulder there's one more steep passage down to the mentioned ravine, where you join the before described variant. And finally, you can comfortably ski all the way to Kofce hut and around by the marked path down to the farm.

Gear

Usually only the normal ski tour equipment. Some parts can be dangerous for lawines: above the ravine (steep passages), and also in some occasions the upper slopes.

Images

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