Kamniška Bistrica to Kamniško sedlo

Route

Kamniška Bistrica to Kamniško sedlo

Page Type: Route

Location: Slovenia, Europe

Lat/Lon: 46.33093°N / 14.58731°E

Route Type: Hiking, Mountaineering

Season: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter

Time Required: Half a day

Difficulty: Undemanding

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Page By: Bor

Created/Edited: Jun 10, 2009 / Jul 9, 2009

Object ID: 520170

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Table of Contents

Overview

Enlarge! The Kamniska Bistrica Trailhead is the brown dot. The hut on the Kamnik saddle is the blue dot.

The route from the Kamniska Bistrica Trailhead hut to the Kamnik saddle hut (Kamniska koca na Kamniskem sedlu) is one of the most famous such mountain-hikes in Slovenia. It is an undemanding marked and secured mountain-hiking path, and we may need 3,5 hours on the way up. In the summer, the path is rocky, pebbles, dirt, leaves and roots, grass; and hardly no scree.
Anyone ascending in the snowy period should especially be advised to carry the appropriate gear, as high frequency might harden (ice) parts of the path.

The Slovene Alpine Association (PZS) maintains the marked and secured paths throughout Slovenia, and in fact, we do not need any description of the paths (a map, allthough not a request, is in general a good idea so as to keep track of which path we are on). Well visible signposts and red and white blazes guide us all along the way (in both directions). Basically consider alpine hiking in this form: using marked paths and sticking to them, which safely brings to and back.

The Kamnik saddle hut, in addition to its usual summer opening dates (check the link on the "Kamniska koca na Kamniskem sedlu" Hut page!), will be open on nice weekends throughout the year, depending of course on how secure and feasable the hike might be (possible avalanches in the winter time). A signpost in the meadow to the right of the trailhead hut informs us about the Kamnik saddle (Kamnisko sedlo) hut: Odprto (open) or Zaprto (closed).

Getting There

Info on approaching the range is to be found in the Getting There section of the range page (Kamnik-Savinja/Steiner Alps).

As one may well see on the map, after clicking the coordinates in the primary info (above), and then clicking the map version,
the Kamniska Bistrica trailhead may easily be reached by referring to the city of Kamnik.
The coordinates show to the beginning of our route, to the Kamniska Bistrica Trailhead.
The trailhead hut is at the source of the Kamniska Bistrica river (shortly Bistrica) in the center of the range.
The hut is open all year long (except on mondays): 45 beds (reserve!), meals searved, two large (free) parking lots, garbage cans and a beautiful view of Konec (litterally: the end -of the valley) from the source (pond) of the Bistrica.
Along with the "official" trailhead hut, the guest house "Pri Jurju" also proposes meals.
A bus comes in twice a day (Ljubljana, Kamnik, Stahovica, Kamniska Bistrica).
The road 225 from Kamnik to Gornji Grad (eastward) goes through a village named Stahovica. This is where a 8km long (asfalted) road starts, leading to the Kamniska Bistrica source, along the left bank.

NB1: a hiking path ("Kozeljeva pot") leads from Stahovica to the Bistrica source along the right bank.
NB2: driving passed the trailhead hut along the macadamized road, and making the second turn to the right (maps maybe) leads us to the Jermanca meadow where cars park, thus gaining 300m in altitude, but loosing the beautiful views of the Sedelscek canyon. Walk in the continuation of the road and soon rejoin the marked path.

Route Description

Start along the asfalted road to the right of the trailhead hut (alt.600m).
The macadam starts as we enter the forest and we then cross the Sedelscek stream (usually dry at this point).
An advanced parking lot is to be found just after the bridge.

Our path is signposted (Kamnisko sedlo) to the right side of the clearing and steeply begins up the forested slope, soon passing below and around an overhanging rock cliff, before rejoining the lower station of the Kamnik saddle cargo cable-way.

Here we cross a macadamized road and again ascend (left) through the forest till reaching rock caves after which the path straightens out, now traversing the forested slopes, high on the right bank of the Sedelscek stream. As we again cross a macadamized road we go down on it, before going up in the forest, to the left. We continue traversing in the forest, ascending little by little until reaching a bench at a gully split ("V klinu" on maps, ca 1050m).

At this point we must take care of well following the red and white blazes since other well tread unmarked paths start around here.
We zig zag through the forest until reaching a first clearing to our left (sometimes there is a water streak, just accross the flat gully), and still continue among the trees until reaching the simple bivouac Na Stanu, ca 1450m.

We continue above the forest, reaching a large meadow (Pastirci) as the view opens to the Brana E face and the Planjava W face to the right.
We are at the base of a long slope below the Kamnik saddle. Our path twists and turns straight up the center of this slope, at first through low bushes, then grass, elegantly avoiding the talus. (In winter, the track up the slope is slightly modified, well tread.)

Behind the hut (1864m), it is worth reaching the edge of the saddle (1876m) in order to take a look down into the Logar valley!

DESCENT:
Reverse.

Descending the slope above the Pastirci meadow (along Planjava) is of course a favorite among boarders, skiers and scree-hoppers(!).

Essential Gear

A helmet is trendy, maybe really not essential on this tour.

Summer:
Wind and rain clothing
First aid
A small head lamp fits in any pocket and a whistle also isn't a bad idea.

Winter:
A piolet (ice tool) is trendy and recommended.
Crampons (simple ones exist!) might really help out on polished, icy parts of the path.
Sun glasses

MAPS
1:25 000
1:50 000

Red Tape

Unless expressly signalized (barrier, signpost), and upon your own responsibility, macadamized roads are allowed and visible on maps (these roads are mainly maintained for lumbering and hut cable station access purposes).
Fishing & hunting is regulated.
Wild camping and open fires are not allowed.
The Kamnik-Savinja Alps are part of the Natura 2000 program.

This tick link to the SP Forum is useful.

CAMPING (around the range):
Ljubljana
Kamnik
Luce
Trzic
Voelkermarkt

Images