Bogatin

Panorama view from the summit

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Hunter's nightmare

Veliki & Mali Bogatin

Once upon a time, bare limestone part of  the Julian Alps was carpeted with red flowers. This flower garden was kept in order by Rojenice, three  nice looking high mountain chicks, dressed all white. Everytime a new kid was born down in the valley, a new star will appear on the night sky above Mount Triglav and Rojenice will descend down to the valley with lighting candles in their hands, and tell the future to the newborn. Their prophecy will always turn to be true, hence Rojenice loved people, their visit always ment justice, happyness and long life for the newborrn child. Apart of looking after the valley people,  Rojenice  were also owners of  Zlatorog,  the Goldenhorn chamois.  And Goldenhorn himself was in possession of the the mt. Bogatin key. Everyone knows that if the Goldenhorn would unlock the stone gates of Bogatin, an entrance would open, leading into the secret hole hiding so much treasure, that 700 wagons would not be enough to load all of the treasure. People loved and respected both Rojenice and the Goldenhorn. They never thought of challenging Goldenhorn, which was thought to be immortal - if someone shoots him, Goldenhorn's blood once touching the ground, would turn into red roses which Goldenhorn would bite in and recover from the wounds,  his force becoming even  bigger and mightier then it was before.

However, on one occassion, a young hunter from the Isonzo (Soca river) valley tried the impossible. He felt inlove with the local innkeeper's daughter and in orther to satisfy girl's mother, he had to bring the Bogatin treasure, or at least, a bunch of red roses from Triglav. His encounter on the mountain with Goldenhorn did not turn out well. He actually did shot the animal, but Goldenhorn recovered, the sun reflection from his horns blinded the hunter, so that young dude lost his footing and falled into abyss. The Goldenhorn turned berserk by the fact that the mortal human dared to challenge him, picked up his herd of goats that he was leader of an gored his way out of the Triglav Realm, leaving the landscape much as it looks today.

Both Rojenice and Goldenhorn have never been seen again since, but, if the story is true, 700 years later in the middle of Triglav's sea of stone a fir-tree will grow,  one who spots it should use the tree's  wood and make a craddle for a male newborn. A first boychild to use it  will be the first person to find the entrance into Mt. Bogatin treasure hole...

Overview

Actually, there are 2 Bogatin peaks, Bogatin (1977m high) and Veliki Bogatin aka Mahavscek (2008m high) next to each other and connected with short narrow ridge. They are located at the very nordwest  end of the South Bohinj ridge (also known as Spodnje Bohinjske gore or Tolminske gore) in the lower Southeast Alps. Both peaks are hike-ups, either as the beginning or an end of the South Bohinj ridge traverse and usually taken one after other. If taken at the end  of traverse, "smaller" Bogatin is sometimes omitted, it can be circumvented by contouring its western slope, thus saving some time and phisycal effort to the already tired hikers legs. Main reasons for visiting Bogatin;

•  mythical mountain from the Goldenhorn saga (see first chapter)
• excellent view point for its hight, because of the vertical drop very nice views toward higher Eastern Alps direction NW
•  traversing the South Bohinj ridge
• popular winter tour ski route
• Bohinj lake-Krn lake traversing, Bogatin is an easy pickup at the halfway of this traverse, from the Vratca pass
• it s located next to the World War I military trail. Actually, some of the most fierce encounters between the Austrian imperial army and the Italian army took place in and around the Bogatin area. Today's hiking routes mostly follow the war routes, and huts and other facilities have been erected during Yugoslav era where once military barracks stood

Popular routes:

• Bogatin hut at lower Komna plateau-Vratca pass-Bogatin(2 hours)-Veliki Bogatin 2 &1/2 hours. Most common route. Bit gravelly at the end.
• Komna hut-planina Govnjac-Veliki Bogatin (Mahavscek) 3 hours. A shortcut from the eastern edge of the Komna plateau. Planina Govnjac (Govnjac pasture) may be interesting for meteo buffs, it is place with largest measured temperature difference in Slovenia (extremes something like +30 degrees C in summer and bellow -20 C in winter)
• Krn lake or Krn lake hut-Vratca pass-Bogatin 2 &1/2 hours
• Planina Razor hut-Skrbina-Tolminski kuk-Vrh Planje-Vrh Skrli-V.Bogatin(Mahavscek)-Bogatin-Vratca pass. This is a long day panoramic traverse of the Tolminske gore (S. Bohinj ridge) with joyful view from the Bogatin's at the end and  finishing at  ruins of Austrian military stronghold at Vratca pass, ruins are surrounded with very fine alpine flora, which  is always a bonus

Getting there

 Nearest airport is Ljubljana international.

Nearest major railway stops are Bled and Bled Lesce. Slovenian railways in English  From here it is easy to catch regular coach for Bohinj lake. Ljubljana bus station schedule in English  Final bus stop is behind Zlatorog hotel at the western corner of the Bohinj lake. This is also where the closest camping site is. In summer, this is also where one may have a swim in the Bohinj lake - if your kidneys do support it. If by car, one may drive continue from the Bohinj lake till the Savica hut and parking lot there. Bohinj lake - Bogatin footwork all the way may take anywhere between 4 1/2 and 6 hours, depending of the pace.

Roads from the North: Carinthia/Austria ->Karawanken tunnel->Podbrezje turn right for Bled, from Bled drive pass the Bled lake and Bohinj lake till the Savica parking lot

Roads from South: Friuli-Venezia-Giulia/Italy over the Gorizia/Nova Gorica drive for Tolmin, or before Tolmin at Most na Soci fork  right for Podbrdo-Bohinjska Bistrica.

Weather

 Nothing much to say, hot summers, cold winters. This part of the lower East Alps is rather close to the Eastern Adriatic coast, Trieste bay only 40 miles or so away. If going there in the summer, do not be surprised by the heat.

Weather links:

Slovenian meteo service large scale picturesque overview

Best match for the accurate Bogatin weather prediction is Vogel,  which is also part of the Southern Bohinj ridge.

Up-to-date webcam as well

Miscellaneous info

Images from the past

Bogatin's are part of the Triglav national park, so you are not expected to camp wild

Nearest camping site is at Bohinj lake, behind the Zlatorog hotel.

Nearest huts are:

 Koca pod Bogatinom (2 hours away) and Dom  na Komni (2 hours 15 min) on the east, 064 723 070

and Planinski dom pri Krnskih jezerih (2 hours 30 minutes  away) on the west.

Koca pod Bogatinom: open June-October and January-May. Quiet, good food , currently undergoing reconstruction.

Dom na Komni: open year round. Recently refurbished. Comfortable, large and noisy (many day hikers from the Bohinj lake). Phone: 064 721 475

Planinski dom pri Krnskih jezerih. Recently refurbished as well. Open June-September. Phone 065 81 034

Accomodation fee is leveled  for all huts maintained by Slovenian alpine association. Expect to pay 1850 tollars (round 7 and half Euros) for bunks. Expect to pay round 900 tollars for thick, Balkan style filling soup. Dont forget your Alpine association mountaineering ID (reciprocity based discounts for accomodation)

Quality 1:50000 and 1:25000 maps  are readily available at all huts and  tourist offices.

In case of unwanted trouble, Slovenian mountain rescue service number is 112

Panorama view of the South Bohinj ridge