Starting point:
From Ribčev Laz by Lake Bohinj continue on the road on the left side of the lake. At the first crossroad turn left towards the lower station of the Vogel cable car, next to which you park. Go up to Vogel with the cable car (Rjava Skala) and there our tour begins (approximately 1550 m).
Description:
If you wish (and if the ski lifts operate), you can ascend all the way to the top of the highest ski lift (called Šija). If not, continue from Rjava Skala (upper cable car station) on the side of the ski slopes southwards. A few 100 meters below the top of the last ski lift Šija, some kind of a basin between you and Rodica opens on the left side. You will notice a rather clear little valley, which gradually descends towards the bottom of this 'basin', where Suha alpine meadow lies. You can descent here (a better option for skiing; on the GPS track the way back to Vogel runs here) or you continue all the way to the top of ski lift Šija and go down into the valley towards south-east from there. Follow the valley until it starts to turn to the left distinctively. Then you start crossing a steeper slope directly towards east (keep right). On your right we will spot a few ravines, across which you can ascend directly onto the ridge (a GPS track also shows one of them – about 150 m, 40º). Only skilled mountaineers should tackle them in good snow conditions. Still the easiest way to come to the ridge is to continue crossing the slope eastwards, until a flat terrain opens on your right and takes you directly to the saddle called 'Čez Suho'. After that simply follow the ridge eastwards all the way to the summit of Rodica.
From the summit go down towards north-west across the west slopes of Rodica and Mala Rodica. The terrain guides you to a valley, which takes you to a small basin below the north wall of Mala Rodica across a slightly steeper section. After that comes a descent across a narrow and steep gully towards Suha meadow. When you exit the gully, start crossing westwards and look for a valley ahead of you, which rises back towards Vogel ski slopes from the upper part of Suha meadow. The 'pointy' Debeli Vrh serves for orientation - we go on its left (south) side. After ascending for about 250 altitude meters, you will reach the edge of Vogel ski slopes, from where you walk back to Rjava Skala and return back to the valley with the cable car.
Highest point:
Rodica: 1964 m
Duration:
Rjava skala (upper Vogel cable car station) – Rodica: 3.30 h
Rodica - Suha alpine meadow: 1 h
Suha alpine meadow - Rjava skala (upper Vogel cable car station) : 2 h
Total: 6.30 h
Difficulty: 3 (option across the above mentioned ravines has difficulty 5!)
Skiing:
The tour has a few interchanging ascents and descents, so there will be quite some 'footwear changing'. You will get the best from skiing if you go down directly to Suha meadow from Vogel on the above described path of returning to Vogel – turn into a clear valley on your left a few hundred meters below the top of the highest ski lift Šija. After a (not very difficult) descent you reach the upper part of Suha meadow. From there you can go up to Rodica across a gully (the described path of descent) or in the direction of the marked path to 'Čez Suho' saddle and on the ridge onwards to the summit. Skiing from the summit of Rodica and going back to Vogel runs on the above described direction of descent. From Vogel ski resort you can ski the whole way to the parking lot across the ski slope called 'Žagarjev Graben' (see GPS track).
Skiing difficulty: 3
Skiing duration: ca. 1.30 h (without the ascent back to Vogel)