Basic information
Location
Bohinj
Difficulty
Duration
5 h
Trail type
označena
Start point elevation
1540 m
Highest point
1923 m
Total vertical climb
800 m

Starting point:
From Ribčev Laz at Lake Bohinj continue on the road on the left side of the lake. Turn left on the first crossroad towards the cable car station to Vogel ski-resort. Park next to it. Ascend to Vogel ski-resort with a cable car (Rjava skala): your tour starts and ends there (at around 1540 m). Check out the cable car timetable here.

Description:
Follow the markings from the upper cable car station towards Mt. Šija. You ascend southwards across ski slopes, through dwarf pines all the way to the top of the last chairlift. If you do not feel like walking too much, you can save half an hour on foot by taking the chairlift. You will reach the top of the ski slopes without orientation problems and just a short ascent parts you from the Šija summit.

If you have already had enough of hiking, simply return down the path of ascent. Otherwise, proceed on a narrow path going westwards on the ridge. Descend slightly and soon the path merges with a wider one that runs a bit under the summit of the ridge. The terrain becomes steeper before the narrow Vratca saddle. More caution is needed in a short section – even some iron pegs are there to assist you. A path towards Zadnji Vogel alpine meadow branches off to the right at Vratca saddle. You will descend here after you return from the summit of Vogel.

Carry straight on in the direction of the signposts for Vogel and arrive to a short section with a few steel cables. This part will only be uncomfortable for hikers with strong vertigo. At the next marked split take a sharp left turn and ascend to the Vogel summit. The view on all sides is incredible; the mountains are made of parallel rock layers, which are especially interesting. Fantastic!

From the summit, return back to Vratca saddle. Turn left downwards and descend on an easy path directly to the north towards Zadnji Vogel alpine meadow. A cheese farm operates here in summertime and you can treat yourselves to some sour milk or a homemade pie. Cross the ski slopes at the cheese farm and go straight along the road towards cable car on Rjava Skala. After a while, a footpath branches off to the right, which runs above the road. It takes you directly to Merjasec inn and other buildings at the upper cable car station.

Option (also given in the gps track): If you wish to make the tour longer for about an hour and a half, carry on from Vogel summit on a marked path to the north-west towards Komna. An interesting path runs slightly below the ridge of ‘Lower Bohinj Mountain chain’ throughout. It takes you to Konjsko sedlo saddle past scree-slopes and interesting diagonal rock layers. Here, you are practically closer to Komna than Vogel, which a signpost on the saddle confirms as well. If you do not intend to go towards Komna, turn sharply to the right and descend on a marked path. The pretty path descends gradually and leads past several meadows. Keep to the right, follow the markings and arrive to the forest after a somewhat steeper descent. The path turns right and you reach Zadnji Vogel alpine meadow in a gentle ascent. It takes half an hour from there to the upper cable car station.

Highest point/summit:
Vogel: 1923 m

Duration:
Rjava skala (upper cable car station) - Mt. Šija: 1.15 h
Mt. Šija - Mt. Vogel: 1.30 h
Mt. Vogel - Zadnji Vogel alpine meadow: 1.45 h
Zadnji Vogel alpine meadow - Rjava skala (upper cable car station): 30 min
Total: 5 h

Difficulty:
2 - Almost the entire route is technically easy. Only the terrain around Vratca saddle is steeper and some iron pegs are there to help you. People with extreme vertigo may have some trouble.

Type of path:
Marked - If you opt for the detour past Konjsko Sedlo saddle, pay close attention to the markings in the lower part of the descent.

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