Basic information
Location
Bohinj Gorenjska
Difficulty
Duration
9 h
Start point elevation
1140 m
Highest point
2327 m
Total vertical climb
1450 m
Skiing difficulty

Starting point:
In Ribčev Laz at Lake Bohinj turn right across a bridge towards Stara Fužina. In Stara Fužina pay attention to signposts which direct you to the left before the bridge across Mostnica. Carry on past houses until you come to a large parking lot. If there is a lot of snow, you might have to leave the car here already. Otherwise continue on the road as long as the snow allows it (towards Blato alpine meadow: at first crossroad go left, at second go right). If there is little snow, you can drive all the way to a parking lot below Blato meadow (around 1140 m). It takes a good hour and a half on foot from Stara Fužina to Blato meadow.

Description:
In front of the parking lot (at Blato meadow) a signpost directs you to the left towards 'Planina Pri Jezeru'. After about 10 minutes of walking you arrive to a signpost for 'Planina Laz', where you go right. Follow a small valley until you notice a forest road, which turns across a steep slope to the right (straight on you would come to the path towards 'Planina Pri Jezeru' meadow again). After a steep section the path turns north-west and the terrain flattens a bit. If you are the first one here after snowing, orientation can be pretty tough. Try to stick to logical passages towards north-west. Just before the lovely Laz meadow you will peek out of the forest and immediately spot the second part of the tour. You will ascend along a small 'valley' by the steep walls of Slatna and Kreda. Cross the Laz meadow towards west and behind it descend a bit to a place, where a marked path towards 'Planina Pri Jezeru' turns left. You turn right into the forest and look out for a passage towards the valley, which ascends westwards. Soon you come out of the forest and the next part is orientation-wise easier, but other 'problems' begin. You have three options to continue; however, all three will have some steep sections with great danger of avalanches. Be careful and use your head!
A) Ascent to the ridge through a ravine between Kreda and Slatna:
On your left you will notice a ravine that 'splits' the summits of Slatna and Kreda. Leave the small valley where you are ascending and go up to the steep slopes below the entrance to the ravine. The ravine (around 300m/40º) is really 'cute' in good snow conditions. Its upper part is the steepest and a snow cornice on the top can hinder the access to the ridge. Only experienced and properly equipped mountaineers/alpinists should tackle the ravine in good snow conditions. After exiting the ravine you can ascend to the summit of Kreda (left) on a gently ascending terrain and/or to the summit of Slatna (right).
B) Ascent to the ridge through a gully between Slatna and Prvi Vogel:
Proceed ascending through the 'valley' all the way to its end below the walls of Slatna and Prvi Vogel. A passage to the saddle between Slatna and Prvi Vogel opens here. It runs across a short & steep gully called 'Hladilnik'. From the saddle you can ascend to Slatna and Kreda (left) or go down towards 'Dedno Polje' meadow (straight down).
The final destination of our tour is Zadnji Vogel and once you come to the ridge turn right (towards north-east) and ascend to the summit Prvi Vogel. The slope is rather steep at first, but it gets flatter soon. Follow a wide ridge to Srednji Vogel and from there to Zadnji Vogel, which is obviously the last and the highest summit of this mountain range.

C) Continuing directly towards Zadnji Vogel:
If you wish to avoid ascending across ravines, you can ascend to Zadnji Vogel directly from Laz meadow. Like in option B, go until the end of the above mentioned 'valley' (until the entrance to 'Hladilnik' gully) and turn right (northwards). Across a short steep slope you will reach flatter terrain; an ascent across a rather steep section in the north-west direction follows after that. In this part the orientation is slightly more difficult since there are no clear passages, but once you overcome this steep section, a kind of a valley opens up (between Srednji Vogel on the left and a 'secondary summit' of Zadnji Vogel on the right); simply proceed towards north-west along it to Zadnji Vogel.

Highest point:
Kreda: 2025 m
Slatna: 2077 m
Prvi Vogel: 2181 m
Srednji Vogel: 2222 m
Zadnji Vogel: 2327 m

Duration:
Blato meadow - Laz meadow: 1.45 h
Laz meadow - Kreda: 2 h
Kreda - Zadnji Vogel: 1.45 h
Zadnji Vogel - Laz meadow: 2 h
Laz meadow - Blato meadow: 1.30 h
Total: 9 h
In case that the road to Blato meadow is not negotiable due to snow, you have to add 2.30 hours to the above mentioned time (if you have parked at the large parking lot in Stara Fužina).

Difficulty:
Options A and B - 5: The ascent through both ravines to the ridge is very difficult! Only experienced and properly equipped mountaineers/alpinists should tackle them in good snow conditions!
Option C - 4: The ascent goes across steep sections endangered by avalanches!

Skiing:
Ski down the described route of ascent C (more difficult) or through 'Za Kopico' valley (easier). If you ski towards Laz meadow, go down towards south-east by the 'secondary summit' of Zadnji Vogel. The terrain guides you to a short flatter section, after which a descent across a steeper slope comes. Danger of avalanches! Simply follow the terrain through a unclear valley to the timberline and try to find the optimal passage to Laz meadow. The descent from Laz to Blato meadow is a real 'rodeo' between the trees. You can also return to the starting point across 'Planina Pri Jezeru' meadow.
Skiing difficulty: 4
Skiing duration: ca. 2 h (until Blato meadow)

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