Follow the path marks from the Tržič bus station towards Kriška gora, whose slopes rise up from the east of Tržič. Climb up the concrete steps past the Church of Sv. Jožef (St. Joseph) and turn right onto the forestry road. The path soon turns left onto a steep slope. Climb up through the woods in stages to the scenic Mala mizica (764 m), a 40 minute walk. There is a view of the valley below, including the old part of Tržič and the Mošenik valley in the direction of Ljubelj. Continue climbing up the steep slope in stages through woods, eventually reaching a poor, rocky path. The path soon improves but continues climbing steeply through a pleasant wood. There is glade from which there is a good view of the valley and the village of Križe, as well as the Gorenjska plain and, in the background, the Jelovica tableland and the Julian Alps. Continue walking along the ridge to the junction with the path from Križe. The route continues along the ridge through a wood, which eventually thins out and gives way to grassy slopes. Caution is advised while walking along the narrow path because of the danger of slipping. A 25 minute walk from the junction brings you to Koča na Kriški gori (1,471 m). 2h 30min. The hut stands on a sunny meadow on the western side of the Kriška gora ridge. Continue walking along the comfortable path through a beech wood to the Vrata outcrop (15 min), the highest point on the Kriška gora ridge (1,591 m). The route is approaching Tolsti vrh, which can be reached by a steep path running through mountain pine on the western side of the slope. 1h 15min. Tolsti vrh (1,715 m) is the highest peak on Kriška gora and offers a very good view. Kriška gora is mostly covered by forest. It has a grassy southern slope and a rocky northern slope with sheer cliffs. It hosts a rich variety of mountain flora. There is a view from here of the towering Storžič. Climb down the eastern slope of Tolsti vrh towards the M. Poljana pasture. Path marks lead to the southern slopes, which are covered in mountain pine, and to the junction where the path branches off towards the village of Gozd. Walk through the woods across the eastern slope to the stream at Mala Poljana (1,325 m). 45 min. Several paths cross at this point. Follow the directions on the signposts towards Dom pod Storžičem. Alternative: Experienced hikers may take an alternative route from the junction to Psica to Storžič (2,132 m), and from the peak via Žrelo to the hut. This is a very difficult route (protected with steel cables and pins) and caution is advised. The VA descends from Mala Poljana through a pine forest across numerous ditches along the north-western foot of Storžič to the junction at the Jesenje pasture. Walk to Dom pod Storžičem (1,123 m) a few minutes away. 1h. 3h from Koča na Kriški gori. The hut stands on the edge of the Jesenje pasture overlooking Lomska dolina valley.
Source: Dobnik, Jože; Slovenska planinska pot: planinski vodnik, Planinska zveza Slovenije, Založba PZS, 1998; Klinar, Stanko; Karavanke: planinski vodnik, Planinska zveza Slovenije, Založba PZS, 1997; Atlas Slovenije, 3. izpopolnjena in razširjena izdaja, Mladinska knjiga in Geodetski zavod Slovenije (GZS), Ljubljana 1996; Karavanke, 1:50.000 GZS, Planinska založba PZS št. 149, Ljubljana 1995 Gorenjska, izletniška karta1:50.000, GZS, Ljubljana 1998
(Peter Šilak)

Climbing up from Tržiška Bistrica, the first peak of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps is Kriška gora (1,471 m), from where there is a good view of the Ljubljana basin, the most densely populated part of Slovenia with a population of over 400,000. The land here is suitable for farming and settlement and forest covers only about one-third of the surface area. The terrain comprises mainly gravel alluvium deposited by the Sava River and its tributaries, occasionally interrupted by isolated hills, whilst older alluvial layers have agglutinated into conglomerates. The most important activities are industry, small business, transportation, trade, tourism and agriculture, particularly stock farming, crop producing and fruit growing.
The slopes reveal a process that is characteristic to much of the Slovene Alps: forest overgrowth and the consequent rise of the forest line, namely, the altitude to which forest cover extends. The natural forest line lies between 1,600 m in western Slovenia and 1,900 m in eastern Slovenia. In the past, grazing and regular yearly mowing of pastures lowered the forest line by a few 100 m. New farming techniques, the abandonment of agriculture, and therefore of grazing and mowing, and ample precipitation have resulted in the spread of forests.
The Golnik climatic health resort (510 m) lies at the foot of the southern slopes of Kriška gora. It was built in 1916 for the purpose of treating war invalids from the Isonzo Front suffering from tuberculosis. The location was selected because it lies in a thermal belt above the valley floor and is therefore blessed with warmer temperatures, sunshine, good ventilation and no fog. The resort soon evolved into the most important centre for pulmonary surgery in the former Yugoslavia and played a crucial role in effectively treating and reducing the level of tuberculosis. After the Second World War, treatment was extended to cover all pulmonary and related illnesses. The resort has transformed into a modern hospital in the last decade.
Storžič (2,132 m), which the Kokra River severed from the central ridge of the Kamnik-Savinja Alps, is shaped like a pyramid or cone. The steep and rocky northern slopes comprise limestone which was reshaped by the receding glacier, whilst the forested southern slopes, which run along a fault, descend steeply but evenly to the valley floor. The first visitors, who conquered the peak in 1758, were botanists interested in the mountain's diverse flora. In 1938, nine skiers were killed by an avalanche on the northern side of the mountain, which is crossed by the Slovene Mountain Transversal

(Mimi Urbanc)