Jalovec – King of Slovenian mountains

If Triglav is the “ruler” of the Slovenian highlands and a symbol of Slovenia, and Škrlatica is the queen of Slovenian mountains, then Jalovec is the undisputed king of mountains on the sunny side of the Alps and, for many, the most beautiful mountain in Slovenia.

With 2645 meters, Jalovec is the 6th highest mountain in Slovenia (if we also count Mali Triglav as an independent mountain), it lies in the very western part of our territory, its northern wall ends the Tamar valley, in the west its slopes descend steeply into a mysterious and somewhat forgotten valley of Loška Koritnica, to the south we descend from Jalovec into the magical valley of Zadnja Trenta, and from the east to its summit the ridge of Mojstrovki, Šit and other peaks above Tamar leads.

In addition to Jalovac, this part of the Julian Alps is dominated by Mangart, which stands on the other “bank” of the Loška Koritnica and together form two mighty rocky masses that rise more than 2,600 meters high.

Subtitles in the trip

1. How long does it take to go to Jalovec?
2. Ascent to Jalovec
   • Jalovec from Zadnja Trenta
   • Jalovec from Vršič
   • Jalovec from Tamar
   • Jalovec from Loška Koritnica
3. Jalovec circular tour
4. Views from Jalovec
5. When is the best time to visit Jalovac?
6. Conclusion

By the way, if you are looking for more ideas for similar climbs in our highlands, I invite you to read the articles where I invite you to Grintovec, Triglav, Škrlatica, Mangart, Kanin, Špik, Prisojnik, Bavški Grintavec, Malo Mojstrovka and Jezerska Kočna, otherwise but you can find all climbs in the highlands in this tab.

How long does it take to go to Jalovec?

2. Ascent to Jalovec

There are only two marked trails leading to the top of Jalovec, one from Kotovo sadle, which can be climbed from Planica and Loška Koritnica Valley, and the other from Jezerce, which can be reached from the starting points in valleys Loška Koritnica, Bavšica, Zadnji Trenta and Vršič pass.

The shortest and probably the most popular ascent to Jalovec is from the Zadnja Trenta valley, past the shelter under Špiček, and the ascents from Planica and Vršič are not far behind. Otherwise, all climbs to the king of Slovenian mountains are technically and physically very demanding and will take you at least 6 hours of climbing and about as much descending.

Jalovec from Zadnja Trenta

Zadnja Trenta is, in my opinion, the most fairy-tale valley in our country. Quite a bold claim in view of so many beautiful valleys that our Alps and the pre-Alpine world have. It is true that I do not know all the valleys yet, but this claim has a solid foundation in the beauty and experiences that the visitor can experience upon entering it. You can read more about this in the article about the Trenta.

The starting point for climbing Jalovec is at the end of the road in Zadnja Trenta at the parking lot, which is also known as “Flori”. There, the mountain signs direct us to the right bank, looking up the valley, and the signs indicate that it takes 4 hours to reach the shelter under Špiček (a bit exaggerated, realistically the climb takes about 3 hours) and 5 hours to Jalovec.

Unlike most climbs that start in alpine valleys, where the trail continues to climb the valley for some time, here it is a little different, as the trail immediately bites into the slope and begins to climb in serpentines through the forest. The steepness practically does not give way and forces us to take a moderate step and breathe deeply.

After about 45 minutes, we climb up to the first intersection, where we keep to the left, and the signpost invites us to Vršič to the right. After a further 30 minutes of walking, the path leads us out of the forest for the first time, to a small clearing, which indicates that the forest will slowly begin to fade and give way to ruins and meadows.

In about an hour and a half, we reach another intersection, where the path from Bavški Grintavec joins us from the left (see this path in this video). If you are only going to the shelter under Špiček on the first day, the sign with the mark 2 hours here will demotivate you a little but don’t worry, in about 15 minutes we will reach a new intersection, where the path from Vršič joins us from the right, and there we can already see the shelter and the shelter sign under Špiček 1 hour.

Hand on heart, the shelter looks much closer, but the path to it is “dragging” and in the end it will really take us about 1 hour to climb. A little before the crossing, wonderful views of the surrounding peaks begin to open up, and they become even more beautiful with each further walked meter. The ground also changes, as we slowly move to stone and gravel ground.

About 10 minutes before the shelter, we reach a new intersection, where the path to the right invites us to Jalovec, but if we continue straight, we will reach the shelter. If your destination is Jalovec, then turn right here, and if you need an intermediate stop, just walk to the shelter…

In the next 15 minutes, we will climb to the first rocky walls and also the steel lines. Here I advise you to put away your hiking poles, but you can also put on safety helmets and, if desired, a self-safety belt.

From here onwards, the more technically demanding part of the ascent begins, and practically all the way to the top (with a short break in between) we will be accompanied by wedges, steel cables and steep rocky walls. So that everything will not be just “difficult” and “dangerous”, the rocky walls will conjure up ever more beautiful views towards the heart of the Julian Alps, into the Zadnja Trenta valley, to the shelter under Špiček…

After about 15 minutes of ascent, the path takes us to the eastern slope of Veliki Ozebnik, which we cross all the time upwards and slightly to the right. Here, most will need short or long breaks to catch their breath and wipe off sweat. with a 180° turn and views towards Triglav, Razor, Prisojnik, Kanjavec… all this will be much more pleasant.

Below the top of Veliki Ozebnik, the first more challenging part of the ascent ends and for a short time the path flattens out and we even experience some descent. This part of the trail is called Jezerca, and the last of the trails leading to the top of Jalovec from the southern end of the mountain joins us at the scree.

If you haven’t put on a helmet by now, it’s probably high time now, because the last, more challenging part of the route is waiting for us to the top. In particular, the first part of the climb to the ridge is quite exposed in places, there is also a lot of sand underfoot and thus a greater risk of a possible slip, so caution and a safe step are not superfluous.

Soon, however, the path moves into a kind of meadow and is no longer so exposed, so even those of you who have problems with heights can relax a little more and enjoy the climb.

About 30 minutes below the top of Jalovec, we reach the top of the ridge, where we have fantastic views of the valley of Loška Koritnica, the Kanin foothills, the ridge of Loška wall, Bavški Grintavec, and a view towards Primorska.

From here to the top, the path is much easier and physically less demanding. The peak of Jalovec is still quite far away, but we will be just below it, where we will reach the last intersection, where the path from Kotovo sedle joins us. Here it is only a minute or two of climbing to the top.

Jalovec from Vršič

There is probably no Slovene who does not know our highest road pass through Vršič. Not only does the road to the top have great historical significance, as it was built by prisoners of war from the Russian front during World War I, but it is also a very popular tourist spot and one of the best starting points for trips to the highlands.

For the journey to Jalovec or to the shelter under Špiček, we will walk towards the “coastal” end of the pass, at the souvenir shop on the right side of the road, signs will direct us to the path that we will follow for the next few hours.

If we look at the average, we will descend slightly for a good half of the way, and we will climb a little steeper for the other half of the way. Well, really, to begin with, we will descend steeper and cross scree, and then we will climb quite steeply, but only for a short time. After that, a steep descent of almost 4 kilometers begins.

Most of the route goes through the forest, but in many places, we have truly fantastic views, which stop in the valley of the Zadnya Trenta, Bavški Grintavec and the peaks and grassy slopes in the surrounding area.

A little before we start climbing, we come to the first intersection, where the path to Jalovec over Jalovška Škrbina branches off to the right. I have not walked this path yet, but I know that it is technically more demanding than the one past the shelter.

After a few minutes, we reach another intersection, where the path to the Zadnja Trenta valley branches off to the left, in both cases we continue straight toward the shelter under Špiček.

Just somewhere here, the slight descent turns into an ascent, which ends at the top of our destination, 2645 meters high, so it is necessary to brace up and start slowly biting the knees and breathing a little deeper.

After about 45 minutes of ascent, we reach a new intersection, which is already outside the forest, so we can also see the shelter under Špiček a little higher (1 hour). Here, too, the signposts again invite us towards Zadnja Trenta (2 hours), but we once again insist on our path and continue straight.

Hand on heart, the shelter looks much closer, but the path to it is “dragging” and in the end it will really take us about 1 hour to climb. A little before the crossing, wonderful views of the surrounding peaks begin to open up, and they become even more beautiful with each further walked meter. The ground also changes, as we slowly move to stone and gravel ground.

About 10 minutes before the shelter, we reach a new intersection, where the path to the right invites us to a Jalovec, but if we continue straight, we will reach the shelter. If your destination is Jalovec, then turn right here, and if you need an intermediate stop, just walk to the shelter…

In the next 15 minutes, we will climb to the first rocky walls and also the steel lines. Here I advise you to put away your hiking poles, but you can also put on safety helmets and, if desired, a self-safety belt.

From here onwards, the more technically demanding part of the ascent begins, and practically all the way to the top (with a short break in between) we will be accompanied by wedges, steel cables and steep rocky walls. So that everything will not be just “difficult” and “dangerous”, the rocky walls will conjure up ever more beautiful views towards the heart of the Julian Alps, into the Zadnja Trenta valley, to the shelter under Špiček…

After about 15 minutes of ascent, the path takes us to the eastern slope of Veliki Ozebnik, which we cross all the time upwards and slightly to the right. Here, most will need short or long breaks to catch their breath and wipe off sweat. with a 180° turn and views towards Triglav, Razor, Prisojnik, Kanjavec… all this will be much more pleasant.

Below the top of Veliki Ozebnik, the first more challenging part of the ascent ends and for a short time the path flattens out and we even experience some descent. This part of the trail is called Jezerca, and the last of the trails leading to the top of Jalovac from the southern end of the mountain joins us at the scree.

If you haven’t put on a helmet by now, it’s probably high time now, because the last, more challenging part of the route is waiting for us to the top. In particular, the first part of the climb to the ridge is quite exposed in places, there is also a lot of sand underfoot and thus a greater risk of a possible slip, so caution and a safe step are not superfluous.

Soon, however, the path moves into a kind of meadow and is no longer so exposed, so even those of you who have problems with heights can relax a little more and enjoy the climb.

About 30 minutes below the top of Jalovac, we reach the top of the ridge, where we have fantastic views of the valley of Loška Koritnica, the Kaninska foothills, the ridge of Loška stene, Bavško Grintavac, and a view towards Primorska.

From here to the top, the path is much easier and physically less demanding. The peak of Jalovac is still quite far away, but we will be just below it, where we will reach the last intersection, where the path from Kotovo Sadle joins us. Here it is only a minute or two of climbing to the top.

Jalovec from Planica

The title for this climb could also be, From the snow queen to the king of the Slovenian mountains! Of course, we all know Planica, so I won’t waste words about the starting point. Drive to Planica, park somewhere opposite big ski flying hill and start your journey towards Tamar. The path to Tamar is just right for warming up, about 45 minutes long, with a slight incline…

In Tamar, behind the mountain lodge, mountain signs invite us slightly to the right, in the direction of Jalovec and Ponce. The path climbs very moderately through the forest for some time, during this time we also pass the intersection, where the path to Ponce branches off to the right, and we go straight towards the end of the valley.

When we come out of the forest, the first change in slope awaits us, precisely somewhere in this place, the path climbs steeper and slowly moves to scree. at first the path is still very beautiful, but soon we come to bigger rocks where climbing will be a bit more tiring and quite a bit of energy will be wasted due to the rolling stones under our feet.

The path is well marked and also very well visible. After about 2 and a half hours of walking, we reach a new intersection, where we can decide whether to go towards Kotovo sadle along the scree, or past the bivouac, I personally advise you to choose the route past the bivouac, as it is safer physically somewhat forgiving, scree climbs are always very tiring.

Here the path turns to the right and climbs quite steeply, namely from the valley we start to climb a steep slope, which is not excessively exposed, but caution when walking is still not superfluous, and the steel cable will also help us on those more difficult parts. As we gain height, we also have increasingly beautiful views of the route we have taken and the peaks that rise above Tamar.

Higher up, the path turns to the left and soon we find ourselves in a ruin that accompanies us only for a short time. This is where the path ends and we soon find ourselves on a large plateau, where grass and huge rocks reign. A bivouac under Kotovo saddle is also set up for one of the largest, which is about 100 meters from the trail to the right. The path climbs moderately between the rocks for some time and takes us more and more to the right, towards Kotovo saddle, below the saddle the path becomes more upright again.

A new crossing awaits us at Kotov saddle, through the sled into the valley of Loška Koritnica, the path leads us towards Mangart or into the valley itself, and we keep to the left in the direction of Jalovec, to which we still have about 2 and a half hours of climbing.

At first, the ascent is still technically easy, as we climb the ridge, or just below it, the rocks we walk on have excellent grip, so climbing can be quite fast. Higher up, the path becomes more stony and we slowly come under the Jalovec tree, where we move into the rock, between the wedges and the steel line.

The path comes to an end here and there are many steel cables and wedges to help us overcome the height. The first part of the ascent passes under the small Jalovec, and after crossing the 2nd or 3rd ravine, we move under the 2645-meter-high King. there are not many steel cables in this part of the route, as the slope of the wall we climb is not excessive, but still steep enough to see the Loška Koritnica valley about 1,000 meters below. If you don’t like such scenes, it’s probably better to look ahead and look for markings and directional signs, or just follow the person in front of you.

The path to the top is led along ledges and in some places it is quite difficult to see, so it is necessary to constantly look for markers and follow them, because otherwise you can quickly find yourself in a rut. Just a minute or so below the summit, the path from Jezerce joins us from the right, we continue to the left and we can already look forward to reaching the summit…

Jalovec from Loška Koritnica valley

If until now I have described the routes to Jalovec, which are very well known to most mountaineers and consequently also visited, the route from our next starting point in Loška Koritnica is the exact opposite. The valley of Loška Koritnica itself is completely unknown to the average mountaineer, and even more so the paths that lead to Jalovec and Mangart.

From Loška Koritnica, you can climb to Jalovec by two different routes, one leads via Kotovo saddle and is shorter, but in my opinion not as beautiful (mainly for walking as we climb over 2 screes), the other, which I will also introduce to you , and leads over the saddle over Brežice and past the shelter under Špiček.

I left the car myself in front of the prison in the valley of Loška Koritnica, from there it is necessary to walk along the macadam road for about half an hour to the last houses, where the road slowly turns into a mule track. We follow it for another 5 minutes, when we reach the intersection, where our path branches off to the right towards the Koritnica riverbed.

I had a lot of work to do with crossing the Koritnica, but a long jump with the help of hiking poles was enough to cross the stream dry. Then we move for a short time to scree, which we practically just cross. You can enter the wall in two parts, I followed the markings and entered the wall at the lower entrance, if you enter the wall at the upper entrance, you will have quite a few less pegs and steel cables (see video).

The first part of the ascent up the wall is quite an adrenaline rush, the climbing is practically vertical, between the ascents there are several crossings with a narrow path and ever deeper chasms. Everything is perfectly equipped and protected, but still, if you’re bloody under the skin, some adrenaline circulates through your veins.

After crossing the path from the upper entrance, the path moves a little into the slope and the slope slightly decreases, and there are not so many steel cables anymore, although there are still quite a few. Everything becomes more hiking and not so much climbing.

We even move into the forest for a while, but soon we find ourselves again surrounded by bushes, which make it difficult for us to see the path, but do not hinder us much when we walk. Higher then cross the ravine to the left and then climb the meadow to the plateau between Jalovec and Loška stena.

Throughout the entire first part of the ascent, we are accompanied by truly fantastic views of Loška Koritnica, towards Mangart, Jerebica, and higher up, when we reach the plateau, we can even see the top of Jalovec.

On the plateau, the path turns slightly to the right towards the saddle over Brežice. The view of the ascent that awaits us is truly fabulous, as in front of us is a grassy slope with huge rocks strewn across it. While climbing, don’t forget to look back every now and then, because the view towards Jalovec is always more beautiful. Also, pay attention to possible marmots, I didn’t see them myself, but I heard quite a few of their beeps.

The saddle over Brežice is the junction of Loška Koritnica and Bavšica, and if you head towards Jalovec from this valley, the route will be the same from here on. The view in Bavšica is much “kinder” than in Koritnica, because there are no such dark walls leading to the valley and everything looks more relaxed.

Just a few meters above the saddle, we will have to climb again along the steel cable and with the help of wedges, and then we will climb the scenic grassy ridge to the new steel cables. Even here, the path is well protected, but the ground is quite loose and the path is very narrow, so the risk of slipping is quite high.

We then continue our ascent on a fairly steep scree, but the steel cable also helps us in our ascent. Higher up, we come to a grassy slope again, which leads us to the last, more challenging, about 8-meter-high, practically vertical climb, from where we are separated by a rather nasty scree climb to the “Škrbina pod Gradom” saddle, but if you were able to get here, this too will go without problems.

From here to the shelter under Špiček, we have practically only a descent. We are about 200 meters higher than the shelter itself. From the saddle, the marked path turns left onto a steep meadow, but for the descent, in my opinion, it is better to use scree. After a quick descent, the path then takes us to the right, where we cross scree for some time, and the path soon leads us to a more divided terrain, where we walk past many rocks and boulders.

As we descend the scree, increasingly beautiful views begin to open up towards Prisojnik, Razor, Triglav… but when we get from the rocks to the grassy slope, the view opens up to Zadnja Trenta. The good news is that the shelter under Špiček is just around the corner, and with it a well-deserved break.

From the shelter under Špiček, we descend for a few meters, and then the path towards Jalovec branches off to the left and we begin crossing the slope towards the beginning of the new part of the path, which is equipped with steel cables and wedges. While crossing, we can read 2 or 3 wise thoughts of the former caretaker of the shelter – Francelj

From here onwards, the more technically demanding part of the ascent begins, and practically all the way to the top (with a short break in between) we will be accompanied by wedges, steel cables and steep rocky walls. So that everything will not be just “difficult” and “dangerous”, the rocky walls will conjure up ever more beautiful views towards the heart of the Julian Alps, into the Zadnja Trenta valley, to the shelter under Špiček…

After about 15 minutes of ascent, the path takes us to the eastern slope of Veliki Ozebnik, which we cross all the time upwards and slightly to the right. Here, most will need short or long breaks to catch their breath and wipe off sweat. with a 180° turn and views towards Triglav, Razorje, Prisojnik, Kanjavec… all this will be much more pleasant.

Below the top of Veliki Ozebnik, the first more challenging part of the ascent ends and for a short time the path flattens out and we even experience some descent. This part of the trail is called Jezerca, and the last of the trails leading to the top of Jalovec from the southern end of the mountain joins us at the scree.

If you haven’t put on a helmet by now, it’s probably high time now, because the last, more challenging part of the route is waiting for us to the top. In particular, the first part of the climb to the ridge is quite exposed in places, there is also a lot of sand underfoot and thus a greater risk of a possible slip, so caution and a safe step are not superfluous.

Soon, however, the path moves into a kind of meadow and is no longer so exposed, so even those of you who have problems with heights can relax a little more and enjoy the climb.

About 30 minutes below the top of Jalovec, we reach the top of the ridge, where we have fantastic views of the valley of Loška Koritnica, the Kaninska foothills, the ridge of Loška stene, Bavško Grintavac, and a view towards Primorska.

From here to the top, the path is much easier and physically less demanding. The peak of Jalovec is still quite far away, but we will be just below it, where we will reach the last intersection, where the path from Kotovo saddle joins us. Here it is only a minute or two of climbing to the top.

3. Jalovec – circular tour

Considering the number of starting points and routes that lead to Jalovec, it is not surprising that the experience conjured up by climbing the 6th highest mountain in Slovenia can be enriched by a circular tour, which for me personally is an even better and above all more varied experience in getting to know and experiencing the mountains.

Below I offer you 2 options for tours that I have done myself, but it would be possible to “ride” another one.

Loška Koritnica valley- Shelter under Špičko – Jalovec – Kotovo saddle – Loška Koritnica valley

I already wrote about the ascent of Jalovec from Loška Koritnica in the above paragraphs, so I advise you to read more about the ascent there, I will write a little about the descent below, and it will be even better if you watch the video below because the video says more than 1000 words.

From Jalovec to Kotovo saddle, the path is technically very demanding, and you also have to be very careful and attentive when following the markings and signs, because in some parts, especially on the slope of Jalovec, the path along the rock ledges is not well visible.

Otherwise, it is necessary to cross two ravines, descend 3x or 4x along the steel line and with the help of wedges, we are already on “solid” ground on the ridge above Kotovo saddle. If you have completed the ascent from Loška Koritnica, the descent from Jalovec to Kotovo saddle should also not cause you any problems.

We then have a bit of a “classic” high-altitude tour waiting for us to reach Kotovo saddle, where the path descends rather steeply in sharp bends along a more or less sandy path, and lower down we reach meadows and rocky ledges.

From Kotovo saddle to the starting point, about half of the descent still separates us, that is, another 2 hours and 30 minutes. That much is said to be needed for the descent from Jalovec to Kotovo saddle.

The descent on the western side of the saddle is initially on scree, but lower down we also reach somewhat harder and more stable ground underfoot. It will also be necessary to descend through a more demanding part of the path, where steel cables and wedges are helpful, and then the path descends gently towards the scree of the Loška Koritnica valley.

When we reach the valley, the path over scree takes us to the right side of the valley, where we move into the forest along a rather poorly visible path, but only for a short time, because soon after that we cross a meadow, above which we can hear and also see a waterfall that flows from Mangart.

At the end of the meadow, we move to the mule track and follow it all the way to the intersection, where we crossed Koritnica on the way up. During the descent, we cross the mountain, where there is a hunting lodge at the very edge of the forest, and just a little lower we reach the first water directly next to the path.

Planica – Kotovo saddle – Jalovec – Vršič – Planica

I have already written enough about the ascent from Planica, and at the end of this I am attaching a video in which you will see a little more about the ascent, as Luka and I did it at night, but you will be able to get a much better idea of the descent towards Vršič and then past the Črna voda waterfall to Tamar.

Otherwise, if you are not very fast, I advise you to make a two-day tour and spend the night in the shelter under Špiček, which is exactly halfway along the way. And the caretakers at the shelter are really great girls!

But this is a really great idea for a circular tour, otherwise quite different from the one above, because you will meet quite a few mountaineers along the paths you will walk, especially after you get to Vršič and towards Slemenova špica. But sometimes this is also a good thing because it means that the paths are well-trodden and usually marked.

4. Views from Jalovac

Jalovec is also a royal mountain as far as the views are concerned, if you are lucky enough to find yourself on it when the weather is nice, warm and sunny and there is no wind, then pleasure is guaranteed!

In 2022, Luka and I waited for the sunrise at the top of Jalovec, the night was warm, with practically no wind, and the day after that was like a fairy tale. A single pleasure.

For me personally, the most impressive view from Jalovec is the deep valleys that surround it. Above all, the view of Loška Koritnica is simply incredible. Of course, Tamar and Zadnja Trenta are also not far behind, but the view is towards Kotovo Saddle, Mangart, and all the other peaks. We can practically see all the important peaks in the Julian Alps, from Kanin, Bavaški Grintavec, Krn, Kanjavac, Triglav, Razor, Škrlatica, Prisojnik… We can also enjoy the view of a part of the Karavanke range and the Kamnik-Savinja Alps.

5. When is the best time to visit Jalovec

The simplest answer to this question would be when the weather is nice and stable. It’s usually the case that at the end of summer, in the second half of August and the beginning of September, the weather is supposed to be more stable than in July, but given the weather we’ve had in recent years, I don’t even know if that’s still true.

In any case, do not tackle Jalovec too early in the summer, as you may be “surprised” by another snowfield on the way to the top, which you will not be able to cross safely without winter equipment.

In the more autumnal period, keep in mind the already much shorter days and the fact that the shelter under Špiček is only open in the summer season.

6. Conclusion

I believe that in the article you got answers to all the possible questions you had regarding the ascent of Jalovec, and if you have any more, just write them down in the comments or write to my e-mail address.

And don’t forget, Jalovec is a mountain that requires good physical and mental preparation and should not be taken with the left hand, but above all, start the ascent in suitable weather, so the memories of the ascent will be much better.

I wish you a nice day and let’s go to the nature!