Slovenes love mountains. They love them so much they put one on their flag – Triglav. Triglav is all and good. If not for the fact that everyone wants to climb it, Triglav is still a pretty neat peak. But there are so many other peaks in Slovenia, just as fascinating with views as good. Sometimes, the best views are not off the highest peak, but of the highest peak. Here are two such cases, Jerebikovec and Debela peč. We have already seen other cases further west in the Julians.

You might still not be totally alone on these peaks that are not Tirglav, but the traffic, especially on Jerebikovec and on the Krma-side trail up to Debela pec, is much quieter. The directness of both paths probably have something to do with the solitude. That peace and quiet along with fantastic views do come with a price in sweat.

Geography of the East Side of Triglav

Coming off the top of Triglav – 2864 meters – are three deeply incised valleys giving access to the peak above. The northern valley, Vrata, separates the Triglav and Skrlatica massifs by a depth of over 1800 meters. There are two iron routes ascending the lower sections of the north face of Triglav, neither “easy” but still are popular. The middle valley, the Kot, gets you to the top of Triglav the fastest. While not quite as stupendously scenic as the neighboring routes, the scenery is still quite enthralling. The valley furthest to the east, the Krma, is about as long as the Vrata, but not quite as deep with peaks rising a mere 1600 meters on the north side – Rjavina 2632 meters – and 1000 meters on the south – Debela pec 2014 meters.

Jerebikovec

Steep beginnings

The way up Jerebikovec starts out from the road leading to Radovna from Mojstrana.  There is a large sign announcing entrance into the Triglav National Park with a few places you can park a car along the side.  Alternatively, it is about a kilometer walk from the bus stop in Mojstrana.  On the east side of the road, find the sign for “Jerebikovec” and start heading up on the trail through the forest.

For the first hour, you simply go up in typical Slovene-style with very few switchbacks.  There is not much in the way of views until after a half hour you get to a point called Macesnovec where you have a nice view across the Sava Valley at Doje and Kepa in the Karawanke.

View from Macesnovec of Dovška Baba/Frauenkogel – on the right, with Mlinca/Mlinzasattel in the middle and ridge on the left leading over to Kepa/Mittagskogel. Dovje is the village on the bottom.

ever upwards

Keep going up, finally reaching a few switchbacks to ease the pain.  An hour up you reach an old meadow – Mežakla – where you pass a monument to a monument to local partisans who fought here in World War Two.  The upper part of the meadow is known as Tilčev rovt where you walk on an old forest road for a short distance walking around the top of the meadow.  A sign on the right points to “Jerebikovec” and you resume your climb in the forest.

pay off

This time, it is not long before you reach a ridge in the woods you follow to the summit.  On the top, is a small meadow and a little hut.  The views from here make the hike all come together.  To the south and west, the Kot and Krma valleys with Rjavina, Triglav and Skrlatica all on majestic display.  To the north and north east, the Karavanke stands out across the Sava valley.

From the summit ridge on Jerebikovec look down the Krma and Debela peč is an obvious highpoint on the eastern wall of the glacially incised valley.  The way up from the valley floor looks steep.

Krma valley on the left; Rjavina is the prominent shadowed peak in the middle with Triglav behind to the right; Skrlatica is just in the tree on the far right.

summit heaven

From atop Jerebikovec, return the same way you came up.  Figure on three hours for the climb and descent.  You gain 863 meters and cover a little under 5.5 kilometers.

Debela peč

beginnings

Now that you are warmed up, it is time for Debela peč.  Most of the time I see Debela peč translated as “fat furnace”, but I have also seen “fat perch” or “fat crag”.  This is the furthest east 2000+ meter peak in the Julian Alps.  Most of your way up will be lonely.  The way is very steep and 95% of the people who climb Debela peč, do so from the much easier south side.  But you want a bit of a challenge thrown in with your magnificent views.

sidetracks

To get to the start, follow the road from Mojstrana to Radovna.  Radovna is a magical place where I love to simply enjoy the magnificent views of the Krma from a table outside of the Gostilna Psnak with an appropriate beer.  But for the hike, drive on.  Past the Psnak on the east edge of the follow the road going off to the right, signed for Krma and the Pocarjeva domačija – the latter being an 18th century traditional farmhouse which is a fascinating visit if you have the time and they are open. You are now passing from under the shadow of Jerebikovec with Debela peč soaring above on your left.

Drive past the Pocar farm and passing by a mountain hut built in the late 1940’s by local iron workers from Jesenice, the Kovinarska koča v Krmi (870 meters).  Further yet, you come to a gate and a parking lot.  Most all the cars here are parked for people hiking up farther in the Krma valley, one of the access routes to Triglav.  In fact, this used to be the route taken by supply horses going from Radovna to service the mountain huts high around the base of Triglav.

STEEPER YET!

A short way from the parking lot, turn left onto the signed path for Debela peč.  The path is flat for a few minutes until you get up against the south wall of Krma.  From here on, steep is the word.  The path was only built in 1952.  It is slightly thin, but always fairly obvious as you go up, sometimes needing an iron spike, some stairs and an occasional steel cable to help along the way.  You need dry weather; the rock would be dangerous if wet.  After crossing a gully where the iron spikes lie, you ascend constantly through thin forests eventually reaching onto rock ledges.

pokljuka ridge

Finally, you reach Lipanska vrata – 1898 meters – where the steepness moderates as you crest the canyon.  Dropping down slightly, you come to a trail intersection where you turn left towards Brda and Debela peč.  Brda – reached barely above the 2000-meter mark at 2008 meters – is gained on a short side trail – highly recommended for its view of Debela peč ahead.  A little further along, after a short descent, is the final ten-minute ascent to the summit.

Debela peč reached

The views are superb.  Triglav and the Krma dominate your attention, but from Debela peč you can also look north to Jerebikovec rising above the Radovna and the Karavanke – Austria beyond. To the east towards stands the Kamnik group with Grintovec.

variants and descent

There are other easier ways up.  Coming from the south and the Pokljuka Plateau which you can reach by car from Bled, the path only takes about an hour to summit with the 750-meter elevation gain being much more gradual.  The scenery from the top and the relative eas of the trail ensures that after you crest the Lipanska vrata, you will be back within the land of the living.

Too quickly it is time to go down.  The descent is tedious, but not quite as hard as going up.  Figure on a little over 3 hours for the trek up with a gain of 1120 meters along the way.