East ferrata on Velika baba

Overview

Velika Baba is a mountain in a shadow of higher and highly esteemed summits of Kamnik Alps like Grintavec, Kocna, Skuta and Rinke. This is the first reason why visitors avoid Velika Baba. The second reason is that the climb on it is pretty demanding. So the mountain doesn't have much visitors.

Getting There

The summit is reachable from Ravenska Kocna meadow over Jenkova Planina and Mala Baba to the top of Velika Baba. The other, more popular route to the summit of Velika Baba has its starting point at Kranjska koca na Ledinah (hut). There you can decide either for the easier path over Jezersko sedlo (pass) or the heavier ferrata over the monolyth south east wall of Velika Baba.

Route Description

The starting point is at Kranjska koca na Ledinah (hut). The path leads aproximatly 5 minutes in the direction towards Jezersko sedlo, then we start crossing the slopes in the direction of foothils of Velika Baba. Here under the wall we start with climbing. You can fold your trecking poles, put on helmet on head and perhaps self insurance gear. From the hut to the foothills of the wall you have 15 minutes. The rout has three longer climbing passages.

The first passage goes from the foothill to the mountain gorge between Velika Baba and Ledinski Vrh. We climb over a torned wall folowing steel ropes and pegs. There is nothing specially on this part, except some short horisontal crossings where we must hang out of the wall. When we almost think how easy the route is, we meet with difficulties. Over a steep ledge we descend to the wild gorge under the overhanging walls of Ledinski Vrh and the monolyth stone wall of Velika Baba. Dont stay here in gorge beacause of a high danger of falling stones from both sides, which is possible especially if there are other clmibers above.

Here we start with climbing over the second passage. The route goes from the gorge almost without winding directly up over the monolyth wall to the stone tine. The inclination of the wall begins with aproximately 30 and graduates to some 45 degreees, all the time over a good rock. If you have harness and self security gear, here is the right moment to use it beacause you climb up more then 200 meters until the stone tine.

When you reach the stone tine the difficulties are over - there starts the easier third passage. You just need some concentration for climbing from the stone tine to the horizontal path which goes round up to the summit. At the end we ascend over the short west ridge to the summit.

You can descend by the same route - only for hikers with good phisical condition - over Jezersko sedlo (sadle) or over the NW ridge.

Essential Gear

As i said in the description: helmet, self secure gear.

External Links

See also detail map

Images

View East ferrata on Velika baba Image Gallery - 6 Images