Velika Baba

Overview

Geographical structure: Eastern Alps > Kamnik Alps group > Central group of Kamnik Alps.


The panorama of Kamnik Alps from Storzic. Velika Baba is on the left.

Velika Baba means in English big old ugly woman. But this is only the name. In fact Velika Baba is very nice mountain but is not the mountain for everyone. On its summit go two marked routes. Both routes are ferratas. But one of the ferratas is now closed because some years ago there was huge rockfall and the iron ropes and wedges were destroyed. In this rockfall some climbers were killed.

Velika Baba is located on the north side of the main ridge of Kamnik Alps group. It is on the border between the Slovenia and Austria. On the frontier is a border ridge that is on the north side of the main ridge of Kamnik Alps and it is connected with the main ridge from the two passes Jezersko sedlo (2034m) and Savinjsko sedlo (2001m). From these two passes reaches up the huge Kriz (Koroska Rinka) (2433m). This border ridge comes from the border crossing Jezersko sedlo (pass) (1218m) from the NW side and goes all the time higher and higher over some important peaks to the Jezersko and Savinjsko sedlo where turns to the NE direction and continues over the hardest approachable mountain in Kamnik Alps group Mrzla gora (2203m) and some more important mountains to the village Solcava. From the border crossing Jezersko sedlo (pass) (1218m) to the Jezersko sedlo (pass) (2034m) are mountains: Zeleni vrh (1628m), Goli vrh (1788m) (that is very nice mountain and easy approachable from the Slovenian side from the valley Ravenska Kocna), Mala Baba (2018m), Velika Baba (2127m), Ledinski vrh (2108m) and a small and airy pyramid Storzek.

Velika Baba is from the top connected in the NW direction with its ½small sister½ Mala Baba. You reach the summit of Mala Baba if you go on Velika Baba over the NW ridge from the meadow Jenkova planina (1494m). On the E and NE side fall from the summit of Velika Baba around 300 meters high faces in to the big valley Belska Kocna/Vellacher Kotschuta (Austrian side). On the W and SW side fall bigger and more popular faces for climbing in the big valley Ravenska Kocna. From the summit is in the SE direction Velika Baba connected over the small pass Sedlo pod Babo (1989m) with Ledinski vrh. On the NE side of Ledinski vrh goes the normal approach on Velika Baba from the Jezersko sedlo (pass) and you reach the Sedlo pod Babo (pass). Now you cannot climb over the ferrata in the west face of Ledinski vrh on the Sedlo pod Babo (pass).

Velika Baba is not an easy mountain and if you want to reach the summit of it you must be good climber used to climb on ferratas. The best and the most popular possibility for reaching the Velika Baba is from the Ravenska Kocna over the Kranjska koca na Ledinah (hut) (1700m) and then over the Jezersko sedlo (pass) to the top.

Goli vrh

From Velika and Mala Baba towards the north a strong ridge goes down to Jenkova planina (meadow). Further towards the NW of Jenkova planina Goli vrh, 1787 m rises. This summit would be totally unimportant, if it was not offering such a nice panorama. All Kamnik Alps are arranged on the south and the view flies freely on the other directions. From Jenkova planina it can be reached by a marked path in less than 1 h (290 m), from the road down in the valley in 2 h (from Vellacher Kocna in less than 3 h). Actually there are two paths, the longer one returns back to Jenkova planina by the Austrian side, but it can be hardly traced.

So, Goli vrh can be a premium goal for a winter ascent or a late afternoon hike.

The ridge further towards NW goes over a forrested Zeleni vrh, 1622 m, and down to Jezerski vrh / Seeberg Sattel pass, 1218 m. It seems that this ridge has no evident path.

Thanks to Vid.

Getting There

The map of the Central part of Kamnik Alps. You can see Velika Baba on the map.

For a better overview see check the page of Kamnik Alps GROUP.

Velika Baba is easily accesible from the main road Ljubljana - Kranj - Jezersko (Austrian border). Jezersko sedlo (pass) is also approachable from the Austria from the village Vellach/Bela (844m). From the village Jezersko you drive in the valley Ravenska Kocna and you drive over the macadam road to the parking place. In Winter season you should park before the end of the route.


Maps:

Kamniske in Savinjske Alpe. Planinska zveza Slovenije. 1:50000.
Grintovci. Planinska zveza Slovenije. 1:25000.
Jezersko z okolico. Turisticno drustvo Jezersko. 1:25000.

Routes Overview

Marked routes:

Velika Baba is approachble over two marked routes. Both routes are hard and are only for good climbers.

NW ridge from the meadow Jenkova planina (1494m)

SE ridge from the Jezersko sedlo (pass)


Climbing routes:

Nova Centralna smer. UIAA IV, 700m. (SW face)

In Winter season many snow ravines all of difficulties.

There are also many other climbing routes but they are not so popular.

Red Tape

No limitations but please take care of nature.

When To Climb

The best time for climbing on Velika Baba over the marked routes is from June to October or when is snowless. It is the same thing for climbing in the faces.

For the Winter ascents is the best time when there is many snow in ravines and there is no avalanche risk.

You can also climb on some nice waterfalls.

Camping and huts

In valleys there are many tourist resorts.

You can find a lot of places for camping in valleys.

Kranjska koca na Ledinah (hut), 1700m, (04) 2367850, (050) 643423.

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Images

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