Storžič: Up and Down the Wild Psica Ridge - long version

Описание: Storžič (2,132 m) is the most recognizable peak of the Kamnik–Savinja Alps; a sharply conical mountain whose name derives from the Slovenian word for “cone.” It dominates the skyline above central Slovenia and attracts heavy traffic via its normal southern route.

This ascent takes the less-used western ridge known as Psica; one of the wildest conventional approaches to Storžič that does not rely on a classic via ferrata line.

Starting from the village of Povlje, the route climbs steeply through mixed beech and spruce forest toward the saddle above Velika poljana. From there, the choice is simple; an easier southern ascent or the long, exposed ridge of Psica. I chose the ridge.

Psica is narrow, windy and uneven; a true up-and-down crest with multiple minor summits, including a peak named Psica itself. The terrain alternates between grassy sections, dwarf pine, and increasingly serious scrambling toward the northern face. The ridge demands balance, orientation and comfort with exposure, but avoids the fixed-cable infrastructure typical of modern via ferratas.

Near the end of the ascent, the route merges with the famous Žrelo Via Ferrata and reaches the summit from the west. In contrast to the solitude of the ridge, the summit of Storžič is typically crowded with hikers arriving from the south.

After a brief stay, I descended via Javorniška grapa and Javorniška planina, completing a logical loop back to Povlje. The southern slopes were hot and windless; a sharp contrast to the breezy ridge earlier in the day. A short stop by the brook on Javorniška planina marked the final quiet moment before returning to the valley.

No drone footage; stable July weather; steady wind on the ridge; clear visibility. A compact half-day alpine loop focused on route variety and terrain character rather than distance.

This video documents:

Storžič via Psica ridge

a non-standard approach in the Kamnik–Savinja Alps

exposed scrambling without committing to a full via ferrata

a practical loop ascent and descent

For hikers seeking a wilder alternative to Storžič’s normal route, Psica offers sustained ridge movement and technical variety without extreme risk.

Shorter (3:01) version: (   • Storžič: up and  down the wild Psica ridge...  )
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2023-06-17 Storžič (2132m), Kamniške Alpe, Slovenija
Povlje (725m) - Koča na Veliki Poljani (1380m) - Psica (1769m) - Vrh Žrela (1842m) - Storžič (2132m) - Planina Javornik (1370m) - Povlje (725m)

0:08 Povlje
2:55 Velika Poljana
7:11 Storžič
9:33 Javorniška grapa
11:11 Planina Javornik
12:04 Povlje
12:16 Relive outro
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Music: Chris Zabriskie - The Dark Glow of the mountains
Published by You’ve Been a Wonderful Laugh Track (ASCAP)
© 2009 Chris Zabriskie
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/...
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