Primož Jakopin, photo diary

Rakitna foothills, Lanski vrh and Golobinka
A beautiful cave in the south of the Ljubljana Valley

1, 2, 8 and 11 March, 26 pictures

Most images are approximately 768 times 1024 pixels in size, numbers in front of the picture descriptions are the serial numbers of the original photo files. Names of several cave parts were given by the author. Marjan Baričič, Marjan Juvan - Manč, Janez Modrijan - Modrc, Andrej Drevenšek - Vrtnar and Igor Maksim Košir - Ičo participated on March 2 (Radošca 2/80), and Vladimir Levašov significantly contributed to the success of the trip on March 11 to Golobinka cave.

The page, texts and photos copyright (c) Primož Jakopin - Klok 2023, except for the photos VL16 and VL17 which are the work of Vladimir Levašov, who is also the copyright holder (published with his permission).

Towards Rakitna plateau, March 1

52111. Quite close to the Rakitna road, a mile or so down the forest road from the Hunting lodge Plehanov laz, is Kevderc na Zavodih, cave registry number 5608, 15 meters long and 4 meters deep. It's very close to the forest road, below its north side, and is easy to locate. In the photo - a view of the doline with the cave from the south side. The northern edge of the doline is the lowest, but a rope would still be required. The author will come again when the weather is drier, and the snow is gone.

52112. At the end of 2015, colleagues from the Railroad caving club (JKŽ) registered an interesting cave not far away, called Beauty and the Beast, cave registry number 11663, 35 meters long and 15 meters deep. Aleš Lajovic alerted the author to have alook at it. The starting point, about 500 meters from the cave, is the intersection of the forest roads in the photo. There was still too much snow that the forest trail which is passing by the pit would be well visible. The author was forced to return, for the second time.

Lanski vrh, March 2

52114. Manč during the installation of a wooden support, which will additionally stabilize the large rock next to the wall.

52115. Andrej descended into the cave and replaced Klok as the assistant of Manč.

Skednena jama

52117. View from the first hall of the South tunnel back to the passage from the Main tunnel

52119. View of the hall from the step leading to the chimney

52120. Calcite concretions in the Chapel

Pekel (Hell Gorge) near Borovnica, March 8

52162. A pool at the foot of the rapids

52160. Rapids bwlow the first waterfall

52161. View of the second waterfall

Golobinka cave, March 11

52164. The road along the southern slope of Novaška gora, the end of which offers the nearest access to Golobinka, was impassable shortly after its beginningas the snow at the end of February felled several foot-thick spruce trees. Therefore, it was necessary to take the road on the northern side of Novaška gora, along Rakitna village. After it ends in the west there is a carriage track in the direction of the cave. In the photo - the slope of Mt. Krimšček (940 meters), where the marked trail along its western side begins.

52165. The usual, albeit longer, but easier access to the cave with an entrance at 700 meters above sea level, its full name is Golobinka pri Borovnica, is from the lower side, after the village of Brezovica pri Borovnici, from an altitude of 360 meters. The author and Vladimir went from the upper, Rakitna side, where there is no clear path and access along a steep grassy slope with a sparse low forest is quite demanding. They were descending along the easternmost ridge, about 50 meters too far to the east, and when the author thought they were already too low, they crossed to the west. They soon noticed a good track leading from the valley, a little to the east of the cave. It later turns to the west below the summit plateau, along the isohypsis on the slope. The two were maybe 20 meters too low. Therefore, they ascended along the path, and later followed a poorly visible smaller path which forked off, to the cave entrance. The last stretch is especially demanding, the steepness of the slope is quite pronounced, and an eventual slide could be fatal. In the photo - a view from the cave entrance to the northwest, to the south side of the Borovnica basin. The village of Brezovica near Borovnica is in the foreground.

52166. Vladimir in front of the cave entrance

52167. The entrance is not large, ...

52168. ... but it's still easy to slide inside, today over dry leaves.

52171. A view of the inside of the cave. A shorter horizontal section is followed by a descent among the boulders.

52173. It was well into the afternoon and the rays of the sun were shining at a low angle to the opposite wall.

52176. Climb between the boulders soon leads to a ledge (middle above), from where there is a steep descent to the bottom of the Big hall. A rope is called for, if tied around the rocks closer to the edge, a 40-meter one is enough, otherwise a 50-meter one is required. It is possible to descend freely along the rope, but the author preferred to do it with climbing gear. In the photo - a view from the bottom of the western slope of the hall with Vladimir, already close to the end of the 40-meter rope.

52174. The eastern wall of the Big hall is beautifully colored in white and brown.

52178. On the right (south) side of the bottom of the hall, there is a fissure-shaped chimney at the side, through which it is possible to climb between the stalactites, about four meters high. A window opens into the neighboring, much smaller, but beautiful Stalactite hall. The descent into it is not too demanding for young climbers, but less skilled people need a rope, also to go up and down the chimney. A 15 meters long rope was at hand, but a 10-meter one also do the job.

VL16. View of the stalactites in the upper part of the hall opens up from the window.

52182. Flowstone covered niche at the end of the hall

VL17. Klok is taking pictures.

52185. View back from the end of the hall towards the entrance to the Big hall

52180. On the lower side of the hall, in several places, there are narrow passages to a small water stream. There is also a small lake on the west side, table-sized. Vladimir could see it, but not zhe author - the time was in short supply.

52187. At the north end of the hall, towards the exit, there is a nicely curled but broken stalagmite column on the floor. What broke it?