La Crusc - Lavarella (western summit)

Access to starting point:
A) From Kranjska Gora over Korensko sedlo to Austria, where at the first larger crossroad, we continue left towards Podklošter / Arnoldstein and Trbiž / Tarvisio. By the end of the settlement Podklošter signs for Šmohor / Hermagor point us to the right on a regional road, on which past the mentioned settlement we drive to the end of the valley Gailtal, or more precisely to the settlement Kötschach-Mauthen, where we turn right towards the settlement Oberdrauburg. The path ahead leads us over an Alpine mountain pass Gailbergsattel (982 meters), after which we descend into the mentioned settlement. After we cross the bridge through river Drau, we continue left towards the settlement Lienz. In the main roundabout in Lienz we continue "left" in the direction of the settlement Sillian and Italy. Further, we cross the border between Austria and Italy, and we follow the main road past settlements Dobbiaco / Toblach, Villabassa / Niederdorf, Monguelfo - Tesido / Welsberg - Taisten, Brunico / Brunec. Only a little after the last-mentioned settlement, past which leads a bypass road, we turn left into a valley Val Badia. Further, we drive through the mentioned valley, and we follow the road to the settlement Badia / Abtei. In the settlement Badia / Abtei we turn left and we park on a parking lot at the bottom station of the chairlift. With two chairlifts we then go to the highest point of the ski slope.
B) From Nova Gorica, we drive to Italy and drive forward on the highway to the settlement Portogruaro, where at the highway junction we turn in the direction of the settlement Belluno. We follow the highway to its end (we don't turn in the direction towards Belluno), and then we continue driving towards Cortina d'Ampezzo. When we get into Cortina d'Ampezzo, we follow the signs for Alpine mountain pass Passo Falzarego. On the mountain pass Passo Falzarego (2105 meters) we turn right in the direction of Alta Badia and we at first ascend on the neighbouring mountain pass Passo Valparola (2192 meters), and from there we descend into the mentioned valley, and we are driving there to the settlement Badia / Abtei. In the settlement Badia / Abtei we turn right and we park on a parking lot at the bottom station of the chairlift. With two chairlifts we then go to the highest point of the ski slope.
Chairlift in the summer months operates from 8:30 to 17:15.

Path description:
From the upper station of second chairlift we continue slightly right and on a wide path through the forest we ascend to the church. At the church, we continue right on the path number 15 following the signs »St. Kassian / S. Cassiano«. The path further long time crosses slopes towards the south and is mostly slightly descending. By the path from which there is a nice view mainly towards the west are also Stations of the Cross. When the path brings us to a marked crossing we continue left on the path 12A following the signs »Forc. La Varella«.
The path further starts ascending and runs mostly through a thin larch forest. Later, the path for a short time brings us into dwarf pines, after that from the right joins also the path from the settlement La Villa and S. Cassiano.
At the crossing, we continue left in the direction of saddle La Varella and the path through dwarf pines soon brings us on the scree. The further path is for some time ascending in zig-zags through the valley Val Medesc upwards. Later, the path turns on the left side of the valley below the slopes Piz de Medesc and is still ascending on the scree. Increasingly steep path then brings us on a saddle from which nice views open up also towards the east.
From the saddle on which there are signposts we continue right following the signs La Varella. The path on the scree soon brings us to little steeper slopes of the peak La Varella. Further, the path becomes demanding and runs on steep western slopes of the mountain. On some spots, the path steeply ascends, and then follows an ascent on quite wide ledge on which there is a lot of crumbly gravel. The path isn't secured and quite some caution is needed. We have to be especially careful at the descent, because the path is dangerous for slipping. From the ledge path turns a little to the left and steeply ascends on a rocky slope. After that, the path becomes again less demanding and it brings us to a crossing little below Lavarella.
Left leads the path on the eastern peak of Lavarella to which there is only few minutes of walking, and we continue right and we slightly descend to the notch between the eastern and western peak. On the notch, we continue straight on the path by the ridge. The path towards the summit is for a short time slightly exposed and then follows an undemanding ascent on the ridge to the top.

On the way: Forcella de Medesc (2533m)