Pri Mlinču - Mangart (slovenska pot)

Access to starting point:
a) Via the Rateče border crossing we drive into Italy, then in Trbiž / Tarvisio we turn left towards Predel / Cave del Predil. After a few 100 m we turn left again in the same direction, then at the crossroads by Rabeljsko jezero / Lago del Predil we continue straight on the main road towards Slovenia (right Nevejski preval (Na Žlebeh) / Sella Nevea). This is followed by a few serpentines and driving through the tunnel, then we arrive at the Predel border crossing, after which we drive back into Slovenia. In the continuation we start descending, then before the bridge with the largest arch in the Julian Alps (bridge over Mangartski potok (on the road sign marked bridge Predel 129 m)) we turn left towards Mangart. Immediately after the crossroads a side branch of the road branches off, where the parking lot is marked.
b) From Primorska we drive to Log pod Mangartom, from there we continue driving towards Italy. Even before we arrive at the Predel border crossing, after the Predel bridge (bridge over Mangartski potok) we turn right towards Mangart. We park immediately after the bridge at the marked parking lot on the side branch of the road.

Path description:
From the starting point we continue along the asphalt road that leads towards Mangartsko sedlo, we ascend along it to the first right bend, or to the place where it crosses Mangartski potok. At the mentioned bend, even before we cross the bridge, we continue straight onto the footpath in the direction of Mangartska planina. We continue the path with a beautiful view of Mangart, along the path that ascends parallel to the stream, a little higher we also cross the Stože landslide, which was triggered in November 2000. When we leave the landslide area we gradually enter the forest, through which we moderately ascend to the western edge of Mangartska planina.
When we step onto the planina we walk to the nearby shepherd's hut, after which we continue along a somewhat overgrown path that leads across the planina. After crossing the planina we arrive in a belt of forest, then quickly reach a narrower belt of meadow, along which the old abandoned road continues (we can also reach here if on the planina we continue along the road and then at the first fork left in the direction of Mangartsko sedlo). The poorer road or cart track ascends gently, then when we cross the torrent it finally turns into a mountain path. This is followed by a few minutes of moderate ascent, then we cross the asphalt road. On the other side of the road we ascend along gentle steps, then we reach a clearing, where the path turns left and begins to ascend relatively steeply. After a few minutes of ascent we cross the road again, then a few steps higher we reach it again.
Here the marked path continues right (left unmarked path across Gladki rob) and takes us with beautiful views of Loška stena to a smaller tunnel. After the tunnel a nicer view towards Mangart opens to us, then when we arrive in the belt of larch forest we leave the road and continue left along the marked path that cuts the bend. When after a few steps we step back onto the asphalt road we just cross it and continue the ascent along the marked path, which first ascends moderately, then levels and continues transversely to the right. During the crossing we first arrive at a smaller gully, then to the Nakel torrent gully (the Nakel gully starts already on the border ridge itself, then it steeply descends all the way to the Koritnica river (in the lower part the stream flows under the name Ilovec)). We exit the gully transversely to the right, then the path turns left and begins to ascend steeply. For a few minutes we ascend steeply, then we approach the torrent again, where the path turns right and ascends transversely across a short jump. After the jump the path levels out a bit, then across a mostly grassy slope, with beautiful views of the surrounding mountains, it brings us back to the Mangart road, which we follow to the right. Already soon after we step onto the road the path brings us to the last tunnel, which is quite long. Because the road is quite busy, it is good to use a flashlight in the tunnel so that other participants can notice us more easily. After the tunnel we cross another gully, then we arrive at a smaller intersection, where we continue left in the direction of Mangartska koča na Mangartskem sedlu. From the intersection only a few more minutes of walking and we arrive at the mentioned mountain hut.
Behind the hut we look for the continuation of the marked path that leads towards Mangartsko sedlo. The path ahead first ascends gently, then moderately along a scenic grassy slope. Higher we reach the asphalt road, stepping onto it right at the intersection where the one-way road begins. We continue along the upper right road, from it we soon go left onto the marked footpath (we can also continue along the road and ascend to the border ridge or to the transverse path under Travnik from a few minutes distant left serpentine), along which we ascend past a lesser-known two-thousander (Rdeča glava 2043 m) to Mangartsko sedlo.
Before we reach the saddle we cross the road once more, then when we reach the ridge we continue right. The path ahead leads us with beautiful views towards the Mangart (Belopeško, also Klanško) lakes and other surrounding mountains, the view reaches all the way to the Carnic Alps, Gailtal Alps and High Tauern. This is followed by a few minutes of traversing, then from the right the previously mentioned path that bypasses Mangartsko sedlo joins us. After crossing Travnik or Strmi nos, there follows traversing under the steep Rateški Mali Mangart, then we quickly reach the marked fork where the Italian and Slovenian paths separate.
We continue right in the direction of the Slovenian path (left the technically easier Italian path), which in a slight descent crosses a smaller scree, then we already arrive at the climbing part of the path to Mangart. In the continuation the path is exposed to falling rocks, therefore the use of a helmet is mandatory for a safer ascent.
Already at the very beginning of the climbing part the path ascends steeply, pitons and steel cables help us with progress. After this part the path temporarily levels out, then passes onto an artificially made ledge that is well protected. After the ledge we cross a gully which is very exposed to falling rocks, on the other side of the gully we again begin to ascend steeply. Due to the considerable steepness we occasionally have to help ourselves with our hands, the path continues ascending along the gully and occasional deep precipices for some time. Higher the path turns somewhat left and gradually becomes technically less demanding. A little further ahead we already see the cross in front of us, and only a short, technically undemanding ascent separates us from the summit.
We can descend via the somewhat easier Italian path.

Pri Mlinču - Mangartska planina 0:35, Mangartska planina - Mangartska koča 1:45, Mangartska koča - Mangartsko sedlo 0:25, Mangartsko sedlo - odcep k Bivaku Nogara 0:15, odcep k Bivaku Nogara - razcep poti 0:15, razcep poti - Mangart 1:30.

On the way: Mangartska planina (1295m), Gorenji stan (1474m), Gornji stan (1560m), Vzletišče Mangart tunel (1787m), Mangartska koča (1906m), Mangartsko sedlo (20250m), Odcep k Bivaku Nogara (2146m), Razcep poti (2228m), Rama (2531m)