| VanSims6. 08. 2013 19:48:57 |
On Sunday morning I park at the starting point for Corsi hut in Rabeljska valley and head up the half-gravel, half-concrete road to the hut. Already during the ascent I imagine how ugly the trudging downhill will be on the way back. I reach Viška planina where I catch up with two Italians whom I met already at the parking lot. The view of the Viš group from there is wonderful. We chat a bit about who is going where, then I head to Sentiero Tedeschi towards Corsi.
After crossing the stream and walking through the forest I reach the first cables. The path is otherwise not demanding; the cables are practically only for holding on at exposed parts. About 15 minutes before Corsi I see a gully ahead and get a bit scared that the path will climb it, but it goes left. Well, the gully becomes quite tempting upon observation...  Well, let's try. With a little effort and caution I climb it, and when I emerge from it I am back on the marked path in a few steps, right after the last cable. I correctly assumed that the path just bypasses the gully. If someone wants to imitate this 'foolishness', I warn that it is quite crumbly; the holds and steps are not very stable and it looks a bit harder than at first glance. Another 10 minutes and I am at Corsi. 'Ben arrivato!', the warden greets me; with his pointed gray beard and sunglasses he gives a slight ZZ Top vibe!  I eat strudel and continue towards Viš.
The path from Corsi is well marked, but the junctions are poorly signed. After all the complications due to poorly marked intersections (I wrote a description of how to go as a comment on the route description 'Nevejsko sedlo - Viš' on this portal) I reach the point where the free-climbing section begins (there is some rock grabbing earlier too). After climbing that and walking another 15-20 minutes, I reach the cables. The cables lead through a natural window. When the cables end, the technical difficulties end too. To the summit it's then mostly normal walking.
There were some people at the summit; I sit a bit and snack. I see that the statue of Mary is much smaller than it appears in pictures.  Then two Croats from Rovinj arrive from the west; in conversation with the Italians they reveal that they climbed Gola Nord-Ovest (not Nord-Est!!!). They slept in Mazzeni bivouac. Otherwise, the summit offers a view of practically all our Julijce with all the main prominent peaks; Kanin is of course right in front of your nose.  To the north, the Ankogel group with Hochalmspitze was nicely visible. In front, a nice view of Poldašnja špica and the entire ridge to Dunjska špica. Višarije and Kamniti lovec are not visible from the summit but from the path just below it. Ah yes, the indispensable Dobrač again! The Karnijci were visible only from Ojstrnik to Gartnerkofel as the view further to Amariane was obscured by thick smoke. At first it looked like rising haze or fog, and I feared a thunderstorm was brewing since they were forecast. I still remember the experience from the Pyrenees when fog rising from the valley turned into a severe storm after about an hour.  Well, then I see that this 'fog' has one common origin somewhere towards Tolmezzo. The Italians on the summit also spoke of 'incendio' (fire). 'Bruccia il vulcano!', one of them calls out. Today I read online that there was a fire on Monte Jovet above Reklanska valley. And it was serious, as could be inferred from the huge smoke cloud. 
Then I descend. I elegantly avoid the Riten climbers just before the fork for Mojzesova škrbina with an unmarked crossing towards the path coming from the fork. I start crossing a few switchbacks below the cables, and when I reach the path to the škrbina, it's only another 15-20 minutes to it. From Mojzes I also climb to Koštrunove špice. Up there I don't know how to get from the marked path to the military stairs leading to the actual summit. I first circle the ridge on the right side. No, it won't work; there's an abyss between me and the start of the stairs... Then I almost give up and want to continue towards Škrbina prednje špranje when, shortly after the secured crossing just before the path turns down, I spot an opportunity. It's not so easy on the grass (in wet conditions not even worth trying); finally I'm at the stairs. Carefully, due to scree, I climb them and, after checking the tunnel, to the summit. You have to be careful for the first few meters from the tunnel, but then finally up. At the summit again a little snack and views... From the barbed wire still scattered all around the slopes, a cross has been made at the summit. In memory of the war horrors that took place here, as evidenced by the tunnels and other remains.
Then I descend; at the tunnel you literally have to jump (and throw the backpack down first) as otherwise it really doesn't work. Down the stairs carefully; then I get a bit lost on the ridge but return to the path, though I have to go through that cable section again where I started from the marked path to the summit. Then I continue towards Škrbina prednje špranje. The path is quite steep (especially right after the start of the descent and just before the škrbina) and probably dangerous for slipping in wet grass, but otherwise technically undemanding. Approaching the škrbina from above, I notice the smoke from Reklanska valley again, which is taking on the shape of an atomic mushroom and becoming sinisterly red in the setting sun. I had seen some chamois earlier, but before the škrbina there's a unique surprise: a whole herd! About 15-20. I see two butting horns. They were right above me on the rock! Unique! I would have watched them, but time was pressing. It was already getting dark. In the škrbina itself I meet another 5-6. There I also head back towards Viška planina. I reach it already in almost total darkness. From there, trudging down that concrete, which was not pleasant at all for tired legs, back to the car. Poles are no use here as they can easily catch in a drainage channel; a foot can catch too in such a gap, so a headlamp is essential in the dark.
Of course in Trbiž obligatory beer and Italian ice cream. Both really hit the spot after the demanding tour.
Next weekend the neighbor that tempted me so invitingly from the other side of Zajzera.
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