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Kobariški Stol

viharnik16. 03. 2012 20:56:14

A long 155 km highway ride from Ljubljana via Nova Gorica took me to Kobarid. From there straight on the bike towards Breginj Kot to the village Sedlo. From there climbs a 12 km long high-mountain gravel and rocky road to Pl Božica in the saddle of Mali vrh. To the antenna repeater station it went still okay. Later the road had more stones and gravel (stopping under the wheels) which very much hindered riding, and on such distances also caused fatigue. Meanwhile the sun despite it still being spring did its thing, so I walked parts of the upper path with the bike and it felt good. Above 1300 m only a bit cooler wind blows, otherwise heat haze from grass was waving like in the Sahara. Good there was 2 l of water in the Camelbak available. In 3 h 30 min I finally arrived at the saddle at 1400 m height and enjoyed the views. On return to Učeja right behind the edge of Pl. Božica I entered pure winter and changed the summer jacket for softshell and gloves. About 2 km I rode on ice and snow until I reached the dry road. To m.p. Učeja from the top about 8 km descent, even nicer descent from Učeja on asphalt to the regional road Bovec-Kobarid, where it flew like a mad skier!, read 60 km/h. In between the front derailleur cable snapped and so I rode only in sixth gear at 18 km/h towards Kobarid. In Bovec I met Igor Zlodej who was just coming from skiing on Kanin and while chatting in the sun at the local pub with 2x radler we enjoyed the rest of the afternoon. Over Vršič on the way home I checked the snow and through full Kranjska Gora of fans of our Kranjec I headed to Ljubljana.
The tour is a total of 55 km with 5 h riding and beautiful views. I recommend ascent only from Učeja, descent to Breginj by road or along the ridge over bivak Hlek and Starinjski vrh to Trnovo ob Soči with little walking. nasmeh

Kobariški Stol View of K. Stol from Stanovišče

Kobariški Stol Abnormally long serpentines, nearly 1km

Kobariški Stol At the antenna station at 1130m

Kobariški Stol The summit is still half a km higher

Kobariški Stol Snow on the road from steep gully slides

Kobariški Stol This is how the road winds slowly and lazily in switchbacks on the S slopes of Stol

Kobariški Stol On the level area at 1400m, Krn in the background

Kobariški Stol I drive up to 1440m towards Stol

Kobariški Stol Snow remnants on the saddle

Kobariški Stol On Verlih, to the right Mali vrh 1405m

Kobariški Stol View from where I came, far left Kobarid

Kobariški Stol Behind the saddle, a beautiful view of Kanin opens up

Kobariški Stol And other giants of the Julian Alps

Kobariški Stol On the shady north, ice and snow

Kobariški Stol It went well on the bike tracks

Kobariški Stol After 40 min of careful ice descent already at Učja

Kobariški Stol Velika Dnina in the goblin-like sunset

(+9)

kofetarca16. 03. 2012 22:01:37

Nice tour you did, we went in summer the opposite way, from Bovec over Učejo to the saddle, down to Trnovo and back to Bovec. Also long and strenuous eek

(+3)

rinča18. 03. 2012 19:51:43

Good job Viharnik, that you came up the southern side. I went the opposite and it seemed to me that the descent on that zigzag road was endlessly long and in between I stopped twice because my hands hurt from braking and shaking mežikanje

I told myself that up there never jezik

(+1)

viharnik18. 03. 2012 21:25:21

Yes, uphill from the south is really quite strenuous not so much because of the elevation difference (Kobarid 258m-Na Verlih 1400m), but because of the gravel and larger stones that stop you at every pedal turn, sometimes a stone, sometimes gravel, sometimes jumping. All that is outweighed by the special light coastal-mountain air with ambiance and luxurious views. Worth every repetition of the tour and visit to pleasant Kobarid or Bovec. Nearby is also the Napoleonic path in the gorge of the emerald Soča. For the ridge path I saw that sign in Kobarid for Stol in 4 hours. mežikanje

(+1)

bos24. 07. 2013 12:00:55

On Monday my better half and I did the route Breginj - Sv. Marjeta - Kobariški Stol - along the ridge to the bivouac under Muzec - Breginj.
First we were accompanied by bearded vultures, then also paragliders nasmeh

view from starting point - up there to the ridge we have to go

view back on the walked path along the ridge and Kobariški Stol

still descent to Breginj, Muzec peak in the back

yet the last view of the ridge to Kobariški Stol

(+3)

dm7213. 10. 2013 20:31:45

Not to the top of Kobariški Stol, but only to planina Božca. Just a bit different than described above. Tour start at Boka along the main road to the former border crossing Učja, where a few meters before a gravel road turns left. A bit of asphalt at the beginning. To the pasture a still quite well-maintained path winds. From Žaga to planina Božca it's over 13km. The location of this 1370m high pasture is very scenic. From here I continue to the other Kobariška side, where soon a path branches left towards Trnovo along which my today's descent went. (On the right, the road descends the slope of Stol into Breginjski kot). The descent is extremely picturesque as we see the valley low below all the time. The ridge crossing is about 3km, then the path (marked for Trnovo) descends into the forest, where at the beginning the path is not drivable, except for brave downhillers with full-suspension bikes. We carry the bike for about 10min, then we reach the path again, which is worse at first, then better and better. To Trnovo 8km descent. Then along the main road back to Boka. Wonderful tour, those who know it will agree it's one of the most scenic MTB tours with beautiful views either from the village Sedlo or the one I did. Worth a visit.

(+8)

Becar29. 05. 2016 13:55:27

Is there still any snow on the steeper sections on the direct path from Breginj?

stella29. 05. 2016 17:08:51

No, the path is dry. I returned to Breginj via the direct path last Saturday.
Good luck.

(+1)

Crazy climber27. 06. 2017 10:05:33

Yesterday we went with family from Breginj to Stol, nice view, later Rombon opened up too, central Julian Alps were covered. Then we traversed to Mali Muzec to bivouac and back to Breginj, crazy nice day. Good luck! cool

(+2)

maregol22. 07. 2017 18:34:28

Hi.
Interested in the condition of the road from Učeja or Žaga to planina Božca? Thanks

alyas1. 09. 2017 15:56:03

Žaga - Učeja - Kobariški Stol (Božca) - Trnovo - Žaga (circular MTB tour, conditions 27.8.2017)

As for previous opinions, we probably all agree it's truly one of the most beautiful and scenic MTB tours here, but unfortunately has that one small flaw that you can't ride it fully, but have to push the bike for a good km of trail from planina under Starinjski vrh through forest on hiking path, sadly dismount briefly. But right after follows generous adrenaline descent part on more or less flat forest road all to Trnovo, where without good suspension or amortizer it can shake you well, but we're used to that anyway. Some go up also in this direction, we met a few, but I think the originally described tour direction is still better.

Other conditions: road from Učeja to Božca is solid, locally macadam a bit more stony and rough, some places more gravel, but with wide tires and good tread no problem. Anyway where a 2WD van can drive up (that transport paragliders up), MTB surely can too. Trip possible even on hot day, as north side of Kobariški Stol is almost fully forested providing pleasant shade on ascent. Although this summer extremely hot with little rain, still could supply with water at all usual spots along path and at bivak Hlek.