| Parkeljc17. 04. 2012 18:39:36 |
In the morning the decision is made to check snow conditions at altitude around 1800m. I drive to Ljubelj, park there, then along the road past the hut, follows a few-minute descent on the road to the right branch and then immediately sharply right onto the border ridge. The path was frozen all the way due to low temperature and real knee-knocker right up to the ladder. Near the ladder there's a not at all pleasant bend, which is secured with a cable, but the path collapsed, shaky little bridge from rotten wooden poles..
Snow begins right below Dovjak Saddle. When crossing the wooden fence, where we stick to the marked path no. 650, suddenly snow up to knees, after a few meters descent to the Austrian side, when crossing the second fence there's snow up to waist in places suddenly and more. Sometimes it went on top since the snow was frozen, mostly sank quite above the knees. When crossing the northern slopes of Košutica, several small snow slides were triggered, which don't pose any obstacle. From the rock boulder somewhere in the middle of the slope to the saddle between Košutica and LG I do a test of keeping calm nerves and hold the curse at the tip of my tongue, as it sank deeper with every step. Well, right below the saddle the conditions calm down for a while. From here to the top it looks like a piece of cake, but alas, psych test again, soon the bushes became all denser, I start fighting with branches that hide the path, sometimes fall over waist into snow, thrash and thrash, sometimes it goes only under the bushes, I pant to the top wet, but literally wet, as the snow slowly started melting. At the top short rest and back the same path. Went faster, luckily sank only here and there and reach Dovjak Saddle in less than half an hour. The path from Grunta was the complete opposite of the morning one, muddy, squelched more with every step, the sun thoroughly softened the frozen ground. On the path I meet a ptarmigan, which dodges off the path at the last moment when I spot it, I think I would probably fare worse  .
Descent on the path before the ladder is a real muddy slide, need to be really careful.
Follows only a short descent to the old road and ascent to the hut, where the keeper and some hikers surprise me.
By the way, I learn that the hut will "probably" be open all summer this year.
Already today about 25 hikers are supposed to visit it.
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