List of forums / Slovenia / Julian Alps / Mala Martuljška Ponca / Page 8

Mala Martuljška Ponca

Janez Seliškar21. 08. 2020 20:16:31

Unlike the trio from the previous post, we ascend from Lower Kotel via the right passage. Then across Middle Kotel and left to Peč Ridge to the entry of the scree slope leading to the notch between the Poncas. The upper part of the gully is extremely eroded! From the notch to the summit and back, past Three Larches to the start. Crumbly, cluttered, demanding.

Collapsed and washed-out gully in the upper part

On the scree below VMP there are two huge avalanche gullies that are difficult to cross

(+5)

lijaneja21. 08. 2020 20:41:36

Has that menacing rock just below the saddle already tumbled into the valley?

jax21. 08. 2020 20:46:09

Well up there everything is menacing, but nothing particularly dangerous, I didn't notice. Honestly, the descent from Three Larches was the hardest for me. Mountaineers with some mileage are used to fallen gullies. But such completely smooth transitions are really rare in our mountains.

(+1)

Janez Seliškar23. 08. 2020 07:50:09

That boulder up in the gully will wait for a few more thunderstorms to wash away the scree around it.
There under Three Larches it's really eroded to exhaustion. Here the quality of a good sole shows, simply trust the friction and your own judgment.

(+3)

dprapr23. 08. 2020 09:15:48

No such force. There's a path zigzagging down those steep grasses left to the little ridge and then right there are some rollers before the gully. But if you go straight down from the basin, there's a nice rock.

Janez Seliškar23. 08. 2020 11:25:45

Drago, an alpinist's eyes see difficulties completely differently than us hikers. Especially if we are in the company of less experienced ones.

(+2)

misace25. 06. 2021 05:43:37

Yesterday 24.6. redbull's report reminded me of the summit with the most different elevations mežikanje

Up through the Kotle and past the Macesnovih to Ingota. Third time failing the passage between the basins... I put on crampons above the upper one and with intermediate removal for fun from the saddle "drop" at the Macesnih. Below enough hardened for skiing on the soles straight to Ak, with ice axe in hand. Anything more due to plenty of "precipitation" from the live rock face not worth risking. Holds well in the morning, but already gone at the saddle for easy entry into the wall. Now that the white cows have been driven in, Ingo will also be open. Waterfalls already properly visited. Enough water that you have to go to the bridge if you don't want to get wet. By 12:30 already properly hot.

(+5)

lijaneja26. 07. 2021 18:30:22

Yesterday it pulled me up too. A bit after six I start on the well-known path, despite Sunday and prominent location no living soul anywhere. Above Middle Kotel I meet only Dejan, who was already returning to the valley.
At the spring below the bivouac I fill water, as a quite hot day was promised. From the dry streambed I turn at the cairn right into the sparse forest, which unfortunately gets harder to pass every year due to overgrowth. This year a fallen tree joined the troubles and you arrive at the lower Kotel all scratched and sweaty if you don't have long pants and sleeves. Luckily this path is routine for me, higher up it's only annoying in one place. I put on crampons right below the wall of the higher neighbor and elegantly reach the saddle where the south wind pulls strongly. There I leave the gear, nice scrambling to the top of the mountain is less than ten minutes. Up top I shelter, the next hour I dealt with sandwich, camera and summit logbook which shows a very sad state. Attitude towards it is at a very low level. With respectful browsing I found at least ten of my entries, hope there is space for at least one more.
I return in the ascent direction, visit the bivouac too and check what happened to the new fence from last year in front of it.

Crampons on the boots and enjoyment of the ascent to the saddle.

Even here the access becomes more demanding every year.

I treat to a feast whoever finds my drying clothes in the picture.

...which from the saddle shows a monstrous face,

Kukova špica, Široka peč and Dovški križ.

A young cow would slip down here, but I picked my way slowly...

...and back in an hour and a half. (On the slabs 2039)

Ponca from in front of the bivouac under Špik.

(+9)

n3jc26. 07. 2021 21:04:53

The summit log in 2019 was over 20 years old and super well preserved, inside was still Mihelič's entry from a trip a few years before the publication of Northern Approaches. Small piece of history, insignificant in the "big picture", but still heritage and sanctity.

Whatever happened to it in the last two years, which didn't in the previous twenty - pity that it did.

(+1)

redbull26. 07. 2021 21:08:30

MMP via Kotels (25.07.21)

In three days of vacation with mine in Gorenjska, early morning time was found to head under Spik. Many years ago I returned with my father via this pathless terrain. I definitely like it. Goal wasn't even MMP, summit Na Peči would suffice. But quickly realized that with some skill you can reach the saddle between Poncami even without crampons. Between snow and wall plenty of space to climb up. Compared to other variants this year this was still easy. But wind blew insanely from Dnina. From Na Peči summit upper part of Spik's gully visible and snow melting there already. Pleasant chat with Tonetom, whom I met above Middle kotel. Back in valley quickly, so before lunch we all went to the first Martuljek waterfall.

scree where we stumbled many times these months

Steep part of the gully, with the naked eye I think I even saw that tree down which Jovan and Janez abseiled a few years ago

Also one of the descent variants to Za Ak

In Spodnji kotel, if you stray a bit from the path you can quickly spot the beauties

(+3)

redbull27. 03. 2022 10:42:36

MMP (Upper Kotel) and over Kačji Jezik to V. Oltar (26.3.22)
The path to Za Akom is icy from the parking (by the road) onwards. The wire on traverses is very useful. Without winter gear you have no chance here if you want to reach the bivouac. In the streambed I put on gaiters and a nice view opens to the Martuljek kingdom. Walking in footsteps was still quite good, but I did the ascent a bit differently. No tracks, not even ski tracks into the right gully leading between Lower and Upper Kotel. I searched for a harder base and succeeded. From Sp. Kotel there is a ski track that surprised me positively. The base was not that bad and I was already standing on the summit of Na Pečeh. Here I put on crampons; I didn't need them from the streambed onwards to here. On the ski icy track there was no sinking, but I didn't feel like walking far left or right. Surprisingly quickly at the saddle with a view towards Dnina. Not much snow, the rope is even visible. Nice scrambling, of course with crampons. Špik had huge crowds. After descent back down the gully I kept the higher line to the right under the wall, deep sinking in the sun. I went towards Kačji Jezik to check the snow. You can only tell if you are close. Snow in the shade very good. Two ascent lines possible and probably no one went here this year. From the saddle onwards along the ridge classic II climbing. Super weather, not hot in the shade. Very careful ascent, especially descent here over. Currently really not easy, given little precipitation this year it is still well "stuck" to the wall. Descent to larches very sinking. Jugova Grapa reachable, right branch. On the flat part I needed huge time for 300m length (part by stream before turning to bivouac), as it sank to the "balls". I took off crampons only in the forest 10 min before the turnoff to Ingota. I even expected conditions much worse, it was great.

view to the other side, to the more trampled side towards Dnina

again a view to the other side towards Dnina, from another perspective

access to the upper part towards VMP can be discerned from the photo

(+8)

lijaneja27. 03. 2022 13:37:10

Super tour, Dejan. Interesting that this year above the lower chimney the crust is minimal. (pic. 26)

(+1)

redbull27. 03. 2022 14:10:56

After this one the normal ascent would be possible, but they still trust the neighboring right one mežikanje

; there are footprints in it.

lijaneja27. 03. 2022 14:17:35

I have never gone right, but lately I like the approach from Dnina more and more, good 10 min above the bivouac.

dprapr27. 03. 2022 14:50:23

Picture 23
I assume the hardest of those you climbed and traversed.
Nicely "strolled" above Martuljek. nasmeh

(+1)

redbull27. 03. 2022 15:27:09

Tone: for the ascent it's best as you said, right after the bivouac left up.
Drago: Right you are, for me the hardest but at home. If I look abroad, surely Lion Ridge on Cervino/Matterhorn was harder for me.

(+1)

Dr_Ursic28. 03. 2022 06:55:22

Deyko, we went right; it's a plain just a bit uphill leaning. velik nasmeh

(+1)

lijaneja19. 07. 2022 11:15:42

The first time I started this tour a bit with fear, so yesterday I set the alarm for 4 a.m., since such a long descent the knee hasn't tested since last year's injury. In the morning freshness I stopped at the spring, also turned to the bivouac and left the wet shirt on the fence. As a big safety guy, I dragged the ice axe the whole way, which was just ballast. Under the saddle it's completely dry and due to the terrain the approach is five times harder than on snow. At the saddle I leave some unnecessary gear and climb to the summit, where in underpants I enjoyed the super weather. I leafed through the book and photographed all my approaches to the summit. Since there are very few visits to this mountain, there's space for quite a few entries, but due to the worn booklet I ask future visitors to handle it gently; a quality PVC case would be welcome.
Except on Špik I didn't notice or meet any people, nor from Ingota hear anything alive. On the 'bypass' above the lower cauldron someone pinched some twigs a bit, but should have used at least a fox tail instead of tweezers to clear the path better. Above the middle cauldron there's also a bunch of cairns, which are welcome. Despite them, I advise first-timers the tour not in fog.

On these hikes I almost always visit it.

Up to the bivouac, the sun rays haven't penetrated yet.

What all has this poor larch already experienced.

Left peak Na pečeh 2039, in front Zgornji Kotel.

Scree towards the saddle between the Poncas...

...which in the upper part is unfortunately already without snow and the approach is extremely demanding...

...which is evident from the view from the saddle.

On the other side towards Dnina, however, the matter is even more demanding.

At the top. The only one who watched me from above...

Špik and Lipnica, in front the inaccessible forepeak of my mountain.

During my long stay at the summit, on Špik...

If I was the only one on Mala, there were two on Velika. (why can't a smiley be attached here)

BG, Prisank and Pelci in the background.

Here instead of Pelci, Prisank's Zvonika are posing nicely.

Suddenly some mist, behind Mojstrovke Jalovec and Mangart.

In front of the hut in Krnica they have new sunshades

The first visit to this mountain was in winter twenty years ago.

The second was in summer in combination with VMP

Here we were in the largest group. Unfortunately, now only one is able to reach the summit.

There was exceptionally little snow this winter

Coexistence of the early and the late ones.

MMP from the saddle. First 20 height meters good II, remaining 50 I.

At Peče. The shirt on the fence dried long ago.

Under it, a natural bivouac for quite a few people.

Only at three in the afternoon back at the bivouac.

'Na Pečeh', where I lounged on the grass two hours ago.

(+12)

Kostja Jerovšek26. 06. 2023 14:06:39

Today while the weather lasts, early under Špik, over Kotle to Peči and under Visoka Ponca all through snow nicely to the saddle. From there still a hop to the top. All as before. As for the book, there's enough space considering the number of visits. The cover is really torn. I gave it a new bag and returned past 3 larches behind Ak to Ruta home. Someone cut some scrub from Pod Špika past the lower cauldron to the middle one. Luckily didn't overdo it so it's nicely passable without scratches. 😊 Snow is soft but crampons and ice axe are still “mandatory gear”.