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Mala Ponca 1925 m

ločanka16. 07. 2019 20:25:01

Little Ponca has been planned many times, but other plans always overrode it.
Modestly sits at the edge of its mighty sisters and doesn't suggest that if you head to its summit, a wonderful high mountain excursion awaits you, as you've headed to real mountain heavens.
Even though you step on a summit that doesn't even have 2000 m, you feel the splendor of high mountains, how could you not, as you gaze at giants that steeply and boldly rise above Mangart valley.

You stare in beauty as you ascend along the wonderful path through a real larch grove, turn eyes back and marvel at the beauty you didn't expect.
What beauty awaits the hiker who heads along this path in the time of autumn golden larches, I couldn't imagine anymore, as it will be necessary to see this sight live this autumn nasmeh

.

We did a circular route from lower Mangart lake, of course first ascended to Vratca, where we looked across the border to the Slovenian side. Continued along the crumbly gully towards the summit. Descent continued past Zacchi hut back to the car.

We agreed that we did a really wonderful mountain trip, worth repeating nasmeh

ptarmigan persisting on the ridge of Visoka Ponca

cheerful at Zacchi hut, Avsenik's song was also heard

Cascade, reminds me of the entrance to the Amphitheater

(+10)

panda17. 07. 2019 07:24:29

Yes, drinks are quite expensive at the hut. Also down by the lake not less (4.50 eur for a large beer).

(+1)

bos25. 07. 2019 12:25:46

I agree with everything, as the previous one wrote jezik

.
Really, it will be necessary to return here once in autumn nasmeh

path that says: Lieber brennende Herzen, als erloschene Traume!

the more difficult section is well secured

nice view of Poldnik (Kopa) and Jezersko planina with the upper lake

(+1)

lilyd4. 08. 2019 17:26:34

More than a decade ago we were at Little Ponca from Belopeška Lakes, this time from Tamar. Four of us went from home, the 25-year-old took his own tour, the three of us along PP path (Planica-Pokljuka). The path was planned for years by Uroš Župančič and Dušan Vodeb, since 1978 it's only for select with climbing knowledge, but this first part accessible also to hikers with experience, like our guide, the mastermind, full of knowledge and good will to show to some...thanks. The path is not marked, only occasionally with red dot and PP sign. We find a boulder with sign, near the signpost for High and Middle Ponca. The path is nicely laid through the forest, some cairns, mostly easy to follow. At one point a little dilemma, quickly the guide figures we need to carefully go right. At two places wire rope helps, forest ends and we reach mountain world. Nature beautiful, views too, alpine flowers, blueberries...We reach Spodnji Grunt plateau and steeper ascent to Vratca notch, where there's a group of hikers who obviously missed the sign for High Ponca. We see Alpe Adria Trail sign, but not quite clear where it leads. We descend a bit to Italian side, superb view of Mangart, turn right towards Little Ponca. Another short steeper ascent, where more caution needed and we're at the summit. Three and a half hours ascent behind us, 1,100 elevation gain. Views super towards Stone Hunter and Višarje, towards Dobrač and Peč tripoint...Enjoying the summit, observing nature. Descent was planned at ski jumps in Planica, we missed the junction, perhaps misled by new path leading past SLATNA hut to bike path in Rateče.Still refreshment and way to Vršič, to find our youngster, who swapped planned ascent to Slemenova Špica for ascent to shelter under Špička, instead of to Vršič, descended to Trenta...

(+4)

Tadej6. 09. 2019 08:11:11

Some photos from the trip to Vratca and ascent to nearby Glave.
Path from Rateče and from ski jumps is normally passable, but quite slippery in shady parts.

Best, Tadej

(+4)

bagi27. 05. 2020 09:20:27

After a good decade I repeated the approach from Planica and some minor things are now different. Previously there was a well-trodden direction to the hidden hunter's path right next to the giantess, today the more comfortable start is a bit further from the large scree field.

The path then steadily overcomes the slope and is nicely followable. Mostly it avoids larger areas of recently felled trees, some passages through are solidly arranged. There are some dubious path forks where I placed or renewed cairns. Their lifespan is always questionable, but I have a GPS track available. To the saddle between Slovenia and Italy there are no serious problems anymore, and surprisingly the air is the same on both sides despite administrative barriers eek

. The final ascent to Mala Ponca is entirely pleasant and winter gear had a day off this time.

Just below the summit a pleasant encounter with greetings in Italian and Slovenian velik nasmeh

. After a short chat and commenting on current conditions we headed off each to our own side. See you again ... nasmeh

Planica, the giantess and the little giantesses

They hid the snow so the heat wouldn't lick it

Comfortable, unmarked path gently leads across the steep slopes

Windthrows have caused considerable damage around here

The path mostly avoids the blowdown, the crossings are properly secured

Blazes are rare in the lower part of the path, there are more of them higher up.

Well visible, problems only possible at junctions of several directions.

Planica - Pokljuka, path through kosmačija.

The path to the right below is still unknown to me ...

There are considerably more blazes in the upper part of the path than below.

Some rotten snow is no obstacle, you just sink quickly into the *pit*.

The only marking on the entire path. I don't understand its purpose.

Saddle. How Alpe Adria hikers find their way on our side is also incomprehensible to me.

View back into the sandy gully. No snow anywhere.

Vevnica, Mali Koritniški Mangart, Mangart.

(+12)

2061alessio27. 05. 2020 19:23:00

picture 17, to explain: I marked this path 8 years ago because back then in the plan "turizma slo.aut.fjk" the passage to Slovenia was set through this saddle and along the trail and forest road to the bike path near RATECE, 2 months later after I placed the markings Triglav.n.p. "announced" in this project and ordered to route the path somewhere else (no comment), then we had to route the path through švabeco and down path 512 and further along the road to the bike path and to the border at Ratece; this part of path 512A to the saddle remains as a viewpoint for AlpeAdriaTrail.

(+9)

bagi28. 05. 2020 09:51:40

Alessio ... thanks for the explanation, but you have a nice circular path from lake to lake because of that, which we happily visit regularly nasmeh

. TNP administration is making problems for us too, unfortunately more are expected in the future.

I have one more question that's been interesting me for a long time. Do you perhaps know the reasons and approximate time of creation of the currently heavily deteriorated secured path on the ridge from Ponca to Strug ??? Probably this section is part of the protections that stretch over Strug towards Koritniški Mangart, including the Via della Vita ferrata. Maybe I'm wrong and it's not the same timeline velik nasmeh

.

Nice greetings from our ends and hope neighbors meet as soon as possible on our and your paths nasmeh

.

Emil & Mateja

(+4)

2061alessio28. 05. 2020 20:18:43

according to info I got: the path along the ridge is called "via degli Alpini" and was built in 1920; battalion "Val Tagliamento" built the secured path "via della vita" in 1940 between 17/8 and 4/9 previously called "via della morte" (death path), probably before that it was just a climbing path called "death path" and after securing it they changed the name to "path of life", I will ask some others to confirm this history. same I hope the borders open as soon as possible because I miss.... freedom. nasmeh

(+7)

palček plezalček28. 05. 2020 20:59:00

A bit more about Via della Vita - The ferrata was equipped by Alpini in the 1920s. They made it to secure the border with Slovenia. Its name was initially Via della Morte, because during the construction of the 'path' and in the first years of use it claimed many lives. Later, when they slightly changed its route and equipped it better, they also changed its name.

I found this on the net too:

(+4)

Dr.ejči30. 05. 2020 08:23:53

Some more, essential, about Mala Ponca mežikanje

Mala Ponca is a border peak, with border stone 2/134

Mala Ponca...(any approach to it requires some climbing skills and love for greenery)

(+2)

j.16. 09. 2020 22:51:10

Today via hunter's path (PP) past Glave to Vratice and on to Mala Ponca. Descent to Ovčja stran (with a detour to the highest Glava), from there down along the path by Mokri potok,

A few hundred meters from the parking lot, three paths meet on the hiking path to Tamar. About 50 meters before the junction I turned right into the forest to a rock with a faded red arrow. The path starting here is well visible but poorly trodden. At the beginning it follows a steep, sometimes exposed scree ridgelet, then turns right into the forest over several gullies. Also with the help of two old, quite loose but sturdy cables with some pegs.

The path emerges from the steep slopes only below the Glave. Towards Vratice it crosses several wide torrent deposits, where numerous cairns help. At Vratice I paused briefly at the nicely made Alpe Adria Trail sign (Alessio's unrecognized and unaccepted effort). If legends from old days are to be believed, it was right here that Žuro smuggled bikes under the noses of the border guards in Tamar velik nasmeh

, which were scarce here back then.

The steep spot on the Italian side is equipped with a few-meter prusik, from there to the top it's good 10 minutes. At the summit I met two guys and a girl, otherwise no one.

I descended to the ridgelet below Glave. The path to the highest Glava (1760m) ends after a few dozen meters, from there I continued through the bushes somewhat on the western slope. The view from the top, which that day due to foggy weather wasn't great anyway, is heavily obstructed by larches.

West of Glave stretches the Ovčja stran cirque, through which an unmarked path to Tamar leads. Marked with numerous cairns it is traceable. A little below Turnec in the southern ridge of Srednja Ponca I turned left downhill along the hunter's path that runs by Mokri potok. Initially well visible and nicely routed path gets a bit lost later. But it was worth following, as it twice (roughly in the middle of the descent and at the end) goes through bushes that would be hard to cross without the path. At the end it turns left through bushes towards the deep gully of Mokri potok and elegantly descends to its bottom.

A very watery and nice waterfall in these dry times, about 15 meters high, provided surprise, pleasant coolness and fresh water. It feeds Mokri potok with its water, which soon sinks into the sand. It feels pristine, untouched and wild, I couldn't say goodbye to it. Descent down the stream gully, full of clean smoothed white rocks and washed slabs, was the icing on the cake of today's visit to these rarely visited lonely passages and paths right next to the mountain giants.

Described is pathless terrain with more demanding hunter's paths. Suitable for hikers with appropriate experience and sense of orientation.

Over the smooth passage this time, instead of scree, prusik helps.

Silhouette of Turnč in the southern ridge of Srednja Ponca.

Here the path along Mokri potok branches off to the left.

Passage through scree into the deep gully of Mokri potok.

(+7)

2061alessio17. 11. 2020 17:33:01

Today, because in the valleys we were bathing in fog, a bit higher up....

(+14)

2061alessio17. 05. 2021 09:03:19

even though the weather forecast was bad thank God I didn't believe it and escaped on a circular tour over "švabeco" so I wouldn't become a couch potato