Viševnik, Mali and Veliki Draški vrh, Ablanca
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| Tomco18. 05. 2025 17:37:42 |
Today loop Rudno polje - Studorski Preval - Ablanca - VDV - along the ridge to MDV - Viševnik.
After a somewhat longer break, first chance for a more substantial tour. With unsettled weather, the plan was a loop with bailout option if weather turns bad midway. But forecasters nailed it for this area and morning weather held. Later on way home, with heavy showers in valleys all around, I did question my decision a bit.
Anyway. No winter gear needed on route anymore. Some snow tongues still there, but not on critical spots. Maybe one point on descent from VDV, used ice axe for 10m, but doable without.
Didn't meet a soul on the whole tour till Viševnik near end.
Main goal was pathless ridge to MDV from VDV dir, if weather ok. Got lucky. Didn't find ridge-to-rocky-summit passage first try. Tried south side first, too exposed. Back to gully, up to ridge top, right away find north side passage. Soon to key spot - vertical chimney. Gotta say, this bit is 2 grades harder than anything else on route.
Back via Viševnik. Had some visitors today after all. Short rain on descent, then snow again. Worst was mud under Plesišče on descent (trodden into deep ruts...).
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| Tomco18. 05. 2025 17:47:06 |
But I'd immediately pose a question to the more experienced. When crossing the ridge opposite way, i.e. MDV to VDV, where do you descend? Through the chimney too?
Personally for me descent there out of comfort zone.  Any easier passage I missed?
From some previous posts (Mukica, Todi...) see chimney not mentioned.
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| sla18. 05. 2025 22:39:25 |
I think you went too far left per your sketch. I go up and down same variant.
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| asdf18. 05. 2025 22:51:11 |
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| Todi19. 05. 2025 05:46:00 |
Tomco, from MDV side you can easily bypass chimney on left side, facing VDV direction and nice passage, bit of scrambling though, ...
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| garmont19. 05. 2025 15:45:05 |
As Todi says. Not entirely easy, but at least no need to look such depth below you.
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| Tomco19. 05. 2025 16:59:43 |
sla, Todi, garmont, excellent. From pics now all clear. Big thanks!
@sla, asdf: yes, entry to summit massif via gully marked green on my sketch. Mentioned chimney (and shelf variant explained by Todi and garmont) is bit higher, about halfway between gully and top.
P.S. Hope we didn't "kill" the mountain's charm with too precise descriptions. 
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| Macesna19. 05. 2025 20:55:06 |
Tomco, I know your chimney, great detail in quality white rock. Just a bit harder for 2-3m. Think grade II+, somewhere rated III- (if not mistaken, in Grebeni slovenskih gora).
Yes, with hubby up and down chimney.
lpm
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| Tomco19. 05. 2025 21:31:21 |
Macesna, while prepping for the tour I browsed old posts and noted yours from 2019 mentioning and photographing the chimney. It was a big help - when under it, I knew exactly I was on the right spot for one variant to the top. 
So I took it. Nice going up, really great rock. Down... different story. Definitely for those who know what they're doing. So bravo. 
All the best,
Tomi
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| asdf19. 07. 2025 17:24:19 |
Yesterday I went via Kačji rob to MDV, along the ridge to VDV and back via the saddle between Draški vrhovoma and Jezerce. On the descent from MDV I climbed through a chimney, but I also checked the alternative passage mentioned in previous comments. From the photos and descriptions in those comments, it can be found from both the upper and lower side. To VDV I ascended via pathless terrain described on hribi.net as "End of the road at Pokljuka - Veliki Draški vrh (path over the northern ravine)". It's quite an interesting ascent with nice views.
No one on MDV, on VDV besides me two more, from Jezerce onwards a whole bunch of people, mostly foreigners.
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| asdf14. 12. 2025 15:52:13 |
Yesterday I set off from Rudno polje towards Veliki Draški vrh. First I went to Jezerce along the marked path that crosses above planina Konjščica. Most of this path was snow-free, snow on the path started a bit below Jezerce. Here the snow on the path was well trodden, likewise onwards towards Srenjski preval and also towards Studorski.
At Jezerce I turned right towards Srenjski preval, then soon left into the slope and towards the saddle between Draški vrhovoma. There is an unmarked path here, but now it was almost completely covered by snow and not trodden. There were some separate human tracks, but they weren't particularly helpful, so I mostly went my own way. The snow was of varying depth - mostly quite deep, thinner in places, and snow-free in some spots. Everywhere except very shady areas, there was a thick crust on it. Since I was quite late and it was sunny (and fairly warm), the top layer of this crust was softened and it sank in places.
From the saddle I continued roughly along the unmarked path towards Viševnik. The first part of the path along the northern slope was completely covered with dry, light snow. The path wasn't trodden, and all tracks I saw looked like goat tracks, so I went to the ridge my own way. It was quite strenuous. From the start of the western ridge onwards, no problems. Much less snow here, most of the time you could walk on snow-free ground. Where there was snow, it was wet and mostly not particularly deep. Through this snow there were tracks of a few people.
At the summit there was a beautiful view, exceptional visibility in all directions. Almost no wind.
I descended along the ridge towards Studorski preval. Conditions here were similar to the ascent along the western ridge, again tracks of a few people. The steep rocky section on the lower part of the ridge was heavily snowed. This snow was wet and soft (around 13:00), so it was quite unpleasant. Below this section, a bit of extremely unpleasant walking through snow-covered scree (otherwise the terrain is safe). From the pass I descended towards the lake. Here too the snow was dry and fairly light, but the path was well trodden.
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| asdf23. 03. 2026 22:26:45 |
Today I went from Rudno polje over Kačji rob to Mali Draški vrh. Fresh snow on Rudno polje is about 5 cm, north of Viševnik about 10 cm. There the old base was breaking through in places, especially on the ascent towards Srenjski preval, which was quite laborious because of that. I reached Srenjski preval at the southern end and then traversed towards MDV. This traverse was a bit tricky, with quite a bit of wind-blown snow and unreliable base under it. Avalanches were here on the western side, so I assume the ascent to the pass from Jezerca side might be even more strenuous. When I reached the MDV slope, the snow conditions improved greatly. Not much fresh snow here (maybe about 5 cm), under it a solid old base. Somewhere at the beginning of the slope I dug a hole with my ice axe and saw about 40 cm of crust. It wasn't very hard, and in places had to kick a bit harder into it to hold, but not so soft as to feel insecure. When I reached the ridge, I went to the eastern summit, didn't go to the western one. On the ridge itself there was quite some wind-blown snow, so considerable caution is needed. Avalanches were here on the northern side. Back I went the same way.
Since it was a workday, there were few visitors. At seven there was only one car ahead of me at the barracks parking lot. Also on the path I met only a few people, mostly foreigners.
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