List of forums / Slovenia / Julian Alps / Vrh nad Mužici 2227m

Vrh nad Mužici 2227m

lijaneja29. 09. 2016 09:01:27

In the last few years I've realized that in mountain challenges reaching the summit is no longer the only category; a new one has joined: to find it, locate it and reach its base via the easiest access.
Just because of these unknowns, I've delayed conquering this hill for so long.
Yesterday I mustered courage, parked by the road under the base of Črelovca and headed into uncertainty. From all descriptions on the net I learned absolutely nothing. Somewhere above 1500m I was supposed to turn off the path, but I had no clue where; I paid strong attention to possible markers, so I quickly got too high.
At that moment I decided to continue to Kukova špica, which later punished me badly, and soon I was on its summit. I took a few pics, quenched my thirst and realized that it would be worth trying to descend from here towards today's target summit. Since two somewhat too steep verticals were prominent in the ridge, I descended right of it and the descent was pure pleasure. At the base of VNM I dropped the backpack and with camera in pocket headed up steeply overhanging slabs that required max concentration and after a good 60m reached the summit. The descent was even worse, but all that was minor compared to the continuation.
First I enjoyed the descent through quite a long scree field, then drama started. Instead of turning right at the end of the scree under the southernmost rocks of the long ridge of Kukova špica, where you reach a path in the lower part of Gulc, I continued descent through steep brush. When I first slipped over a drop, for the second time in my life I thought of a forced mountain bivouac. With last strength through brush I dragged myself a few meters higher and tried my luck a bit left. After two hours of fighting brush, where I almost didn't step on the ground, I spotted the path and black thoughts of a forced night in nature vanished in an instant.
I shook off the needles and got rid of soaked rags; only a good hour on the soft path to the car was left.

Vrh nad Mužici 2227m Stenar and Križ in the morning sun.

Vrh nad Mužici 2227m It challenged me all the time

Vrh nad Mužici 2227m Today's goal from Kukova špica

Vrh nad Mužici 2227m In company with Slemen 2077 and Vrtaški vrh 1898, behind Kepa and Dovška baba.

Vrh nad Mužici 2227m Approach on inclined slabs.

Vrh nad Mužici 2227m From Škrnatarica to Mala Martuljška Ponca.

Vrh nad Mužici 2227m Left Dovški križ, in the middle Škrlatica and Visoki Rokav overlap, right Oltar and Široka peč.

Vrh nad Mužici 2227m Mangart and Špik stand out

Vrh nad Mužici 2227m Above Frdamanimi ledges Visoka Ponca, in front in the middle Vrh nad Rudo, right Rigljica and Rušica.

Vrh nad Mužici 2227m Abseil from Rigljica (Juš correct me if it's not true)

Vrh nad Mužici 2227m During the descent from Kukova špica

Vrh nad Mužici 2227m Kukova špica 2427 from Vrh nad Mužici

Vrh nad Mužici 2227m Grass-rock layers, grass-rock...

Vrh nad Mužici 2227m Kepa with Dovška Baba, in front Slemena

Vrh nad Mužici 2227m Continuation of the ridge towards Slemena

Vrh nad Mužici 2227m Lipnica, Špik and Frdamane police

Vrh nad Mužici 2227m Kukova špica and the ridge to it.

(+23)

JusAvgustin29. 09. 2016 09:19:46

Bravo Tone! mežikanje

Worthy of all praise!

(+4)

mito300029. 09. 2016 14:02:58

Tone, good thing I couldn't go with you on this tour yesterday, because I don't know if I would have survived this whole odyssey nasmeh

. Otherwise, just congratulations.

(+3)

lijaneja29. 09. 2016 21:00:06

Thanks, Juš. I appreciate your opinion.
Ha, Matjaž, quite a bit of adrenaline was released at the end of the tour. That last part I really wouldn't wish on anyone.

dprapr30. 09. 2016 17:22:33

Tone, you've gotten into the habit of conquering peaks from top to bottom... nasmeh

lijaneja30. 09. 2016 17:49:53

Drago, I think it will all slowly stop.

(+1)

mito300030. 09. 2016 19:12:16

of course, when you run out of unconquered two-thousanders :-)

(+1)

lijaneja30. 09. 2016 19:31:58

There won't be a shortage. Some I don't even reach the base of velik nasmeh

(+2)

mdenac13. 11. 2022 17:59:10

Peak above Mužici - better luck next time. That's how I'd briefly describe my today's mountain adventure... and if nothing else, revive the thread that's "slept" over 6 years nasmeh

Motivation for exploring Kukovi prodi came from trip to Vrtaško Sleme last weekend, when I eyed quite well where the passage to them is. Today I started at 7am at Črlovec and at junction Kukova špica - Vrtaško Sleme turned left towards Kukova. When path enters gully of Veliki Črlovec, I went up some initially OK visible trail right by gully and turned left onto first shingle tongue. Then up it to top until bushy-rocky barrier blocked path. There right opens wide (torrent?) gully, via which I quickly reached ramp right under SE gap of KŠ. No cairns here, here and there some parts faintly trodden, all recognizable traces from chamois. At ramp I went around ridge and started ascending towards top of Kukovi prodi via least unpleasant parts. Up to here everything smooth as butter, weather 10/10, time plenty, no orientation issues. Higher I got, more the ridge of Peak above Mužici formed on right, which was trip's goal, but from this perspective unclear which is the true summit. Had only pics from E ridge of KŠ where it's seen downwards, and couldn't use them. So at "suitable" spot started attack on ridge. Ascent wildly loaded and quite crumbly, also fairly steep. On ridge went right (east) and reached some subpeak. Quickly nose drooped, obviously not on right summit but rounded forepeak from east side. Then I probably made fatal mistake: instead of trying to true summit along ridge, which later from base looked by far most enjoyable option, descended through all annoying scree back to prodi and tried luck elsewhere. Somewhat punished by superficial reading of M&M description, abundance of subpeaks in VNM ridge didn't help. In second attempt conquered ridge summit west of VNM, which looks somewhat higher than true summit, and to it along ridge quite without issues from col between Kukova and VNM ridge. Here I arrogantly tried to continue along ridge but quickly hit verticals that sent me back to backpack. For third try attempted to reach col between VNM and its western mate where I was minutes before, via annoying system of overhanging loaded slabs. Almost reached saddle but bit below it at fairly awkward spot courage ran out. Somewhat shocked by nastiness of descent on those slabs at backpack finally threw in the towel and only during descent (went more by SE gap wall) noticed that ridge to VNM looks quite OK (pic 24). No way I felt like up and down that shingle to ridge again, so descended to car... and quietly a bit pissed myself velik nasmeh

Would be very glad for comment from someone who's been up there, to describe bit more precisely where went over those slabs. And of course if that ridge part (from east forepeak to summit) really passable with difficulties up to say II degree - if so, maybe tackle it again sometime.

The fork was just barely still in the fog.

Gully of Veliki Črlovec no more! Here I turned off the path to Gulce

To the left amid the scree this chute opens up and here I went upwards.

Great weather... up top it's starting to blow a little.

This gravel tongue stretches far. In the middle the blockage is visible where one turns right.

To the right a nice passage to the ramp.

On the other side a nice view of Sleme opens up

I also saw this artwork, albeit from afar unfortunately.

One level higher, here the ridge of Vrh nad Mužici already rises on the right.

Up here was my first attempt on the ridge.

On the ridge, view of the true summit. The ridge here didn't look so easy, but not impassable either.

Then I went to this notch in the left half of the picture and the little peak on the right.

Vrh nad Mužici (center) from the little peak west of it; in the background the conquered forepeak is visible. In front of it an interesting slab, beyond which the ridge was no longer passable.

From the slab. I tried to climb the next one through the notch below it.

Attempt across the slabs to the notch. Few photos were taken on the slabs, I cursed the camera more, which was in the way all the time.

Ridge to VNM from the east - doesn't look impossible.

Another upper path in the head of Veliki Črlovec, I didn't go to see where it leads.

(+13)

Hammond13. 11. 2022 19:35:57

In first attempt you did everything right until you chose east instead of west. nasmeh

Ridge to (true) summit is sort of in style of approach, so for you probably shouldn't be too hard. Rock is crumbly, exposure of course not lacking, summit far from any special prominence (on it smaller, already quite gray cairn).
But can fully identify with dilemma when standing below on Kukovi prodi and hard to determine true summit as well as ascent line. Most cunningly the illusion of easy approach probably shatters the western approach from col before east ridge KŠ, which crosses your plans with deep col and slabs under summit (nicely visible from main summit).
So repeat the exercise and boldly left. mežikanje

(+1)

mdenac14. 11. 2022 10:48:19

Big thanks @Hammond! Well, probably will scare around there again sometime... and maybe renew the cairn nasmeh

Good luck!