La Crusc - Lavarella (western summit)

Access to starting point:
A) From Kranjska Gora via Korensko sedlo into Austria, where at the first larger intersection we continue left towards Podklošter / Arnoldstein and Trbiž / Tarvisio. At the end of the settlement Podklošter signs for Šmohor / Hermagor direct us to the right onto a regional road, along which past the mentioned settlement we drive to the end of the Gailtal valley, or more precisely to the settlement Kötschach-Mauthen, where we turn right towards the settlement Oberdrauburg. The route ahead leads us over the Alpine pass Gailbergsattel (982 m), after which we descend into the mentioned settlement. After crossing the bridge over the river Drau, we continue left towards the settlement Lienz. In the main roundabout in Lienz we continue "left" in the direction of the settlement Sillian and Italy. Further, we cross the border between Austria and Italy, and we follow the main road past the settlements Dobbiaco / Toblach, Villabassa / Niederdorf, Monguelfo - Tesido / Welsberg - Taisten, Brunico / Bruneck. Only a little after the last-mentioned settlement, past which a bypass road runs, we turn left into the Alta Badia valley. Further, we drive along the mentioned valley, and we follow the road to the settlement Badia / Abtei. In the settlement Badia / Abtei we turn left and park on the parking lot at the bottom station of the chairlift. With two chairlifts we then ride to the highest point of the ski area.
B) From Nova Gorica we drive into Italy and further along the highway to the settlement Portogruaro, where at the highway junction we turn towards the settlement Belluno. We follow the highway to its end (we do not turn towards Belluno), then we continue driving towards Cortina d'Ampezzo. When we arrive in Cortina d'Ampezzo, we follow the signs for the Alpine pass Passo Falzarego. At the pass Passo Falzarego (2105 m) we turn right towards Alta Badia and first ascend to the neighbouring pass Passo Valparola (2192 m), from there we descend into the mentioned valley, and we drive along it to the settlement Badia / Abtei. In the settlement Badia / Abtei we turn right and park on the parking lot at the bottom station of the chairlift. With two chairlifts we then ride to the highest point of the ski area.
The chairlift in the summer months operates from 8:30 to 17:15.

Path description:
From the upper station of the second chairlift we continue slightly right and ascend on a wide path through the forest to the church. At the church we continue right on path no. 15 following the signs »St. Kassian / S. Cassiano«. The path further crosses the slopes towards the south for a long time and mostly descends slightly. Along the path, from which there is a nice view mainly towards the west, there are also Stations of the Cross. When the path brings us to a marked junction we continue left on path 12A following the signs »Forc. La Varella«.
The path further begins to ascend and runs mostly through a sparse larch forest. Later the path brings us into dwarf pines for a short time, then from the right the path from the settlement La Villa and S. Cassiano joins.
At the junction we continue left in the direction of the La Varella saddle and the path through the dwarf pines soon brings us to the scree. Further the path ascends in switchbacks for some time up the Val Medesc valley. Later the path turns to the left side of the valley below the slopes of Piz de Medesc and continues ascending on the scree. The increasingly steep path then brings us to the saddle from which nice views also open towards the east.
From the saddle where there are signposts we continue right following the signs La Varella. The path on the scree soon brings us to somewhat steeper slopes of the La Varella summit. Further the path becomes more demanding and runs on the steep western slopes of the mountain. At some places the path ascends steeply, then follows an ascent on a fairly wide ledge on which there is a lot of scree. The path is not secured and considerable caution is required. Special caution is needed on the descent, as the path is dangerous for slipping. From the ledge the path turns slightly left and ascends steeply on the rocky slope. The path then becomes less demanding again and brings us to a junction a little below the Lavarella summit.
Left the path leads to the eastern summit of Lavarella which is only a few minutes' walk away, we continue right and descend slightly to the notch between the eastern and western summit. At the notch we continue straight on the path along the ridge. The path to the summit is slightly exposed for a short time, then an easy ascent along the ridge to the summit follows.

On the way: Forcella de Medesc (2533m)