Untere Valentinalm - Rauchkofel

Access to starting point:
Via the border crossings Rateče or Predel we drive to Trbiž/Tarvisio, then continue driving on the highway in the direction of Vidma/Udine. At the settlement Carnico, we leave the highway and first follow the signs towards the settlement Tolmezzo, then signs for Austria and the Passo di Croce Carnico/Plöckenpass. From the pass, we descend to the Austrian side, and then after a few kilometers we notice signs for Untere Valentinalm, which direct us to the left onto an ascending road. We follow the mentioned road to the mountain hut on the mentioned mountain pasture, near which there is also a parking lot, where we park.
Access is also possible from the Gailtal valley (Austria).

Path description:
From the parking lot, we head onto the road closed with a gate in the direction of Lake Wolayer See. Soon from the road to the right, a marked path branches off, which then several times crosses the mentioned mountain road. After approximately 1 hour of walking, we reach the mountain pasture Obere Valentinalm, on which a shepherd hut stands.
From the mountain pasture, from which a nice view opens up on the walls of the peak Kellerspitzen (2769 m) and partly grassy Rauchkofel, we continue slightly right on a poorly visible footpath, which soon joins a wide path that only a few 10 m before the mountain pasture leaves the road. When both paths join, the path entirely flattens and brings us into a nice high mountain valley surrounded by mighty walls. The initially wide and grassy valley soon narrows a little, turns slightly to the left and brings us below the extensive scree of Monte Coglians. The valley, along the edge of which the mountain path also runs, slowly turns to the right. The path higher withdraws a little to the right from the valley, where in a moderate ascent it crosses the slopes of Rauchkofel. After two and a half hours of walking from the starting point along a varied and panoramic path, we reach the saddle Valentintörl, where there is a junction.
Just a few meters before the signposts on the mentioned saddle, we will notice a torrent gully on the right side. The marked path leading to Rauchkofel ascends through the mentioned gully. During the ascent through the torrent gully, some fixed safety gear helps us (the fixed safety gear is in quite bad condition July 2009), which in dry conditions are not necessarily needed (this part is also exposed to falling rocks). After a short ascent, the steepness eases and the path from the gully brings us onto gentle and extensive grassy slopes. At the end of the grassy plain, the path turns slightly to the left and after a few minutes of further walking joins the normal path from Lake Wolayer See.
We continue right on a relatively steep path, which ascends over the grassy slopes of the mountain. Higher up, the path turns slightly to the left and brings us to the main ridge. We continue slightly right on an increasingly steep path, which further ascends over very steep grassy slopes. Further on, the path brings us to steel cables, with the help of which we then in a few minutes of further walking ascend to the panoramic summit.

On the way: Obere Valentinalm (1540m), Valentintörl (2138m)