Vrtinjlogarski graben / Val Bartolo - Veliki Kopinj / Kapinberg / Monte Capin di Ponente (over Vrtinjlogarsko sedlo / Bartolosattel / Sella Bartolo)

Access to starting point:
Over the border crossing Rateče, or over the border crossing Predel we drive to Trbiž / Tarvisio, and then we continue driving in the direction of the ski slope Svete Višarje / Monte Lussari. When Trbiž ends, from the roundabout after store Eurospar, we go to the exit in the direction of the settlement Žabnice / Camporosso in Valcanale, after that immediately right towards the settlement. After underpass under the railway track, we go left and then we follow the signs for Vrtinjlogarski graben / Val Bartolo. After the settlement, the asphalt ends, and the road brings us into the mentioned valley, through which we are ascending on usually well-settled macadam road which we follow past the spot, where we notice signposts for path 509, which leads on a saddle Kot / Sella Canton (in the last part it is an asphalt road). Only few 10 meters further we get to the sign that prohibits further driving, where we park on a parking lot.

Path description:
From the parking lot, we continue on the asphalt road which continues by stream Vrtinji potok, and it runs through the valley Vrtinjlogarski graben. Higher, the path leads past the cottage La Baita di Beatrice, and after the mentioned cottage or inn the road flattens and brings us in Vrtinji log. We continue on a gently sloping macadam road which leads us on the middle of ample valley, where the path leads past more cottages, and names are marked on information board at the beginning of the path. After a time valley narrows and the road again starts ascending, and leads past last cottages. After the last cottage we quickly get to a marked crossing on the saddle Vrtinjlogarsko sedlo, where we reach also the national border between Italy and Austria.
From the crossing, we continue in the direction of the mountain pasture Gorjanska planina (on a sign Göriacher Alm), where we at first walk on a wide cart track, when the cart track turns a little to the right, we continue straight on a cart track (turn-off isn't marked). We short time continue by the edge of partly swampy clearing, and then the path passes into a dense forest, through which we continue until we get on the forest road. We follow the road few steps to the left and then we continue right on a marked path, which higher once again for few steps reaches a macadam road. Blazes then through shorter grassy part lead in the forest, through which we are still ascending on the Austrian side of the national border (on the Austrian side we stepped on a saddle Vrtinjlogarsko sedlo). Higher forest several times gets thinner, so that occasionally a view opens up a little, and we notice by the path some well preserved border stones from the year 1920. Further, the path which gradually passes on an indistinct northern ridge of Veliki Kopinj becomes steeper, and before the mentioned peak turns a little to the left, so that it bypasses the very peak. When we return to the national border, or when we reach the eastern ridge of the peak, marked path turns left downwards, and we continue right and on an unmarked footpath in few minutes we ascend on a panoramic peak.
The starting point - Vrtinjlogarsko sedlo 1:00, Vrtinjlogarsko sedlo - Veliki Kopinj 1:30.
Description and pictures refer to a condition in the year 2018 (May).

On the way: Vrtinji log / Prati del Bártolo (1060m)