jbs - Recent messages

Yes, that's interesting... it's about a state transit road and not a tourist panoramic road, yet they want to limit personal transit traffic (personal vehicles and campers), on the other hand they encourage tourist bus traffic, which barely makes it around the curves.

Yesterday, the two of us with our younger daughter were also on Grosser Hafner, for her first 3000m peak😊. I was debating whether to combine it with a bike as Samuel suggested, or on foot from the valley following the variant recently published by Zapp, and the dog could also come along😊. Still, the cycling variant has been tempting me since Samuel's post, so we did this version, but we extended it a bit, as we left the car a bit lower, at the Fallbach waterfall, where the road already starts to gently ascend, and with the bike we went to the top, to the Kolnbrein dam, as we were also interested in seeing it.
For the tunnels, it's mandatory to have lights on the bike, especially for the first one, which is over 500m long and completely unlit and quite claustrophobic. It's particularly annoying because in the morning, forestry trucks drive up the road and their rumbling overtaking in the dark tunnels is really not pleasant. That's why it's really important to be well lit on the bike, and best to move aside to the edge for them. The road is really picturesque and is itself an interesting cycling destination.
At the hotel at the top above the dam, we leave the bikes and then continue on foot. The initial traverse to Krumpenkar alpine pasture is quite annoying, constantly up and down, gaining almost no height, plus it's very muddy and churned up by cows, so it's hard to move quickly. As a result, it drags on, especially on the way back it's somewhat 'excessive'. On the way up, we didn't go all the way to Kattowitzer hut, we traversed about 500m earlier through the grass upwards and joined the path from the hut at 2550m. From the hut, you quickly reach the ridge. The ridge is more demanding at the beginning, where there are some ropes (interesting that it's rope instead of cable), then you come to the known part with upright stones (we also added two😊), where the ridge widens and is undemanding to the top. I agree with the comments that the 'very difficult' trail marking is exaggerated, as the ridge is only somewhat more demanding in the initial part, where it's also narrower and more exposed. The 'difficult' marking would be quite appropriate. However, the ridge is not completely undemanding, as in the initial part it's still quite airy and has a few sections where you need to grip the rock more.
Although it was clear, due to desert dust there were no beautiful views. There were quite a few people on the path and summit, including quite a few Slovenians. In the morning, tolls weren't collected, which pleased a group of four nice young men from Carinthia that we met. We returned past the hut, the prices are surprisingly affordable (beer 5.5 eur), and there's neither a road nor a cable car up. At the hut there's also a trough with running water from the stream (with a 'typical' sign that the water is not drinkable), and there are also quite a few streams on several parts of the path, so water can be refilled in many places. When we were back at the dam, we also went on a tourist tour of the dam and the viewing platform, which is quite adrenaline-pumping.
The tour is very beautiful, dynamic and scenic. But it's also quite strenuous, as it totals 2400m elevation and 50 km, of which 34 by bike and 16 on foot. Time-wise, the route drags on. To the top from the car we needed 6 hours, which was about an hour more than I planned, the difference came from the annoying traverse from the dam to Krumpenkar pasture, where in each direction you 'lose' at least an hour. The bike descent is enjoyable, but in the afternoon on the way back it's quite busy, some tunnels are also alternately one-way, so you have to wait at traffic lights for 10min or more.

Yes, by proper standards it's really not a via ferrata, but it was marketed as a family via ferrata and is listed as such in many places. That's why it's completely irresponsible that it's not properly marked at the beginning and end, so foreigners with children and self-belay kits still walk on it and rely on its suitability. It would be better to remove the signs and all the cables, currently it really looks like an intentionally sabotaged path and a set trap with just the cables attached.

Today alone on Visoki Kanin from Na Žlebeh via the Rosalba Grasselli via ferrata, then past Okno also to Prestreljnik. Returned to the starting point via Prevala on path 636.
To Gilbertij in the morning just along the ski slope (right steep arm, which I do not recommend when wet because of high vegetation (butterbur); better to go along the service road on the left arm). Towards the Bela peč saddle the sun appears, which really shines on me only after a long traverse at the Marušič bivouac. From the Marušič bivouac (quite crowded) the start of the Rosalba Grasselli path is almost unrecognizable, shown by red triangles. The path is very varied, the real via ferrata is only at the beginning with the ascent to Vrh Krnice (C), where SVK is highly recommended, as some parts are very airy and winding, but excellently secured. From Vrh Krnice the path is almost no longer secured and is more marked pathless terrain with a lot of airy ridge climbing and also quite a bit of exposed traversing (the path from the saddle between Vrh Krnice and Visoki Kanin namely still descends a bit and then traverses under Visoki Kanin over exposed grasses and scree). The descent from Vrh Krnice to the saddle under Visoki Kanin goes over unsecured slabs (probably can be bypassed lower on scree), which can be very unpleasant when wet. Then follows a traverse under the saddle back to the ridge, where there are cables in a few places, but also none on many exposed traverses. The ridge from the saddle to the summit is completely unsecured and is quite airy. In short, from the Marušič bivouac the path is quite airy and requires both a stable step and stable weather, as it is not wise to hurry.
The path from the summit of Visoki Kanin to Okno in Prestreljnik is without special features. The family via ferrata is completely in ruins, it is certainly officially closed, but there is no sign about it at either end (at least I did not see it). The cables are torn, in several places they are just placed on the pitons (?!), the key points with steps are still passable. From the Marušič bivouac to Prestreljnik I did not meet anyone, from Prestreljnik to Prevala and on path 636 it was quite busy, as both the gondola and the cable car are operating. Path 636 is very nicely laid out.

Yesterday an easy circular hike to Ojstrnik and Zahomec. From the parking lot via Nordio hut to Bistrica pasture and along the mule track to the top of Ojstrnik. Then along the ridge path (482) back to Bistrica pasture and under Gozman to the chapel of Mary of the Snow. Then also to Zahomska pasture and to the top of Zahomec. Back to the parking lot along the path past the chapel of St. Hubert (507a). Conditions without any special features, on Bistrica pasture a lot of livestock, on Zahomska pasture many mountain bikers. They increased the toll/parking fee from 5 to 7 eur.

@velocy... yeah, the windthrow really caused quite some devastation in that part below Macesen. A few fallen trees are right after the hunting hut in the forest, but those are no problem to bypass. Higher up, when you get above the "skok", then in one section it's really all fallen. But although the windthrow is extensive and very dense, it's sharply limited, which means it can be bypassed. Years ago, when I went through the windthrow for the first time, I also made the mistake of starting to climb over the fallen trees, which I managed, but it was real torture. Next time I tried to bypass the windthrow and found that it can be nicely bypassed on the right. In short, when you get to the viewpoint, you must not go into the windthrow and start climbing over the trees, but you have to stay more to the right and bypass the windthrow. Somehow a forest "gully" or small valley leads, which runs right next to the windthrow. In this case you practically don't need to climb over almost any tree. Of course orientation is demanding, because there is no path in this part, so it's key that you know where you need to get. Anyway, now the approximate course of the path is also marked on OSM maps, which makes orientation much easier. According to the course of the path on OSM maps you have to stay somehow 50m more to the right (see picture).

Today in "tennis shoes" (dog even without) past Macesn to Slemenova špica. Conditions are ideal.

The path from Dolška škrbina to Grintovec will be repaired in the following days: https://pzs.si/novice/18567-opozorilo-delo-na-na-poti-v-dolski-skrbini-pod-grintovcem/

Yes, that's true, that you notice things that I myself wouldn't have noticed yet.

With daughters yesterday loop above Pecol. To Montaž via Findenegg gully, then down Pipan ladder, and via Leva ferrata also to Špik Hude Police.
Traverse towards Suringar bivouac is quite exposed, mostly unsecured. Except at one spot in small gully where rope is fixed, and on most crumbly part where cable is. Ascent via Findenegg gully is very nice climbing, rock solid, towards top bit more scree but nothing worse as not broken and crumbly. At couple places in gully over some jumps need to pull quite hard (think at some places where red dots lead not easiest either). Ridge to top very nice and at some places quite airy.
Met no one. On entire path to top and on top we were alone. First people met on descent but only one Austrian couple.
On newly routed path via Pipan ladder went first time and now become quite airy and excellently secured ferrata (would say B/C), additional ladder in lower part quite spectacular. SVK definitely highly recommended. Leva ferrata also nicely renovated, at key places very well secured, still some exposed grassy traverses unsecured. Hanging ladder that was on ascent/descent in notch with Špik Hude Police no longer there, instead pitons fixed. On Špik Hude Police as usual quite some people but no excessive crowding.
Played a bit with idea to continue via Ceria Merlone ferrata but weather started closing as forecast so descended via classic to Brazza hut (beer 6 eur, Fanta 3.5 eur). Descent from Špik Hude Police always makes me think. Although path completely easy wide and comfortable it is objectively quite dangerous as any wrong step and fall over those grasses can be fatal.
Chamois of course quite a few mostly females with young no big males in sight.
Rabelj lake warm but due to too little water not flowing so accordingly puddly with bit unpleasant smell.

Tone, bravo for this tour too, which is finger-licking good. Rakova špica and Rogljica are still waiting for me.

Congratulations, super tour! Thanks for the idea

Yes, if you go in the opposite direction, you can avoid the lower half of the scree by going through the gully on the right. There's still 100 meters of elevation of the upper part of the scree that you have to bash through. Or maybe it's also possible to bypass part of it via the steep rock on the left side (unverified). As I understood Bojan's question, it referred to the "climbing" parts of the tour, which in the opposite direction you climb more upwards than downwards. Of course, there are two parts that can be more annoying in the opposite direction, namely the scree below Kočna, and also the exposed grass over Ovnov čer where you have to be more careful going down than up.

Bojan, thanks. The variant is certainly easier in the opposite direction, but the main goal was Kočna, so we ticked it off first. Also climbing down on broken terrain is useful to train... We didn't go all the way to the bivouac though, so I can't really say in what condition it is, from afar everything seemed bp. The path over Ovnov čer is clearly visible though, but it's narrow and you have to watch the grass hanging from the path (so you don't step into the void). I wasn't paying attention to the markings (I think there really aren't many, maybe one on the rock), but the signposts are clearly visible both from the path to Grintovec and on Dolci. On Dolci the signposts for Kočna and Dolska škrbina are fallen (but still visible) though.

Congratulations to you too, Škrlatica is really the queen Photo 9 is interesting, you had to step almost into the abyss with a ladder for it. The chamois really posed nicely though.