Lukito - Recent messages

In the attachment there is a shorter description. The opening of the signpost will be on 22.4.2021 in Gunclje, the first organized hike on it on 8.5.2021.

Sniezka, 18.7.2020

On Saturday I took the opportunity to visit the highest peak of the Czech Republic. I started from the town of Karpacz on the Polish side. Perhaps most people will know the nearby town of Harrachov on the Czech side better, where ski jumps are also held in winter.

I parked at "Parking pod Sniezka", where you can pay the daily parking fee of 20PLN (4-5EUR) at the machine. But since I didn't have coins and the card didn't work, I parked 5m further on the other side of the road, where there is a parking attendant and you pay 15PLN (3-4EUR) and also get a receipt. Then I headed towards the chairlift that takes you almost to the top, bypassed it and at the small hut paid a 2EUR fee for entry into the national park.

On the way to the Strzecha Akademicka hut I met almost no one, but I joined the nicely stone-paved path, where I started meeting more hikers. The weather deteriorated quite a lot, it started to blow and close in. Later the path from the upper chairlift station also joins and suddenly there were lots of people around me, I thought we were going on a pilgrimage to Brezje. The procession went slower, so I preferred to turn right onto a steeper and more scenic path. I saw mostly a lot of fog.

At the top there is a chapel similar to ours on Kredarica, a refreshment station where there are some tables, a weather station with lots of space but closed to the public since 2015, many visitors and even more fog. As it seems I was the only one with gloves which I gladly put on before heading further. Since I had enough time I decided to go a bit further along the ridge and make a nice loop. When returning to the parking lot I crossed the park border and then entered again. On each such path there is a supervisor to whom you can pay again or show the daily card.

To the top I needed approx. 1:30 of normal walking, altogether a good 4 hours (with stops).

Based on descriptions and photos I was about an hour behind Tone.

Kočni and Grintovec, 11.9.2024

The road to Suhadolnik is somehow drivable with a higher vehicle, parking lot no problem. Above the last houses there is quite a mess, so the path is very orientationally demanding. Hard to see any marks all the way to the wall.

The path over Taško has seen better times but somehow I climbed to the junction of the old path, where there is a sign that the path is temporarily closed; no such sign below. Even higher, consequences of heavy rain are visible.

I turn onto the path to Dolce and soon reach the bivouac. Bivouac closed, cleared, all fine. Some fresh entries in the logbook too. Continue the path to Kočne, first a bit over scree then in partly crumbly rocks.

On Kokrska Kočna I scrape a couple of stickers off the box and sacrifice a new bag for the logbook. I find an old quite worn bag too and store it. On Jezerska I repeat the cleaning action and there too put the logbook in the old bag from Jezerska Kočna. Above the logbook a new statue of Mary. Feelings mixed - do we really need so much of this in the mountains?

Continue to Grintovec, on the path warning that there is an active landslide on the path. For that I took two pegs and some ropes, but I see that it can be passed with much caution. Pegging is off as most of the wall has completely collapsed and will slide more. Around the bend, the path has seen better times here too, over a couple of pegs and on Grintovec. Visibility cca 3m. Fog. And rather head on.

At Cojzova hut the weather clears completely and after a short stop I head down the old path to Suhadolnik. On the saddle a sign warning that the path from Grintovec to Kočne is closed. The old path to Suhadolnik is well crumbled too, on the last rock jump need to climb well 2-3m to descend. Then further over scree where the path to the valley used to be.

Bottom line and given the weather today, advise against Suhadolnik.

Best, Luka

Problem: In which direction does the circular path go.

Hi

Yesterday on Špik, parked under the 3rd bend and descended to the path through Kačji graben. The path is without special features; in the upper part some scree obscures the path, but it concerns some sections of the path in the last 500 height meters.

Descended past the hut in Krnica, where there is super (self)service and food.


Why is this variant of the circular path (IMHO) better? In the first part of the path, it ascends really steeply. Not exposed, but you gain height so quickly, descending such paths is not quick and you need to be quite careful. I agree the upper 500m is easier for descent, still you can't rush down the scree if someone is below you. Sometimes you need to watch very carefully, so it's some kind of lottery.

Descent to Krnica seems easier to me for these reasons, plus you get to the hut fastest after the tour for water, schnapps, beer, food or whatever else.


With this, the last problem of Krnica is solved.

Good luck!

Prisojnik 2547m via Hanz, Wednesday 14.8.2024

Start from Koča na Gozdu once in the morning, hop over the road and already on the way to the wall and soon at the entrance to Hanz. Path to snowfield without problems.

Snowfield is there and will be for a while. Winter gear needed to cross. Up along the wall no go. Down along the wall it (for me) went, but I should warn that the wall is wet, jumps are 2m high and then when you reach the lower point you climb back on the other side. Can be on smooth wall, I went through tunnel and then have to climb a few meters on wet wall to path. Everyone assess for themselves, I'll add some pics for illustration. One idea could be to take some ropes and clip into old piton holders...

Path ahead without problems, at Devil's Pillar logbook shows not much traffic currently. Traverse right and up, around corner on pegs and already at top. Since I had time I tackled "tidying surroundings", when tired of scraping stickers I stacked some stones around the box, then down ridge to valley, one short one cold, mountain meal and cherry on top pancakes.

Nice day and good luck!

Rjavina is easier for me because there's much less "climbing" than on Kopiščarjeva. In terms of difficulty, Rjavina is in my opinion a shade easier, both are around B/C.

Isn't the path closed at B. Grintavec?

Parking lots at Polish/Czech border - Karkonosze ridge, from Polish side:

Entry to national park 2EUR (locals show ID and it's free).

Parking fee 4-8EUR per day, or about 25-50 cents per hour, depending on where.

If you really wanna try it somewhat "responsibly", take a via ferrata kit and clip in. Then once clipped climb without using pegs or cables. If you fall you won't go to the bottom, consequences just a bump or... worse. Of course own responsibility.

Saturday, 10.8.2024

Kot - Rjavina - Kredarica - Triglav - Stanič hut - High Vrbanova špica - Plesišče - Lower Vrbanova špica - Kot

Every year slightly different summer tour, this year again nicely linked into a sensible loop, plenty of good mood and joy. 23km, 2800vm.

Start in the morning sometime in Kot, parking already almost full. On wet path slowly overtaking hikers, sun rising, dream waking up. Friendly lady hikers let us pass somehow, then pull after us so we kinda raced who quits first. In upper Kot turn to Rjavina, helmets on and up climbing route to top. Nicely equipped path ends quickly, left again and quickly on Rjavina.

Nice to see how various influencers / merchants / nature exploiters for own ads and profit / ... happily stick stickers and prove that where donkeys roll... well, need to clean after them too. Maybe instead of logbooks check some etiquette and read mountain behavior rules.

From Rjavina over Mala Rjavina to Rž and Kredarica. Hospitality there pointless... Helmets on again and queue to summit. 🙂

Well it went ok, but really lately become some carnival / circus. For me won foreign hiker descending last cable before summit in full gear, poles on wrists and happily clipping. Hope she felt safe. Summit closed, so quick turn to sun at Stanič hut. Quick bite, check how Janja fights for gold and on to High Vrbanova špica. From there past Plesišče on super path to Lower, really super views, wild passages, path of course ok, some bracket loose. Below Lower Vrbanova špica small landslide so path bit damaged, careful on descent. Then few turns and on way to Kot. Good hour to car, then one or two cold ones 🙂

It was nice.

Sorry, I had some trouble with the pictures, now it seems OK.

Tamar - Kotovo sedlo - Jalovec - Goličica wall - Šite - Travnik - Kol - Vršič - Grlo - Tamar

25.7.2024

Early in the morning I drove to Planica, grabbed another coffee and two rolls at the gas station on the way. Parked, trail under feet Lukito! Through Tamar quite fresh, then quickly up the gentle screes to the junction towards Kotovo sedlo, up switchbacks past the bivouac to the saddle, left towards the climbing section and helmet on head. A chamois greets me, I refuel a bit and continue towards the summit. A bit sorry I didn't take gloves because it was cold on my hands. On the nicely secured path I quickly reached the top... and it clouded over. A few minutes in the wind, then the sun peeks through the clouds. 2-3 pictures, sign the book (two summit books at the top - one full and one new).

Descended along the ridge and at the junction met some hikers, we exchanged some words, impressions, path condition, then past the glacieret continued towards Goličica wall. Admit, a bit annoying to descend on pegs, prefer cables for that. Ascending surely easier. After descent orient a bit, then through "Obeliksovo" land to bigger boulders, miss a bit, backtrack and cairns soon show the right pathless terrain to Šite. "Trail" sticks to the left side, then need the right moment to turn towards the summit. Here probably everyone picks their own path, but generally no major issues if you don't tumble into some pronounced rocky drop.

Summit great views, built one (amateur) cairn (read: piled some stones together), then continued diagonally. No trail... but found somehow the safest variant. Mostly scree (ankles not talking to me today), need to watch because there are also some drops. Passages can be found. Then around the bend again through boulders and advance towards Travnik. Here follow chamois tracks, logical passages... and use all knowledge and experience I have to not miss it. Sometimes good to stop and think how it would look if had to return the same way.
First reached Vrh Travnika (2251m), then descended west where spotted one very nice and largely built cairn that really helped. Past cairn some trodden path appears, and slowly advance towards Travnik summit. Look towards Mojstrovke, check supplies... tough. Decided better go to Kol and descend south side on marked trail. Well, first need to get a few hundred meters lower. Descent also quite tiring/tense. Pathless.

Lower catch hunting trail and curse one hour to marked and good hour to Vršič. There stopped, ate something, drank a lot, then through Grlo descended to Tamar, first went to hut in Tamar for some liquid, then at sunset to Planica and slowly drove home. 6l fluids, 3300vm. Not the last time, someday will connect Mojstrovke too, probably much nicer than that #*&&*&^( hunting trail.

All paths dry or without peculiarities. Parking 3.5EUR.

Lp,
Lukito

If you have wider feet and boots are narrow no solution and they won't break in buy others. Everything else is waste of time and money.

On Saturday morning there was a sign for the traffic ban into Krma. Normal cars went somehow to Kovinarska koča, further higher cars and one brave Styrian who trashed his new Honda.

Definitely completely hard and frozen, but it was visible that someone had plowed the road to some extent. Today it's snowing anyway and on Thursday too, so conditions will be completely different.

My colleague and I also climbed Triglav, most were Croats, some Italians, rest Slovenes. Conditions excellent, ropes slow traffic a bit and some arrogant people who can't wait 20 seconds and push between people so that neither forward nor back should rethink their behavior.

Hello

Sad news, but I hope it outlines what all can happen. Acquaintance, Polish mountain guide and rescuer went with wife to Tatras. Reports say they triggered small avalanche on grassy slope, then couldn't stop to edge and fell over, snow buried them.

Due to bad conditions helicopter couldn't take off, so rescuers went to accident site on foot. Dug them out dead from under snow.

Happened yesterday - September. Both very experienced.

https://www.rmf24.pl/fakty/polska/news-tragiczny-wypadek-w-slowackich-tatrach-zginal-znany-polski-p,nId,6299909#crp_state=1

Roksi, Andrzej, rest in peace.