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| After climb is over Sun exposed all the glory of Mangart |
It’s the fourth highest peak in Slovenia, perched way out west in the Julian Alps, basically hugging the Italian border. A road actually leads you right up to Mangart Saddle at 2,072 meters – one of the most spectacular high-altitude roads you’ll ever drive (or more accurately, wind) along, stretching out in all its twisty glory for 12 kilometers. Fun fact: it was built in record time during WWII by Italian soldiers. So today, thanks to them, we hikers, tourists, cyclists, and whoever else fancy it can just breeze right up and enjoy.
Honestly, I don’t think there’s a more easily reachable high mountain anywhere in Slovenia. Thanks to this road, Mangart is truly a mountain for everyone – an easy day trip even for average hikers. To access and continue driving the road, you’ll need to pay a €10 “eco tax,” and in summer, you absolutely must come early, because if the parking area up at the saddle fills up, they simply won’t let you pass.
Via Ferrata Italiana – B/C
Did I mention that this was my very first via ferrata ever? The feeling of anticipation was unbearable, and the confusion and uncertainty about what lay ahead were even worse. Right up until I clipped into the first steel cable. Then, everything clicked.
The feeling was complete and almost otherworldly – I felt powerful, my ego basically flew into orbit. This was exactly what I’d been searching for: all-encompassing and finally in balance.
From Mangart Saddle, to start climbing the Italian via ferrata, you first hike about an hour along the ridge, then descend steeply into Italy to reach the Nogara bivouac (you can’t miss it – from the ridge you’ll see a little hut with a red roof).
The start of the climb is steep, but the route is well-secured with plenty of iron rungs and cables. Before long, you reach the “hole” in the rock – a little window you have to squeeze through to continue along the ferrata. From here, the more exposed sections and some vertical climbing begin. Eventually, you come to a gentler grassy part where you can catch your breath.
Then come the smooth, steep rock slabs, a bit of horizontal traversing, and the toughest part of the whole ascent: a sheer vertical section with dizzying exposure, the abyss yawning below you like something out of a nightmare. But once you get past that, you quickly arrive up at the saddle.
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| Smoother part of via ferrata Italiana |
Slovenian Route – via ferrata B
After popping out onto the saddle, you have to cross over into the rocky mass of Mangart itself. That’s where the Slovenian ferrata starts. If you turn immediately left, you’ll still be heading for the summit, but just on a normal hiking trail.
At the saddle, a storm caught us – black clouds rolling in from nowhere and wrapping themselves around the peak. That’s the thing about these high mountains: they have their own microclimate, and thanks to thermals, the weather can change faster than you can say “Where’s my rain jacket?”
We decided to wait a bit, then pushed on to complete our climb. And wow – that was something else. Climbing wet, slippery rock where your hand slides right off a hold the second you grab it is… let’s say “memorable.”
Luckily (or unluckily), the Slovenian ferrata is much easier – no serious exposure – and almost the entire way is secured with cables, right up until about 15 minutes below the summit. That part took us around an hour.
Experienced hikers and climbers could easily do this ferrata without even clipping in; it’s not difficult. The only real hazard is the crumbly rock – a helmet is definitely not optional.
Via Normale Italiana
This time, the summit wasn’t crowded because everyone else had been scared off by the rain. Unfortunately, that also meant we didn’t get any views. We all scarfed down whatever we’d brought – an orange, an energy gel, or just some magnesium – then started the descent via the normal hiking trail.
We slipped around like nobody’s business on those smooth stone slabs, grabbing at anything within reach to stay upright.
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| Sliding down from peak - via normale Italiana |
There are some sections secured with lifesaving cables, but honestly, hiking these routes on wet rock is about as fun as stepping on Lego barefoot.
On the way down, the clouds finally broke apart, giving us stunning views of the saddle, the winding road, and the surrounding mountain massifs. By the time we reached the road, the sky had cleared completely, and we could take the most beautiful photos ever.
Mangart still stood there proudly, bathed in the golden rays of the setting sun, offering up its majesty for our cameras.
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| Mangart Saddle - Clouds disappeared |
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| Sunset above Mangart Saddle |
And so it doesn’t all stay just words, I’m attaching my .gpx track of this epic hiking and climbing day.
 - via ferrata Italiana B/C - via ferrata Slovenska pot B - via normale ){kind=link}
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