Pert

I've heard good things about this swimming hole on Torrente Arzino, but always forget to visit.  Today  I chose a rolling, saliscendi route to the river, which is harder for me than a single long climb.  I've heard the continuous variation prevents you getting in rhythm.  Sounds plausible.

After the tunnel from Montereale I climbed over Pala Barzana then down to Poffabro, continuing down Valmuie to Navarons.  After the lakeside I headed up toward Campone and Piani di Clauzetto.  Now down again to Pradis di Sotto caves.  Back up to Pradis di Sopra then down to Pielungo.  At the riverside I headed south to Pert and into the river.  The cold water felt great on my feet ( wearing my SPD sandals).  Back up to the main road to Anduins, Pinzano and home.  Now I'm knackered.   

Cemetery from 1917 battle in the days after the Kobarid route

German graves (the Germans came to help
Austria Hungary which was losing on the Izonzo Front) 

Italian graves (Italy was desperately trying to halt the German
advance which threatened to sweep across Italy)

Looking north up the gorge of Torrente Arzino

Pert: note the deep water along the low-lying  cliff face

You can see the blue-green deeper water extends quite a way along the cliff

Looking back toward Pert from the main road above

Forcella Capra Hike

Monte Raut's distinctive promontory is visible for miles across the coastal plain, like a mini-Gibraltor with sheer rock walls on the southwestern side.  Raut is the southernmost massif of the Carnic Alps, a range stretching all the way up into Austria's Carinthia region.  Then from Monte Raut south to the Adriatic Sea is flat as a billiard table.    

I drove to Pala Barzana (840 meters) and began hiking north, climbing through pleasant woodland.  Crossing a heavily-eroded open area I encountered an elderly Alpino veteran, with grey beard and green feathered cap, green coat and a heavy wooden staff.  Later I looked back and he was perched on a ledge overlooking misty Andreis, a very pretty view. 

Before long the steep slope emerges from the forest and you're climbing through grassland.  After awhile you reach the dreaded Vallonit, a scree slope you clamber up gaining 300 meters of elevation.  I didn't mind going up this as much as descending- very tricky.   Along the way low flying clouds moved in and obscured the sun.   Eventually I reached some cliffs and traversed past a tiny cave, which I kept in mind in case I needed shelter from a hailstorm.  After this I found a handy via ferrata cable bolted into the steep rocky route for maybe 80 meters- very helpful.  

Back on the alpine pillow grass slope I joined a trail ascending the ridge from Pian delle Merie near Poffabro.   Things soon got steeper and rockier again on the final 300 meters or so of hiking/scrambling up to the dorsal ridge of Forcella Capra at 1824 meters.  Even with the cloud/fog the view was impressive: the summit of Monte Raut (2025 meters) further west on the semi-circular dorsal.  To the north Crenal de Basson with the trail leading down to Lago Ca Selva (my next route to attempt Monte Raut).  

I descended slowly because the outboard side of my left knee was aching and I was afraid I'd wrench it.  Everything went well though and no injuries- left leg just needs a day off tomorrow.  This is a wonderful wild area so close to home it's a shame not to come back.  Maybe I'll try a little snowshoeing from Lago Ca' Selva this winter.

Orangish-red berries covering trees below Il Vallonit

My hailstorm shelter cave; note the concrete Disney dwarf figure
someone hauled up this slope and mounted on a concrete base! 

The trail coming up from Pian delle Merie

This cross is above a high vertical cliff facing southeast 

The "back" side of Monte Raut summit

To reach the summit you must scramble up this steepish rock;
maybe next time I'll have enough energy/courage

Crenal de Basson to the north

Ruins of Casera di Pala Barzana dairy

Pala Barzana - Col Alto

Crazy weather today so I tried to do a quick local ride.   Up Valcolvera, Valdifrina and over Pala Barzana.  Weather was holding up pretty well so far, so I continued to Barcis and up the backroad to Piancavallo.  Still no rain but skies were menacing ahead.  After Piancavallo I climbed to Col Alto at 1360 meters, donned cold weather gear and headed down.  Light drizzle down to Castaldia and then slightly harder to Rifugio Bornass.  I headed down the back way to Costa and the rain gradually increased.  Never absolutely poured, but it was raining all the way home from Costa.  I stripped all the wet stuff off on the porch and jumped in a hot bath- good as new.  Good ride regardless- still keeping to my 34-27 gear goal.  The 30 tooth is reserved for insane steepness only.

Mountains to north of Pala Barzana descent

The valley where Andreis nests

Tortuous sedimentary folding visible in these cliffs near Andreis

Pala Barzana - Panuch

Decided to check Pala Barzana to see if the pass is open yet.  After the long tunnel I turned right and headed up through Bosplans.   At 690 meters the road was barricaded due to a landslip (frane) so I hopped off and hoofed it for 50 meters carrying the bike along the edge.  The rest of the road and pass is open.  I descended even slower than usual after hearing Joe William's harrowing experience with a rear blow-out above Poffabro last year.  He used his excellent bike handling skills to save his gorgeous new ti Passoni as well as himself, so a happy ending.  I would have probably flipped over a guardrail and down a ravine.

I skipped Poffabro and descended through Valdifrini then continued down Val Muie to Navarons.   At Lago di Tramonti I turned left and skirted the lakeshore to Chievolis.  Here starts the climb up Val Silisia to Lago Ca' Selva.  Crossed the dam and after a brief dirt stretch climbed the steep paved road to Panuch (639m).  Fun ride home.  

Frane at 690 meters above Bosplans

View north from Pala Barzana

Monte Rodolino from 530 meters above Lago Ca' Selva

Panuch trail head- I'll try to hike to Monte Raut this summer

Mountains to west above Lago Ca' Selva

Landri Scur e Landri Viert MTB

I heard about these caves above Maniago and had to go see them.  It’s a quick ride from our house past Maniago to Busa del Colvera on the mountain bike.  Several groups of climbers were scaling the vertical walls of the gorge this morning.  I crossed the main road at the bridge between the tunnels and then continued along the gorge until I reached a gravel road turning off to the left.  This descends to Torrente Colvera, and then continues to the left where the river splits.  Easy woodland road for awhile, then heads up a bit with some concrete sections around 12-13%.  

You arrive at Landri Scur and follow a trail to the left.  Here are several cave openings (blocked with iron grates today) in a beautiful zone of ferns and mosses.

Then you continue on to Landri Viert, with another short steep hiking trail where you can  view the large cave opening.

I intended to follow a trail to Val di Frina or Buffui on the Pala Barzana road but couldn’t find it.  So I returned to the main road and turned up through Val di Frina.  No signs but I saw a couple of left turning dirt roads that might connect to the trail- have to explore later.  Then on the Pala Barzana road I found the other trail.  That looked pretty steep- definitely be pushing the bike up that gradient.

Pala Barzana climb and descent were fun as always.  At the recreation area along Torrente Alba below Andreis a big crowd was picnic-ing, playing, enjoying the last few weekends of summer.   Great ride!  

  

http://www.uspcaipordenone.org/sito/index.php?option=com_phocagallery&view=category&id=10:raffaele&Itemid=175

Take the gravel road down hill to the left

Landri Scur cave opening is the dark area (locked with grate for safety)

To the right another opening

Another, maybe 50 meters northeast

Up above a rock formation with even more holes

This was 50 meters to the west.

Reminds me of Natural Bridge Virginia, which
was on the way to grandmother's house in NJ

Landri Viert from above, with 2 much larger cave openings 

A close up of the right Landi Viert cave opening

Close up of the left Landri Viert cave opening

On Pala Barzana road the trailhead at Buffui

Pala Barzana

Since Il Cansiglio road was clear Saturday, I thought I'd retry Pala Barzana.  Rode up through Valcolvera and turned left toward Valdifrina before Poffabro.  This a nice secluded road, with a stretch of 24% gradient to keep you on your toes.  After rejoining the main road a barrier said it was closed.  I kept going to check it out.  No snow but they are logging along it so lots of tree waste.  No problem on the ascent, and I soon reached the pass at 830 meters.

The descent was less littered, just the usual small branches, rocks left over from winter.  That is until around 700 meters, when I encountered a large chunk of road slumped downhill.  I hopped off and walked along the edge.  A few hundred meters later 3 large boulders the size of a Fiat Cinquecento or VW Beetle had fallen from the cliffs and were blocking the road.   I apologize for not getting a picture of these, but I thought another boulder might crash down while I was framing the shot.

The 4km tunnel under Monte Fara was a bit nippier than I expected, but I survived.  Good ride, but be careful between Bosplans and Pala Barzana.

I suspect this tree was pushed over by a bear trying to get honey

Pussy willow blossoms on the fallen tree

Backlit version

Monte Raut (2025m) with clouds

Bad slump on the descent to Andreis

Above Bosplans

I was headed up to Pala Barzana from Bosplans but the snow was too deep above 600 meters.  So I went back down a bit to the big horseshoe curve in the snowy meadows above Bosplans and took some pictures.  What a beautiful place!

End of plowing at 616 meters

Horseshoe curve with Monte Toc (foreground)
and Monte Castello (1923m) 

Monte Taront (1320m)

Monte Caulana (2068m) and Monte Sestier (2084m) in background

Monte Fara (1342m) on left

Zuccul de Zan Modest

Pala Barzana

The torrential rains are over and the flood waters are receding- time to head for the hills.  Today I set out for Pala Barzana, first visit in 6 or 8 months.  A shame to visit so infrequently- Pala Barzana is one of the classic Prealpi Pordonesi climbs, along with Il Cansiglio, Piancavallo, Monte Rest, Sella Chianzutan, Monte Prat.  It's very close to home, yet feels like remote wilderness.   

Torrente Cellina was still unusually full of water, as was Bus di Colvera.  All the streams along the climb were foaming and surging with runoff.  Luckily there were no landslides or washouts.  Part way up the climb from Pian delle Merie toward Pala Barzana there was a bad slump in the pavement, maybe a couple of feet vertical drop- no problem ascending but if you were descending fast it might cause a crash.  

Descent to Andreis wasn't bad, but when you reach SS251 the road to Molassa is closed.  I was thinking of riding down there to check out Forra del Cellina, but it's impassible.  The 4km tunnel was fine, just some water half-way across the lane in a few spots.

Traditional mountain house in Bosplans: to go from room to room you must go out
on the wooden balcony- same to go up/down stairs.  That would suck in winter.
Wooden slats are for drying hay

Cloudy rugged peaks north of Bosplans

Counterclockwise

Pala Barzana -Piancavallo

Today was a nice change from my usual solitary explorations.  Three friends Doug, Joe and Naz came along too.  From Maniago's Piazza Roma we cruised to Poffabro and on up to Pala Barzana (842m).   From here we descended to Lago di Barcis (400m) and up the lovely northeast side of Piancavallo  (1300m).  A lovely warm day for a ride and fun having someone to chat with on the long climb.


Note: The elevation gain, moving time, distance below are erroneous (I had the Garmin in standby while waiting for the folks' arrival at Maniago and forget to turn it back on until after Poffabro).  You can compare to previous trips on this route: http://dolomiti-friulane.blogspot.it/2010/06/pala-barzana-collalto.html and  http://dolomiti-friulane.blogspot.it/2010/08/pala-barzana-collalto-2.html

3 or 4 sets of tornanti ease the steepness

The 2 climbs