Malga Rauna

Overview

Jôf di Miezegnot as seen from the eastern fore-summit

The northern Approach to Jôf di Miezegnot is a long hike, which covers roughly 1400m in elevation gain. It starts from the village of Valbruna (Wolfsbach in German) in the likewise called valley to the east of the mountain. The first two thirds amount to a forest hike which in the upper third turns into a scree scramble along old WW I supply trails. The route used to be protected and is listed as a ferrata in some guidebooks but currently there is no protection to be found. The same is true for the southern approach fom Sella Sompdogna.

In the rocky upper section the route offers great views towards the Carnic Alps main crest in the north as well as the heart of the Montasio - Fuart Group in the south. Even today the summit is littered with debris dating back to WW I and along the route you will find many a trench or dugout dating back to that time

Getting There

The village of Valbruna is located very close to the mororway A23 / E55 which crosses the Italian Austrian border north-east of Tarvisio. To reach Valbruna

• Leave the motorway at the exit Tarvisio
  
• Turn east and drive through the town on SS13
  
• After some 10km there is a side road leading through Valbruna to Malga Saisera
  
• The trailhead is some 200m after the end of the village - there is a signpost for Jôf di Miezegnot, trail #607

Route Description

General data
  - Start altitude: 821m
  - Summit altitude: 2087m
  - Prevailing exposure: N, later S
  - Type: 4h one way
  - Protection: None

Effort: 1400m elevation gain

Power: 2 - Long, steep and tiring

Psyche: 2 - A bit scary in several scree covered sections near the saddle between Miezegnot and neighbouring Monte Strechizza

Orientation: 2 - Near the same saddle a landslide has taken away part of the route. Apart from this section the path is marked.

Cappellinaa Zita, commemorating the last Austrian Empress

Valbruna - Cappellina Zita

From the trailhead near the village of Valbruna follow trail 607. It follows the same direction as a forest route, short-cutting several of the longer switchbacks. This part of the hike is under the forest canopy and offers no views. It takes a bit less than two hours to reach Cappellina Zita, a small chapel built by Austrian soldiers in WW I to remind of the last Austro-Hungarian Empress. The chapel is located on a large meadow, the first to offer reasonable views towards the north.

Cappellina Zita - Strechizza Saddle

From Cappellina Zita the same path heads onward, heading south and steeply up the mountain. After several 100m it turns into a narrow trail which follows a ledge southward. There are WW I dugouts dug into the side of the mountain, overlooking the ledge. The path turns westward through larches offering a first glimpse of the mountain.

You head south-eastward, aiming slightly to the east of the saddle which separates Jôf di Miezegnot from Monte Strechizza. Once you reach the foot of the Monte Strechizza north face you turn west and a steep path heads across several rocky gullies towards one of the foresummits of Jôf di Miezegnot. The route is very brittle in this section and though the remaining pillars and towers look quite impressive it is rather tricky to negotiate.

Finally the trail turns south again, leading through a 30m chimney directly to the saddle. Make sure to climb the fore summit as it awards great views of the nearby Miezegnot east face.

Strechizza Saddle - Jôf di Miezegnot

From the saddle the path heads down into a gully before climbing back up to the Miezegnot summit. The first part is easy but near the gully bottom a part of the route has been carried away by rockfall. There are no marks and several questionable paths head through this rockfall section. All are very brittle and great care has to be taken. Heading out of the gully you turn northward and scramble your way up to the summit. Again there are several positions and dugouts beside the route, there are several paths but since the top of the mountain is not steep or exposed all those paths lead easily to the summit. Be sure to visit the WW I position to the west of the summit proper.

Essential Gear

Hiking gear, maybe a helmet to protect against rockfall if the route is crowded

Images

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