The name of our mountain is pronounced Montazh. It is in Friulian language (which has also a character for zh - i.e. z with a circumflex) and also we Slovenians call it so several times. Otherwise the original Slovenian name is Shpik nad Policami (the cone peak above bands).

Montaz is a magnificant mountain, one of most remarkable landmarks in Julian Alps. When the poet of Julian Alps (and a distinguished alpinist and explorer) Julius Kugy was asked if in comparaison with Triglav (Eastern Julian Alps) he would consider Western Julian Alps with Montaz as more remarkable, he hesitated a little. All right, his famous answer then was: "Triglav is not a mountain, it is a kingdom", but this illustrates how close in his priority list Montaz was.

As all main Julian Alps peaks also Montaz has high, steep limestone walls, beautifully raising above deep green valleys. Montaz lies at the end of a long crest, arriving (or going to) from the south east. Towards the north its huge walls fall about 1100 m towards Zajzera (Valbruna) valley and altogether 1700 m to the end of the road on beautiful alpine meadows. Towards the south first steep rocky walls fall around 600 m to high alpine meadows, which continue another 600 m of altitude in the form of a high plane (Altipiano del Montasio) and then steep slopes, covered with woods fall again 900 m in the depths of Raccolana/Reklanica valley. It is probably the western side of the mountain which is the most beautiful one. Like a strong deer horn, made of white limestone falls the western wall more than 1600 m down into the wild Clapadorie gorge. If you travel by car or train through the Val Canale and have luck to catch in few seconds the view to Montaz, you will hardly recover from this breath-taking experience. Towards the east and later south-east a long crest goes over which also one of the most beautiful ferrattas in Julian Alps goes.

The peak is mostly summited in summer. The winter ascent is a hard alpine endeavor. But because of its marked routes the Montaz summit is also highly desarable and in summer the tour is also quite frequently done. In spring, southern meadows (till the rocky section) offer also nice possibilities for tour skiing.

Portraits of Montaž

from the NW	from the N	from the NE
from the W	MONTAŽ	from the E
from the SW	from the S	from the SE

Other Summits of the Narrow Montaz Group

Torre Carnizza / Krnični turn

Cima Verde / Vrh Brda

Montaz as a mountain is very broad and complex, so a few peaks, rising on its ridges are quite independent summits. One such is the hardly approachable northern tower - Torre Nord / Nordturm, 2680m. East of the main summit, at the end of the summit ridge is Cima Verde / Vrh Brda, 2661m. This fine panoramic peak can be easily reached from the eastern variant of the normal south approach. Even further towards SE stand Modeon del Montasio, 2573m, a very sharp and hardly reachable rock structure, which even ferratas, going by the whole SE ridge, avoid.

A short alpine history

The summit of Montaz was long considered as unreachable, but anyway major routes were done in the classical age of alpine history.

The first ascent was done in 1877 by Findenegg and Brussofier from the Sella Nevea (southern) side and then over the upper part of the west wall.

The west wall above the Dunja valley was first climbed by count Brazza (he also found the route of today's normal south approach), Siega and Marcon in 1882.

The majority of north approaches was discovered by the great explorer of Julian Alps Julius Kugy, of course always with his excellent home guides: Komac, Ojcinger and Pesamosca. His direct approach over the north wall was one of heroic episodes of classical alpine age. A very difficult route was climbed (only by fair means, of course) but on the hardest part the first climber, guide Ojcinger got stucked. He couldn't proceed, nor retreat. In case of his fall, all climbers would fall several hundreds of meters. The only possibility was, that the second guide, the strong Jozhe Komac unroped and climbed by an even harder, parallel passage. Seconds of tension prolongued into minutes, Ojcinger was keeping himself only with last bits of power, every few minutes Kugy sent him a calm, encouraging message, and finally the head of Komac appeared above him and the strong hand rescued all three lives. Today this passage is named Passo Ojcinger, but many think that actually it should be named Passo Komac. Unfortunately, later this route was artificially assured with pegs and cable ropes, but it still today represents a hard ascent.

Summit Panoramas

Surpassing all its neighmours so much, Montaz is well known by its immense panorama. Julian Alps on the East, carnic Alps and Dolomites on the West, Hohe Tauern and Gailtal Alps on the NW and North, and considerably lower summits towards South, where Alps lower down to the Po river plane.

Towards the SW

Towards the E

Getting There

The approach valley to the Western Julian Alps will probably be the highway through Val Canale (Udine - Tarvisio). But of course it doesn't reach the heart of this mountain group.

1. For the south ascent you must deter from the highway in Chiusaforte and travel through Rakolana (Reklanica, Raccolana) valley to Sella Nevea (Nevejsko sedlo) pass, 1142 m. This pass can also be reached from Tarvisio towards south through Valle Rio di Lago (Jezerska dolina). On Sella Nevea you turn towards north-west and drive by a narrow alpine road to Malga Pecol, 1520 m.

2. For the west ascent (it is extremely rarely done) you deter from the highway towards east in Dogna and drive through the Dogna (Dunja) valley towards the Sella di Somdogna (Rudni vrh) pass, 1398 m. The trailhead starts down in the valley.

3. For the north ascent you deter from the highway some seven kilometers west of Tarvisio and drive south into the Valbruna (Zajzera) valley. The road ends on an alpine meadow on the altitude of 1000 m.

Tarvisio and Valle Rio di Lago (Jezerska dolina) can also be reached from east, from Slovenia (from the Sava valley or over the Predel (Predil) pass and of course also from north, from Austria (from Villach).

Maps:
Tobacco Map 019 - 1:25000 - Alpi Giulie Occidentali Tarvisiano.
Julijske Alpe - Zahodni del (Western part). Planinska zveza Slovenije. 1:50000.

Routes Overview

West face

Findenegg couloir

The list of marked and secured routes:

1. The usual approach from the south. This is a medium hard marked path, protected on many places and also requiring some easy climbing. The ascent on the east ridge has two variants. One goes over the so-called Pipan's ladder - a 60m high, completely vertical ladder. 3 h 30 min for ascent, 3 h for descent.

2. Through the Findenegg couloir. We reach the Suringar bivouac either from the south (Forca del Disteis) or from the north (Via Amalia). Amalia is a hard ferrata. The upper part of the west wall is a steep couloir, through which a marked ascent goes (UIAA I.-II.). From the south 4 h for ascent. From the north 6 hours for ascent.

3. From the north over the direct route (UIAA II.-III.). Cca 6 hours.

4. From Dunja over the west wall (several hundreds of meters UIAA II.), 1750 m, 7-8 hours for ascent, the whole tour 13-14 hours.

If we summit Montaz from the north or west, we should consider our return. It is highly unlikely that we shall return on the same side of the mountain (this can be hardly done in one day). So if we shall descend by the south side, we shall find ourselves far away from the car, waiting probably in one of the other two valleys.

Red Tape

No limitations or special permits.

When To Climb

Summer on the normal route

Summer and autumn are the best seasons. In Julian Alps in summer a stable weather usually starts somewhere in July and months from August to October are the best. In early July on some parts of north and west routes dangerous snow rests can lie.

WebCam from south, from Nevejski preval/Sella Nevea: click here.

Camping

A one-day ascent is a hard endeavor (except from south) so around Montaz there are many alpine huts, which can be used.

On south:
- Rif. Brazza, 1660 m (parking place just below it).
On north:
- Rif. Attillio Grego (parking place 400 m below it in Valbruna or on Sella di Somdogna, 1398m, 15 minutes away), 1395 m.
- Bivacco Carlo Stuparich (bivouac), 1587m, just below the north wall.
On west:
- Bivacco Muschi, 1955 m,
- Bivacco Suringar, 2240 m, (in the middle of the west wall).

Images



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