TOUR NO. 1 - Mt. Krn, Mt. Batognica Departure: from the alp of Planina Kuhinja (1000 m) Mt. Krn (2244 m) Mt. Škrbina (2058 m) Mt. Batognica (2163 m) the saddle Prag (2068m) Lužnica valley (1800 m) Planina Kuhinja Vertical drop: 1400 m -- VERY DEMANDING TOUR Time required: 7-8 hours Equipment: mountaineering clothing and footwear, trekking poles, extra clothing, helmet-lamp, food, drinking water (2 l/person) Good physical condition in mountaineering is required. During the summer season food available and overnight stay possible at Planina Kuhinja and in the "Gomiščkovo zavetišče" (Gomišček's refuge) just below the top of Mt. Krn. Tour description: The alp of Planina Kuhinja accessible with car or van. Then, ascending the south slopes by following a mountain path and a former "mule track" which crosses alpine pastures and the southeast Krn slope, we reach the top of Mt. Krn. During the 1st World War, the mountain was conquered by the alpini of Exilles batallion who kept control over it, and also over the west part of Mt. Batognica, all until the 12th Isonzo Battle. They fortified the summit with trenches and gun emplacement caves. Mt. Batognica became a scene of fierce battles on the high-mountain karst. Positions of the two adversary armies were only 15 meters apart here. The battles ended with the war of mines when 4100 kg of explosive exploded. The results are still visible as four large craters. Thanks to its geological composition (horizontal stratification), the mountain was suitable for drilling caves and tunnels. Some of them can still be visited today. Attention: there is danger of falling rocks!!! REQUIRED THE USE OF HELMET AND HELMET-LAMP! The best to visit is an Austrian tunnel - Kavernenhof - which was the entrance to the subterranean system. After crossing the saddle of Prag, we start descending to the valley of Lužnica and to the lake of Jezero v Lužnici. From the saddle of Prag it is also possible to climb Mt. Vrh nad Peski (2178 m) to visit Austrian rear positions, a monument at Peski and then, passing Škofič, Rdeči rob and Leskovški Vrh, descend to Jezero v Lužnici. The tour back to our point of departure leads us past an ethnological monument - the pasture alp of Leskovec, which was damaged badly in the earthquake of 1998 and has been abandoned since then. We descend to the point of departure by crossing one of the most typical lateral morains made by the Isonzo glacier. On this tour, we shall get acquainted with the rich variety of alpine vegetation and, having some luck, we shall see a chamoix, capricorn, marmot, eagle or white-head vulture. Price: 30 EUR/hour for a group of 8 persons.		TOUR NO. 2 - THE RIDGE OF KAL - MT. KRNČICA Departure: from Drežniške Ravne (575 m) the alp of Planina Zaprikraj (1205 m) the alp of Planina Predolina (1300 m) Mt. Kal (1700 m) Mt. Vršič (1877 m) Mt. Oblo brdo (1957 m) Mt. Vrata (1938 m) Mt. Krnčica (2142 m) Drežniške Ravne Vertical drop: 1500 m -- VERY DEMANDING TOUR Time required: 8-10 hours In case of departure from Planina Zapleč: vertical drop - 1000 m; time required: 6-7 hours Equipment: mounatineering clothing, trekking poles, extra clothing, helmet-lamp, food, drinking water (2 l/person) Good physical condition in mountaineering is required. During the pasturing season, drinking water, cottage cheese and cheese available at Planina Zaprikraj. Tour description: Access with car to the drinking trough above Drežniške Ravne, then 6 km of bad macadam road follow to the alp of Planina Zapleč. Land-rovers recommended. From the Triglav National Park entering point only 10-minute walk to Planina Zaprikraj and 15 minutes more to restored positions of the 2nd Italian Army line above the alp of Planina Predolina. Here we can see fortified positions, fortifications, numerous caves, remains of buildings and memorial sites (forsaken graveyard at Planina Zapleč, a monument, etc.). Then we climb a mule track up to Mt. Kal (the war of mines!) and along a knife-edged ridge, which was conquered by alpini troops as early as 31 May 1915, up to the top of Mt. Krnčica. Along the path we come upon numerous remains of buildings, fortified positions, gun emplacements (Oblo brdo) and even tunnels - all to Mt. Krnčica peak. On these extremely outstanding positions with panoramic views Italian soldiers had splendid control over the lower lying positions of the defenders located above the alp of Planina Zagreben and on Mt. Lemež. Apart from the Kaninski Podi plateaus, it is hard to find any better example of high-mountain karst than that just below the north face of Mt. Krnčica (V Laštah). A rich variety of alpine vegetation and animals can be seen all the way during the tour. The alp of Planina Zaprikraj is the point of departure for a slightly less demanding tour: Mt. Krasji Vrh (1773 m) Mt. Debeljak (1628 m). This tour is included in the programs of the Triglav National Park and of the Kobarid Museum. Time required: 5-6 hours. Price: 30 EUR/hour for a group of 15 persons.
TOUR NO. 3 - ROMMEL'S ROUTE Departure: from the German charnel house near Tolmin or the village of Volče (200 m) Hlevnik (866 m) the alp of Kovačičeva Planina Mt. Na gradu (1114 m) Mt. Nagnoj (1192 m) Vertical drop: 1000 m - a tour of medium difficulty Time required: 5-6 hours Equipment: mountaineering clothing, trekking poles, helmet-lamp, extra clothing, drinking water (2 l/person). Drinking water available at Kovačičeva Planina and at the Volče hunters' cabin. Tour description: the tour was described by Erwin Rommel himself; see the chapter on the breakthrough near Tolmin in his book Infanterie greift an (Infantry is Attacking). The tour starts at the German charnel house at the confluence of the Soča and the Tolminka, or in the village of Volče. We walk along the old track towards the hamlet of Foni. Having half of the way behind us, we turn sharply uphill and climb to the crossing with the macadam road Volče - Solarji, then we follow the ridge path, passing by the ruins of St. James's church, the alp of Kovačičeva Planina and the hunters' cabin, until we reach the point 1114 - Na Gradu. There is an outdoor museum here, i.e. partly restored trenches of the 3rd Italian Army line. The methods of fortifying trenches are displayed which were used in this area by the Italian army. Some original materials have been used for the restoration: concrete loopholes, wire networks, tin roofing, etc. On point 1114, a panoramic view opens over the valley of the Soča, the Kanin range, Mt. Krn, Mt. Mrzli Vrh, the Banjška Planota plateau, the Friuli lowland, the Adriatic, and back to Mt. Matajur and Mt. Stol. The tour can end on Mt. Nagnoj (1192 m), Mt. Kuk (1245 m), or even on the top of Mt. Matajur (1642), just like Erwin Rommel did with his troop on 26 October 1917. The tour runs in the range of mountains of medium height which have, except for the upper parts, already been overgrown with wood. The tour is very demanding in view of orientation, therefore a guide is essential. Price: 25 EUR/hour for a group of 15 persons. TOUR NO. 3A - The Ridge of Kolovrat - Mt. Na gradu Departure: From Kobarid Time Required: 3 hours Tour description: a drive from Kobarid to Idrsko and then uphill to Livek, Livške Ravne and along the ridge of Kolovra to the outdoor museum beneath the point 1114 Na gradu (See description of tour no.3). The Tour is particularly recommended to visitors who have but a short time available for sightseeing and decided to use a car. Price: 25 EUR/hour for a group of max. 20 persons.		TOUR NO. 4 - MT. MRZLI VRH Departure: from the village of Krn (840 m) the alp of Planina Pretovč Mt. Mrzli Vrh (1358 m) Vertical drop: 500 m - easy tour Time required: 4 hours Equipment: trekking footwear, hand lamp Tour description: With car to the village of Krn, then walking - past homesteads and meadows to the forest path that gently ascends through a forest below the alp of Sleme to the alp of Planina Pretovč. From there the former battlefield is accessible at the upper section of Mt. Mrzli Vrh. There are two alternatives for the sightseeing tour. First: from Planina Pretovč we ascend southwards to a 150 m higher level with a series of spacious Austro-Hungarian caverns drilled in the rock. A few meters from the entrance of the easternmost one an altar stands which was dedicated by Hungarian soldiers to the Virgin Mary. Former connecting trenches at the entrances to the caves run westwards and upwards to the first Austro-Hungarian line of defence. The line descended from the top of the mountain towards Planina Pretovč, following the round ridge which separates pastures of Planina Pretovč from those of the alp of Planina Lapoč in the west. Italian troops conquered the entire area of Planina Lapoč -all to the above mentioned ridge- already in the first month of battles, but afterwards kept attacking Austro-Hungarian positions unsuccessfully for as much as 28 months. On descent to Planina Lapoč we can have a look at numerous caves and remains of Italian positions and then, following the track, we return to Planina Pretovč. The sightseeing tour of the area can also be made in the opposite direction, and we can climb the top of the mountain within a few minutes. An alternative tour can be longer -even a whole-day tour- if you decide for a more extensive viewing of the remains: climbing up Mt. Vodel Vrh above Tolmin or climbing up Mt.Visoč Vrh, visiting the alp of Sleme and returning to the point of departure across the Krn alps. The same applies to the ascent to the mountain across a former battlefield, with the starting point in the village of Gabrje. The battlefiled on Mt. Mrzli Vrh was the bloodiest of all in the upper Soča region, since the most extensive and fiercest battles took place on it. Austro-Hungarian troops held control over the battlefield from higher positions so that Italian attacks, with enormous casualties, were doomed to fail in advance. A moving witness of these events is the church of the Holy Spirit at the alp of Javorca at the foot of the mountain in the valley of the Tolminka. It was built by Austro-Hungarian soldiers in 1916 to the memory of their killed comrades. Like the rest of the tours in the Krn mountains this one, too, excells with its splendid panoramic views. During rather short time of access the visitors have a splendid survey of the entire battlefield from Mt. Krn to the Tolmin bridgehead. Price: 25 EUR/hour for a group of 15 presons.