Now it's really starting

13th August 23 Porzen > Črna prst

Beautiful morning. First we went downhill through a beech forest that had been affected by the storm. Then a long uphill climb through the forest followed by a long descent. During the ascent to the Črna prst hut at 1800m, it became very steep again, climbing up a scree slope where I also encountered a small poisonous snake. In this hut, there was a simple toilet and washing outside with cold water. I slept in a single room with not so clean bed sheets, but I slept very well.

14th August 23  Črna prst > Riava skala

After a beautiful sunrise with a sea of fog and a good breakfast, the path led steeply downhill and then climbed back up to the ridge. Once on the ridge, the path went almost flat along the ridge. A hiker told me that this path dates back to World War I and is called Multrail. This area was also the border between Italy and the Habsburgs. This section also included the first exposed passages. The next destination was a hut in the Vogel ski area where lifts and new ski slopes were being built. The accommodation was very basic, but expensive. I stayed in a small room without a door, only a curtain, under the sloping roof. It cost 50 euros and the shower didn't work. Breakfast was charged separately. So far, it was the only disappointment I experienced.

15th August  Riva skala > Dom na Komni

In the morning, I moved on. Before breakfast, I climbed back up to the junction from where the path continued yesterday. It was wonderful to be almost the only one on the trail. The path continued along the ridge and oh boy, there were exposed sections. Now I started encountering several people going in the opposite direction. There was a couple from Germany who took half a year to cycle from Bielefeld to Salzburg, now walking the Alpe-Adria Trail to Trieste, and then kayaking along the Adriatic coast to Athens. Fortunately, the path mostly went through the forest because it was very hot. The accommodation was good, but all the huts were full to the last place! So far, I have been very lucky and always found a spot. I do have a tent with me, but it's really only for extreme emergencies.