Rifugio Nordio - Osternig (Ojstrnik) (via Lom)

Access to starting point:
Drive to Tarvisio, which is just a few kilometers past the state border on the Italian side of the Rateče border crossing. You can also reach Tarvisio from Austria by first driving to Villach and then across the Thori-Coccau border crossing to Tarvisio. In Tarvisio, follow the signs for Udine on the old road (not the motorway). Shortly after Tarvisio, enter the village of Ugovizza, turning right into the village center. In the middle of the village, reach a stream where a mountain road branches uphill along the stream, asphalted. Drive this road to a junction, heading straight (right), immediately after which is the next junction where you turn left. Follow this mostly asphalted road to Rifugio Nordio, parking in the lot by the hut.

Route description:
From the parking lot, head to the left road passing by the dilapidated Rifugio Nordio hut. The road begins to ascend moderately, leading us in switchbacks to a spot exposed to falling rocks. Despite the mesh protection placed slightly above the road, caution is required. Best to leave this section as quickly as possible. Then cross the stream and continue ascending north to the junction. Right branches the direct path to Ojstrnik, but we proceed straight on the forest road, which soon turns into a footpath. The path then leads to a meadow, across which we walk to the state border. Here we already see the pasture, just a few steps away.
From the pasture, return to the state border information board and a few meters above it find the marked path to Planina Bistrica. The junction is marked only with Austrian markers. The path enters a dark forest, initially crossing the slopes almost horizontally, then joining the direct path from Rifugio Nordio.
The path continues steeply uphill through the forest. The gradient eases, and the path leads out of the forest onto the pastures of Planina Bistrica. Followed by ten minutes of walking on a gentle meadow to the huts on the pasture, already visible ahead.
On the pasture reach a road, turning left. Follow the road just a few dozen meters to the signs for Osternig. Head left onto the footpath, which ascends transversely across the steep grassy slopes of the mountain. After about 15 minutes from the road, the path steepens and joins the old military mule track, continuing right. The steepness of the path and slopes eases, leading to a fork of two paths. The right goes to the summit past the cross, the left directly to the summit. I recommend the right path, less than five minutes longer but more scenic. The gently ascending path passes the meteorological station to the cross on the eastern forepeak. At the cross, head left and continue along the scenic summit ridge. Summit reached in five minutes from the cross.
Rifugio Nordio - Lom 45 minutes, Lom - Planina Bistrica 45 minutes, Planina Bistrica - Ojstrnik 45 minutes.

Along the route: Planina Dolnica (sedlo Lom) (1499m), Planina Bistrica (Hutte Oisternig) (1722m)

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