Rifugio Nordio - Osternig (Ojstrnik) (direct way)

Access to starting point:
We drive to Trbiž / Tarvisio, which is just a few kilometers behind the state border on the Italian side of the Rateče border crossing. We can also reach Trbiž / Tarvisio from Austria, where we first drive to Beljak / Villach and then across the Thori-Coccau border crossing to Trbiž / Tarvisio. In Trbiž / Tarvisio, we follow the signs to Videm / Udine along the old road (not the motorway). Shortly after Trbiž / Tarvisio we arrive in the village of Ukve / Ugovizza, where we turn right into the village center. In the middle of the village we reach a stream, where an asphalted mountain road branches uphill along the stream. We drive along this road to a junction, where we go straight ahead (right); immediately after this junction we reach the next one, where we turn left. We follow this mostly asphalted road to the Rifugio Nordio hut, where we park in the parking lot next to the hut.

Route description:
From the parking lot, head to the left road that passes by the dilapidated Nordio hut. The road begins to ascend moderately and leads us in switchbacks to a spot exposed to falling rocks. Despite the mesh protection installed slightly above the road, caution is required. It is best to leave this section as quickly as possible.
After that, we cross the stream and continue ascending northwards to a junction. Straight ahead the road goes to the Lom saddle, right branches the direct path to Ojstrnik. We turn right onto path marked 407, which leads to Ojstrnik. After a short descent, the path crosses the stream and then steeply ascends through the forest. Soon the path from Lom saddle joins us from the left.
The path continues ascending through quite a dark forest. The steepness then eases and the path takes us out of the forest onto pastures on Planina Bistrica. Next follows another ten minutes of walking on a gentle meadow to the huts on the pasture, which we can already see ahead.
On the pasture we reach a road, where we turn left. We follow the road for just a few dozen meters to the signs for Osternig. We head left onto the footpath, which begins to ascend transversely across the steep grassy slopes of the mountain. After about 15 minutes of walking from the road, the path ascends more steeply and then joins the old military mule track, where we continue right. The steepness of the path and slopes eases, and the path brings us to a fork of two paths. The right one goes to the summit past the cross, the left directly to the summit. I recommend the right path, which is less than five minutes longer but more scenic. The path, which ascends only slightly, takes us past the meteorological station to the cross standing on the eastern subpeak.
At the cross, turn left and continue along the scenic summit ridge. We reach the summit five minutes from the cross.
Rifugio Nordio - Planina Bistrica 1:25, Planina Bistrica - Ojstrnik 45 minutes.

Along the route: Planina Bistrica (Hutte Oisternig) (1722m)

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