Jug's Couloir

Approach

The trailhead starts just in the village of Martuljek, 750 m.

Route Description

From Martuljek village you go towards south, by the Martuljek Creek you take one of the two marked paths and proceed either through the gorge (more beautiful) or left of it and reach the area above the First Waterfall. here both paths join and you proceed through woods, a bit turning towards SE. In woods soon one path deters to the right (under Spik) but you go straight towards SE. Soon the slopes through woods become steep, you leave the creek deep below on the left and climb to the rocky barrier. Here some steel ropes and pegs help you to overcome the steepest rocky part. Just below this section a tiny path (also marked) can bring you to the Second Waterfall. It's certainly worth to see it (from there you must return)! Steel ropes bring you just on the upper part of the waterfall and behind the corner you reach the flat lower part of basin, named Za Akom. The path from here on is no more marked. If you are looking for the bivouac - it stands some 50 meters above the edge of basin - to the right.

The broad basin Za Akom is a beautiful place. Here is the water source, it's sunny and all around are wild mountains. Our climb goes further towards south. First you can still follow the path, later it is lost in the scree. The orientation is the broad, 800 m high, vertical wall of Siroka pec and below it, on the right side a distinctive hill with 3 larches. The scree falls through the left and the right ravine of this hill and it is preferable to choose for the ascent the left one (between the hill with 3 larches and Siroka pec wall). This couloir is almost all the year filled with snow, and as it is steep on the upper part, you will probably here first time use crampons and ice axe. At 3 larches you must take a long rest, this is one of the most beautiful places in Martuljek, which itself is for me also the most beautiful group in Julian Alps.

From 3 larches you proceed towards south by a scree shoulder. It is not dangerous, but also not very comfortable. Above it's likely you will already reach snow fields. They proceed southwards, but as the Siroka pec wall is now over, one steep snow couloir goes also towards left, in SE direction. It's broad on the bottom, but becomes steeper and much more narrow at the top (Jug's couloir). But what is most important - it brings you almost to the main ridge. In early summer (or even May, June) the conditions are the best and you will likely reach the main ridge. If not, on the top of the couloir some easy rock climb awaits you (I.-II. degree). From the main ridge you go on south slopes of the fore summit and reach by ledges the summit rocks and the main summit (easy climb, I.-II.). Altogether some 5 hours.

To descend certainly the best advice is, to choose the south route (see the description). This way you will use more than 500 meters of fine debris below Splevta and reach the Vrata valley in the shortest possible time. Of course you must now go around to the main Sava valley and to Martuljek.

Essential Gear

Ice axe, crampons and a 20 m rope.

In Spring

In spring Jug's Couloir is a popular alpinistic ski tour. It is rated: IV-, sections are S4+, 500m (only the couloir part, below is an ordinary ski tour).

Miscellaneous Info

If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.

Images

View Jug's Couloir Image Gallery - 7 Images