Friuli-Venezia Giulia is a very generous region for lovers of mountain walks, as there are many routes to choose from for wonderful treks or outings suitable for any level of fitness.

In my case, when I go for a walk in the mountains I always prefer scenic hikes, as they are the ones that offer privileged points of view of the many beautiful landscapes of our land. One of these excursions is without a doubt a route I enjoy on Monte Coglians, the highest peak in Friuli-Venezia Giulia and in the Carnic Alps.

I completed my excursion on the Coglians in one day in August and it was not particularly difficult, but still required a good level of fitness to tackle the steeper sections. Obviously I could have done the trip in a more relaxed way, perhaps splitting it in two stages with an overnight stay at the Marinelli hut but which you choose depends on the programme and the rhythm that you intend to give to the experience.

In my case I started the hike near the Tolazzi hut (1350m) and, climbing up along the path that rises amid the mountains of Friuli and the beautiful grassy pastures, I reached the Marinelli hut without too much effort. As far as the Marinelli the difficulties are very few, but obviously along the way it is still necessary to take care and proceed with due caution.

From the Marinelli hut, on the other hand, things change and become more difficult. Not that there are technically insurmountable passages, but you need good fitness to tackle the long and steep scree that rises sharply near the summit of the Coglians. I nicknamed it the “leg-mauling scree”; I think this gives an idea of how it is!

There are two suggestions that I can make to tackle this scree in the best way possible: always wear a climbing helmet because it is not rare for some rocks to fall from above, especially if there are other people further up the path; choose the trails that run parallel to the rock walls and not the one that cuts the scree centrally (maybe do it on the way back, when it will be fun). In this way you will have a greater abundance of firm points on which your feet can grip and that will certainly help you on the way up..

Once you reach the summit of the Coglians (2780m), it’s a great thrill, both for the satisfaction of having made it but also because there is no higher peak in the whole region. Once here, you can pat yourself on the back: you’re on the roof of Friuli-Venezia Giulia!

Before closing, just a couple of recommendations: even during the summer season temperatures can be low on the summit of the Coglians, so it is always best to have clothing appropriate to the situation. As far as the descent is concerned, all you have to do is to retrace the way you came up. To complete the whole trip I took about 7-8 hours at a good pace.

That said, I wish you a good and fun excursion and please, if you liked this article, put a nice Like and share it with all your friends.