A tough hike in the Julian Pre-Alps, the ascent to Mount Plauris is mostly training, as it takes place in the woods for most of the challenging elevation gain, with little scenery; notable environment the last third
Start from Tugliezzo (503 m), where the current normal route to Plauris attacks. Past the wayside shrine dedicated to St. Hubert, go up the cart track on the right (trail marker 701). At an elevation of 645 m the trail becomes a path and breaks off to the right; in an hour from the start we are at the Elio Franz Shelter (1008 m), in July 2025 closed for extraordinary maintenance. The trail resumes uphill following the dry course of the Rio Lavaris; the forest thins out as the trail becomes a narrow ledge; the gradient never lets up-some sections are challenging. Thus Maleet Pass (1635 m) is reached.
From the pass, the summit of Plauris is finally visible, the first part of the trail to reach it. We descend a few meters to the left, walk along the head of the Lavaruzza Valley and begin to climb a winding path with a slippery bottom; the steep slope and the tendency of the area to erosion mean that, rather than the trail, it is better to adjust ourselves by following markers and cairns, looking for the best and least sloping route. At an altitude of about 1910 m we are on a narrow fork full of edelweiss.
The last passages of the climb are the most delicate: we turn left onto a very narrow ledge, with the overhang of the southern slope of Plauris on the right. It is less than two minutes, but utmost care is needed. After this passage, last few meters and we are on the elongated summit of Mount Plauris (1958 m); summit cross and summit book (not in the same place), very wide panorama.
We return by the same route as the ascent.
