Julian Prealps Park Newsletter no. 1 June 1998 p. 2
(Itinerary coordinated by A. Buttolo)

One of the most unusual and fascinating aspects of limestone mountains is the occurrence of natural windows eroded into the rock. This fairly uncommon phenomenon can be observed in this mountain range, with hollows interspersed with at times layers of rock only a few metres thick, which make natural arches varying in width, and at other times with more solid layers. In Friuli-Venezia Giulia region, there are several examples of such structures; amongst the most well-known are the hollows in the Carnic Alps, on the Creta Forata (“hollow crest”), in the so-called Pesatine Dolomites, and along the Cresta Forada in the Mount Bivera group. In the Mount Cimone group of the Julian Alps, there is a window near the Forca de la Puartate. The second type of morphology described above can be found in hollows such as those near Mount Capolago in the Carnic Alps/Mount Volaia group and those of Mount Forato in the Julian Alps/Mount Canin group. Similar to this last category, but much less well-known is the tunnel, eroded in the solid Dachstein limestone, located just under the crest which connects the two levels, 1,855 m and 1,844 m, of the chain known as the Cime del Monte Musi (Mount Musi peaks). The tunnel, which is not usable as a pass, is easily reached from the North slope, while from the opposite side, to the South, it gives way to a steep canyon.
A visit to the cave affords an appreciation of the extremely irregular karst landscape, with chasms, sinkholes, dolines and ridged surfaces which have been the object of recent successful speleological explorations.
The excursion allows the possibility of other interesting observations of the flora and fauna; by listening out for the melodic song of the garden warbler or the gentle trill of the hedge sparrow or the lesser whitethroat, you could also make out the shrill whistle of the marmot or of the not uncommon chamois. In terms of vegetation, you can admire the view of the snow-white Traunfellner’s crowfoot (Ranunculus traunfellneri) and alpine pennycress (Thlaspi minimum) or the alpine toadflax (Linaria alpina); in warmer areas, it is also possible to find the splendid sweet iris (Iris pallida subsp. cengialti). In Resian, the cave is called “Zavuotle”, whilst in Friulian it is known as Mont Forade. To visit the cave, it is better to negotiate the climb in late spring or early autumn, but although it can be very hot in the summer, a visit still makes for an exceptional thrill.

HOW TO GET THERE
From the Eastern tip of Sella Carnizza, on the side of the Gnivizza lodges, you take a path which climbs south on the above wooded slope. Once you have reached the remains of a military structure at an altitude of 1,140 m, there is a gentle climb towards the right to an altitude of 1,170 m, where the trail turns abruptly to the left. The path is not very clear, but by making use of the faded signs along most of the route, you can keep track of the line where the incline changes. At 1,190 m, you come across a surface crack which you follow to the end, where the route bends to the left skirting around grooves in the rock face. With the path scarcely visible at this point, you climb straight up to 1,340 m to the base of a steep and shrubby rock wall. Walk around it to the right and you will come to a small gully, reaching a gravelly basin; continue on level ground and on your right you pass a cave which can serve as shelter in case of bad weather.
You then pass a speleologist camp marking the start of a long traverse which, with a few ups and downs, skirts the base of a low rock face. As soon as possible, turn to the left and you reach a small pulpit, at 1,520 m, on the edge of an elongated gravelly depression; you will see square boulders above you. After a short drop and a few u-bends you reach these boulders, at 1,565 m; up against them lean the ruins of humble shepherd’s shelters, abandoned completely a little after 1890. After a brief ascent, you come to a circle of rocks of different sizes which can be bypassed on the northern and eastern sides. A few bends later, you finally reach the beginning of a scree slope where you will leave the sign-posted path which, to the right, in about 20 minutes leads to a strange cleft concealing within it a statue of the Madonnina del Cacciatore (“Our Lady of the Hunter”)(to here – intersection – 2 hours). Pass by, on your left, an uncertain speleological trail marked by red signs, continue directly upwards (you are now at an altitude of 1,675 m), and you will find amongst the rocks a small path of sorts. Once you reach a plateau at 1,750 m, the view opens out onto a rugged tableland characterised by impressive karst phenomena; below this it vanishes in a landscape of crags overrun with mountain pine. From the pass it is possible to either descend directly into the gully below via a crevice with boulders, or alternatively to encircle the nearby rock faces of the Musi, coming down as soon as possible into the above-mentioned gully. Having reached the lowest point of the precipices at 1,680 m, you skirt around the steep slopes of the 1,855 metre-high summit; where the rocky ramparts form an obvious indentation, you can see above you to the left a steep meadow bordered to the East by a gravelly crevice which, higher up transforms into a rocky gully with a niche emerging from its summit.
In order to reach this niche, you can either follow two routes or climb the crevice and gully which has some easy rock paths, or otherwise you can climb up the above-mentioned meadow along a narrow trail; where the latter ends, to the left you can make out part of the natural window. To get to it, from a small ridge, it is necessary to descend a few metres through a slightly treacherous 1st degree passageway, across plates on an exposed ledge. Only another few metres separate you from the curious gateway preceded by a smooth rocky monolith, its eternal and silent guardian (1,00-3,00 h). The hollow, 5 m wide, 6 m high and just as deep to the south is followed by a gravelly channel which gives way to an impassable gully. By turning back to the base of the last slope there are two ways of returning: the first is uphill, the second is along a less known route, generally with no marked path, and therefore suitable only for the more experienced hiker. If you choose the latter, you traverse a long stretch towards the left, to the East, in the direction of a saddle at an altitude of 1,634 m, immediately below and to the North of the striking 1,703 m high summit known in Resian as “Jascarica”. With no marked route, you pass through an extremely rugged area of boulders, ridged surfaces and crevices of great environmental interest. In about 40 minutes you reach the pass and descend the left side of the catchment area into the valley below where, from time to time, you will come across the remains of an earlier path; you must continue to descend on this side even where the vegetation blocks your path. Passing close to the ruins of a humble shepherd’s hut and crossing a few basins at an altitude of 1,260 m, the forest to the left forms an impenetrable barrier whilst to the right there is a steep grassy gully. At the end of this gully, there is a plateau with rocky outcrops, partly overrun with vegetation. You should reach this side, at an altitude of 1,150 m, with ease, at which point you make a sharp left turn towards the north/north-east, plunging into a beech wood where you will find a short-lived path. With very little to go by, you descend in the direction of the small church of St. Anna di Camizza; after passing a small meadow, you reach the large mule track via the Bocchetta di Zaiavor, “Zajauron” in Resian, along the CAI trail no. 727 near a small, lonely spruce. Turning left, after a few minutes of easy walking, you reach a charming alpine chapel. (1 hr to 1:40 mins). Lastly, we would like to thank Mr Luigi Bobaz and Mr Sabino di Lischiazze for the information they provided and, as a final point, we must warn hikers of this route of two potential dangers: the first is the snow, which at the start of the season can still cover the slopes; the other is the presence of vipers in the grassy areas.