{"id":2227,"date":"2026-01-02T20:00:37","date_gmt":"2026-01-02T19:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/mangart-with-a-dog\/"},"modified":"2026-03-22T19:53:01","modified_gmt":"2026-03-22T18:53:01","slug":"mangart-with-a-dog","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ibo.guide\/en\/mangart-with-a-dog\/","title":{"rendered":"Mangart with a Dog"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Our goal is to climb Mount Mangart in the Julian Alps\u2014this time with our dog, Ibo. From the moment we arrived in Slovenia, the weather has been on our side: clear, stable, and with superb visibility. Exactly the kind of weather you hope for on a high\u2011mountain ascent.<\/p>\n\n

We first spot Mangart from the village of Log pod Mangartom, where we\u2019re staying. The massive summit dominates the whole area, and even from afar it\u2019s obvious the views will be worth getting up early.<\/p>\n\n

Mangart Road<\/h2>\n\n

Log pod Mangartom sits just off the Mangart Road, so at first light we follow its narrow, winding bends to a car park at roughly 1,900 m a.s.l.<\/strong>, a little below the Forcella della Lavina pass. We\u2019d heard the road was damaged and you couldn\u2019t drive all the way to the pass, and that proved true.<\/p>\n\n

Two useful tips:<\/p>\n\n

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  1. Arrive before 7 am to avoid paying the access\u2011road toll of \u20ac10<\/strong>, collected right at the start.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Before you go, check whether the road is open\u2014early summer closures for snow on the tarmac are common.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n

    The Mangart Road is an experience in itself<\/strong>. It\u2019s the highest road in Slovenia, built in 1938. Expect countless hairpins, a few tunnels, narrow sections, and views that can feel uncomfortably exposed if you\u2019re prone to vertigo\u2014and all the more rewarding for it.<\/p>\n\n

    Climbing in ideal conditions<\/h2>\n\n

    We set off from the car park mentioned above. The route follows the asphalt to the Forcella della Lavina pass at around 2,000 m a.s.l.<\/strong> From there, the trail starts out on an easy path that traces the border between Slovenia and Italy.<\/p>\n\n

    The path then splits. You can choose a tougher via ferrata on the Slovenian side of the massif or\u2014like we did\u2014the Italian normal route. There are still a few cable\u2011protected sections, mostly for trickier passages in bad weather. Apart from one more exposed section right at the start, the ascent is safe and well marked. As we\u2019re here at the start of summer, a few snow patches linger, but they\u2019re either easy to bypass or lie on relatively even ground.<\/p>\n\n

    With every metre we gain, the landscape opens up and the views keep building. On the Italian side, the Laghi di Fusine<\/strong> lakes steal the show. Far ahead we can also make out Slovenia\u2019s highest peak\u2014Triglav (2,864 m a.s.l.)<\/strong>\u2014clearly recognisable.<\/p>\n\n

    Mangart with a Dog<\/h2>\n\n

    Opting for the Italian normal route proved a smart call. It\u2019s the easiest line to the top and\u2014barring a few small complications\u2014doable with a dog. That was one reason we chose it, and neither we nor Ibo regretted it. Don\u2019t forget the basics\u2014not just for you, but for your dog too. We carried a longer hiking lead, a waist belt, plenty of water, and some treats.<\/p>\n\n

    For much of the climb Ibo could follow freely, off\u2011leash. In riskier sections we put him on the lead. We only had to carry him twice, both over very short sections. In the end, the biggest issue for Ibo turned out to be the swarms of flies on Mangart\u2019s summit, which we reached calmly and without any fuss, in perfect weather. From the top, the valley floors lay almost 2,000 metres<\/strong> below us in places, and the Julian Alps spread out in every direction.<\/p>\n\n

    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n

    We descended the same way, naturally at a brisker pace. Ibo, however, was even keener to hurry. To keep him from vanishing out of sight, I put him on the lead. That later meant that, in his effort to charge ahead, he scuffed his pads on the rocks.<\/p>\n\n

    To avoid further damage, I carried him in my backpack through the tougher sections of the descent. It sounds crazy, but I\u2019ve dealt with this before. Iva took the contents of my pack, and Ibo went in. In the end I was the only one complaining\u2014an extra 11 kilograms on your shoulders is something you feel straight away.<\/p>\n\n

    In the end everything worked out, and we managed both the ascent and the descent without any further issues. We reached the car with that satisfied feeling after a beautiful hike with sweeping views.<\/p>\n\n

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    Fast facts about Mangart<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n

    Elevation:<\/strong> 2,679 m a.s.l.Range:<\/strong> Julian AlpsLocation:<\/strong> on the Slovenia\u2013Italy borderSignificance:<\/strong> the fourth-highest peak in SloveniaTerrain:<\/strong> high\u2011mountain, rocky, exposed in placesDog-friendly:<\/strong> feasible via the Italian normal route in good conditionsBest season:<\/strong> June\u2013September (snow permitting)Hazards:<\/strong> rapid weather changes, wind, early\u2011summer snowfields<\/p>\n\n