Rombon sits at the eastern end of the dolomitic Kanin massif.  It is a serious mountain.  The climb is relatively straightforward, but it entails 1,750 meters of elevation gain over 5 ½ to 7 hours of climbing.  Once you are up there, you have all of that elevation to lose.  There is no water nor alpine huts up here.  The mountain rises to 2298 meters while Bovec, the normal starting point, sits at a mere 460 meters.  For over two years, Italians and soldiers from the Austro-Hungarian Empire grappled with each other amidst the alpine splendor.  The fighting conducted sporadically, but when fought, bitterly.

MAGNIFICENT PHYSICAL SETTING

Beyond the magnificence of the peak and the views from the summit, why would anyone waste their lives, the lives of others and the extreme efforts needed to conduct such fighting in the extreme alpine conditions found on the peak?  The answer? It probably goes like once one gets started with something; the something tends to take on a mind of its own.

Far below the peak on the south side lies the Bovec basin, an initial goal for Italian arms as they moved into the Empire seeking to push open the door to Predil Pass north of Bovec.  Two Austrian forts barred the way, Kluže and Hermann, sited far below the eastern slopes of Rombon deep in the Koritnica canyon.  The Kanin massif is a huge mountain block extending a couple miles to the west culminating in Monte Leupa – 2450 meters – and Kanin – 2587 meters.  Half of the ridge is and was on the border between the two countries.  Below Kanin on the Italian side was the pass at Sella Nevea.  Sella Nevea was the site of an Italian artillery base and concentration of Alpini units.

THE ALPINI GO INTO ACTION

After war began, the Italians made their way from the alpine pass at Prevala above Sella Nevea, eastward along the crest of the Kanin massif.  The goal was to reach the top of Rombon from where they could flank the Austrian positions in the valleys below.  Indeed, the path the Italian troops made is replicated today as one of the approaches you can use to Rombon.  The hike from the Sella Prevala reachable by cable car from either the Sella Nevea or Bovec sides – the aerial system is part of a huge ski area encompassing runs in both Italy and Slovenia today.

It was not until 27 August 1915, in the fading days of the Second Isonzo after earlier pushes gained Monte Nero-Krn to the southeast, did the Italians make a bid for the summit of Rombon.  As with most warfare high in the mountains, this was an Alpini affair.  A special group made up of men from the Ceva and Mondovi Alpini battalions were led by Celestino Bes – he later led the Val Tanaro Battalion which spent quite a bit of time here on Rombon.  A few made it to the summit before chased off by an Austrian counterattack.  The Italians then settled down atop the subsidiary peak of Čukla entrenching, creating cavern dugouts with an eye on claiming the summit in the future.  On 12 September, came a second Italian push against the summit, but this was also unsuccessful.

ATTACK AND COUNTERATTACK

Winter comes early up high, so while the third and fourth battles of the Isonzo raged further to the south, stasis descended on the alpine battle scene here atop Rombon.  That is until an early morning surprise attack in February 1916 from men of the 2^nd Mountain Rifles Regiment – 2^nd Kaiserschützen – made up of Germans from nearby Carinthia. They surprised the Italian defenders capturing the Italian positions on Čukla.  Their success gave the Austrians a much clearer view down to Italian preparations in the village of Bovec far below.

As soon as the positions fell, Italian command planned to regain the lost ground as soon as weather improved.  Attacks on 26 April and 4 May were unsuccessful.  Finally, on 10 May, men from the Saluzzo and Bassano Alpini battalions were able to retake Čukla capturing the defending two companies of the 4^th Bosnian Regiment who were defending.  Their reward was a furious Austrian counter barrage adding to the fatigue of the Alpini.

Feeling good about matters, Italian high command figured the summit of Rombon was now within reach.  16 September, companies of Alpini from the Val Camonica, Borgo San Dalmazzo, Saluzzo, Bicocca and Ceva battalions launched an attack on the summit.  The attack repulsed with the Italians suffering in the process.  Failure with this attack led to further stasis between the two combatants, especially with another winter close at hand.

STASIS AND THEN …

Not only was enemy fire the only thing men had to worry about here high in the Julian Alps.  16 January 1917 saw an avalanche tumble down on men of the 4^th Company of the Borgo San Dalmazzo Alpini battalion.  Forty men fell overcome by the snows with fifteen dying and another twenty injured.

Rombon was a sideshow to the main event happening far below in the Bovec basin during the Battle of the 12^th Isonzo – Caporetto.  Also, like on the valley floor, gas was used at the start an attack up high.  Weather conditions were not as conducive to gas laid down on the defenders of Čukla.  The Alpini were able to hold off the Austrian attacks conducted by three battalions of the KuK 59^th Regiment and one battalion from the 4^th Tiroler Kaiserjäger Regiment.  Their success was to little avail, however, as the Italian defenses collapsed in the valley below.  That collapse led to the isolation of the Alpini far above.  Only 80 men of the Borgo San Dalmazzo battalion escaped Rombon without falling prisoner to the encircling Austrian forces. The Dronero battalion also overrun in the chaos.

VISITING TODAY

To visit Rombon and-or Čukla is a serious physical undertaking.  The 1,750 meters of elevation gained and duration of the hike – 5.5 hours up – is serious enough.  Summer heat can exacerbate the situation since there is no water on the route.  Near the top, the route includes wire-guidelines to help keep you going.  The views from both Čukla and the summit of Rombon are among the best in the Julian Alps.  Added to that are the ruins and detritus of a century old war to be discovered somewhat hidden among the terrain.

ČUKLA

Čukla is normally visited from Bovec far below.  Here you follow in the footsteps of the Italian Alpini who fought high in the rocky terrain above.  The trail seems to know only one direction, up.  The most prominent point on Čukla is the restored monument of the Alpini Bassano battalion.  The restoration took place to fix damage due to years of lightning hitting the monument.

Nearby are other ruins.  There are the remains of an altar formerly used in a wooden chapel for the Italian troops below on the east side of the Goričica pasture.  It is dedicated to the Alpini of the Val Tanaro, Ceva and Borgo San Dalmazzo battalions.  The former chapel sits sited next to one of the five Italian cemeteries built here high on the mountain.  The cemetery was known as Addolorata – Sorrow.  A couple of gravestones and concrete crosses still remain.  The bodies were removed to the Bovec Military Cemetery following the end of the war.  Later, all removed once more to the Italian ossuary above Kobarid.

Another cemetery lies next to the former Italian aid station, Infermia Rombon.  Little remains of the hospital, but some gravestones and an iron cross still give mute witness to the site of the former cemetery.

Some Austrian dead lie buried on the mountain on the battlefield, especially after the 12^th Isonzo.  Most removed to the military cemetery on the south side of Log pod Mangartom to the north of the mountain in the upper Koritnica valley.  A gravestone can be found among the foundation stones of a hunting lodge at Goričica.

Rombon is still another hour higher.

OTHER ROUTES

Two other routes can take you to the top of Rombon. First, there is the Austrian path leading up from the ruins of Fort Hermann deep in the Koritnica gorge.

The actual start is below at Fort Kluže on the road from Bovec to Predil Pass.  You take the old military road up to Hermann passing through a tunnel – it used to be dark but is now lit.  Notice at the entrance to the tunnel is a post-war machine gun embrasure installed by the Italians – the area was part of Italy in between the wars – as a small part of Mussolini’s Vallo Alpino – Alpine Wall.  After twenty to thirty minutes, you reach Hermann.  From here follow signs to Kota 1313.  Two hours up through the forest brings you to a vista point before back into the forest again.  At a trail junction follow the smaller path towards 1313.  Just at 1313, you leave the forest and gain a good view over the Bovec basin with the remains of the former observation post.

Return to the Rombon path and continue upwards through grassy slopes where the way gets trickier to pick out at times.  Reaching an old military mule track you pass through walls of ruins climbing higher until you meet the trail coming up from Bovec.  The last section becomes much steeper.  Only in good weather and careful on the descent.

THIRD OPTION

Another option knocks down some of the 1,750-meter climb.  Here, you take the cable car – 14€ one way – from the large parking lot just west of Bovec high towards the crest of the Kanin massif.  The gondola takes you to 2,190 meters and then, hopefully, the chair lift is running over to Prevala at 2,067 meters.  This is where the lift system from the Italian side – Sella Nevea – also terminates.  Otherwise, the walk just got longer.  Nothing worse than walking up a ski run.

An interesting side trip from here is the path to Prestreljnek – 2,499 meters and 45 minutes to the top – and its rock window high on the Kanin crest, but for Rombon, turn the opposite direction – right.  The track follows underneath the crest of the range climbing shortly to the pass between Monte Leupa-Lopa and Kotel. 

Note that the range is limestone, a porous type of rock.  Some of Europe’s deepest caves are found in the massif and this path is also used by those with a more subterranean viewpoint.  A path takes off towards Črnelsko spica – 2,344 meters.  The Rombon path continues straight ahead for the little pass between Črnelsko spica and Vrh Ribežnov – 2,024 meters – a bivouac for cavers is nearby.  Another path reaches up here from Bovec but continue straight along the crest with the steep canyon of Možnica dropping off to the left.  Near Prisna glavo, which is above the path, there is a little seasonal spring, the only place for water along the route.  A little more traversing and then the last hour to ascend the west ridge leading up to Rombon.

DESCENT

Descend using the path coming up from Bovec and Čukla.  This makes for a long day like all of the routes on Rombon.  You approach following the path of the Alpini who first climbed up here in August 1915.  You do spend a little money and eliminate a major part of the elevation gain.  Be aware, the path does have ups and downs – something like 550 meters of elevation gain along the way – as well as some exposed sections, especially on the final climb.  Recognize the difficulty in trying to fight a battle in this environment.  You also have to descend the 1,750 meters back down the mountain to Bovec.  Figure on five hours from the top of the gondola if the chair lift is not running.  Take the first cable car at 0830 and remember to carry plenty of water.

CEMETERY LOG POD MANGARTOM

The cemetery at Lod pod Mangartom holds about 800 dead.  Originally all graves featured an iron cross, but around 2006 Islamic headstones were placed on the graves of known Muslim soldiers from the 4^th Bosnian Regiment who fought on Rombon from 1916 until 1917. 

Within that cemetery there are a couple of individual monuments as well as a dramatic wartime monument created by the sculptor Ladislav Korfnek of Prague who had served at Log pod Mangartom.  The monument features two soldiers – one, a Bosnian and the other, a Mountain trooper – looking towards the summit of Rombon where most of those lying in the cemetery died. 

Around the base of the statue inscribed initials of the Austrian units involved in the fighting on Rombon – 4th Bosnian Regiment, Kuk 59^th Regiment (Erzherzog Rainier), KK 2 Kaiserschützen Regiment, KK Landwehr Regiment 27 (86% Slovene), Feldjäger 20 battalion (58% Slovene 31% Trentino or Trieste), FeldJäger 7 battalion (85 % Slovene), KK Landwehr 41 battalion as well as the Gebirgs Artillerie Regiment 3 and the Feld Artillerie Regiment 4.  Inscribed in both German and Serbo-Croatian “Brave defenders of Rombon; on the Rombon fallen heroes”.

HILFSTOLLEN

Next to the cemetery is a display of the former Franz Josef Hilfstollen which was a tunnel for workers in the nearby Rabelj mine.  Many of the workers lived in the valley of Log pod Mangartom but they had to travel over the Predil Pass to get to work.  The mine dates to Roman times – lead and zinc were the main ores mined – with the Holy Roman Emperor granting the citizens of Tarasp-Travisio the right to mine the ore in 1320.  The mine became owned by the Hapsburg state in the 18^th century. 

Underground water always was a problem.  As a solution, a tunnel was built to lead water away into the Log valley.  The tunnel, constructed by miners from the Log valley, is 4,844 meters long with a 0.2% gradient.  It lies 240 meters beneath the mining town of Rabelj.  Tunnel drilling began in 1899 finishing in 1902.  The original purpose became added on to with time as the tunnel was widened and a narrow-gauge rail line was built.  Named in honor of the emperor – a celebratory telegram was sent when the tunnel was officially opened in 1905 – the train allowed miners from the Log valley (about a third of those employed at the Rabelj mines) to sit on the eight-seat train and reach work in only 45 minutes instead of the long trek over Predil Pass.

TUNNEL TO VICTORY

During the war, Predil Pass was subject to Italian artillery posted at Sella Nevea.  The only way to send supplies to the Austrian forces arrayed around the Bovec basin was through the tunnel before the road over Vršič Pass was completed in 1916. 

The tunnel worked 16 hours a day bringing fresh troops forward and the wounded back.  33,485 trains carried almost 450,000 soldiers and 240,000 tons of material.  Much of the work occurred in October 1917 in the buildup to the 12^th Isonzo with 170 tons and 600 soldiers coming through the tunnel each day.  A cableway went from the valley up onto Rombon carrying 350-liter water vessels, munitions and food.  The dead and wounded came back down off the mountain.  An intermediary station was located by the artillery observation post at Kota 1313 where another cableway carried on to 1,720 meters.  The tunnel was used again in WW2 by partizans.