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1.START-END EAST:Vilanova Di San Daniele 2.Ragogna 3.signed junction with WW1 bunker and turnoff to Inn 4.TOP: Monte Ragogna s(u), 480m~1575ft 5.START-END WEST:bridge over Tagliamento 6.START-END WEST ALT:bridge over Tagliamento,

Approaches

From South. Approaching this area from the south along the Tagliamento, you can see this hill, crowding in the church in Ragogna. Behind the church and the hill in th distance is an impressive dolomitic escarpment, assuming this is a clear morning. I must have had one of the clearest ever. So it comes as a small surprise that when you pass through this town of Ragogna you actually descend a small amount to finally find the signed turnoff to Monte Ragagno.

This climb is short but steep. On the Saturday I was there there, I was in the company of several dozen other cyclists. This side has only one prominent view of Tolmezzo and the river below. For me it comes as a welcome rest between steep switchbacks.

Immediately before the top is a junction. To the right it leads to appears to a restaurant, but no great views that I could find. It branches after 50m, but no matter how hard you try you end up at private property areas. But at the junction itself stands a partially reconstructed WW1 bunker. A sign explains this defensive positions in Italian. Much of the structure was built by the Austro- Hungarian side after the WW1 battle that happened up here. (More in the history part below).

As it turns out, this junction with all the signs, pointing to nearby villages, is not quite the summit. Turning left here the gently climbing road leads along the ridge. There comes an innocent looking trail junction, where a small trail leads along the edge of the cliff to a picnic table. This is the place with all the million lire views, the Tagliamento with its untamable gravel braids below, the villages with the church towers fronting the mountain cliffs, wedges of framed dolomitic triangles in the distance. This also happens to be the summit.

From West. (described downwards). The road switches to the west side of the mountain. One more picnic table at a the next trailhead, quite a bit lower, is the choice position to study the braids of the Tagliamento as it seems to head as straight as braided rivers can for the horizon. Just beyond that point it ends in the Adriatic Sea.

One more ramp through the trees, as the road passes several WW1 bunkers; then you can take a left and connect back to Ragogna, or go right and actually cross the Tagliamento. This option follows a road hugging the last vestiges of the foothills, and then head straight for Splimbergo. The profile should stop at the bridge where the road crosses the Tagliamento. However due to the amazing fact that the river looses another 200ft very quickly, during the short ride to the next bridge downriver, I also included that part in the profile. According to the map, this is actually the shortest through-going paved route in proximity of the river. This shows how much respect the Tagliamento floods have earned over the years.

The Romans actually relocated the lower part (running on the plain) once, trying to control the river. But after two disaterous floods it was decided to just give it the width it demanded. This idea seems to be coming around again, even for less tempestuous water ways. The flow of this river varies between 80 to 1600 (forgot the units. but it is volume/time and a factor of 20).