23.4
PDI
6.4 mi
DISTANCE
3,075 ft
GAINED
9.2 %
AVG. GRADE
FULL CLIMB STATS
INTRO
Kolovrat climbs 10.3 km (6.4 mi) from Idrsko, in the upper Soča Valley just south of Kobarid, to the long ridge that forms the border between Slovenia and Italy, gaining 937 m (3,075 ft) at a 9.2% average. It's really two climbs stacked together: a hard 5 km up to the village of Livek, a short breather through the village, then a second, just-as-steep ramp past Livške Ravne onto the ridge road, which tops out at about 1143 m (3,749 ft).
Kolovrat stepped onto the big stage in 2022, when Stage 19 of the Giro d'Italia climbed this exact side from Idrsko - rated one of the three hardest climbs of that year's race - before crossing the ridge into Italy toward the finish at Castelmonte. Most of the road was freshly repaved for the race, and the pink paint and good tarmac made it an instant favorite for riders in the region. The hairpins above Livek give the best views, looking straight across the Soča Valley to Krn and the Julian Alps.
The ridge itself is hallowed ground. Kolovrat was the Italian army's third line of defense on the Isonzo Front in World War I, overrun during the Battle of Caporetto (Kobarid) in October 1917, and restored trenches, caverns and gun positions now form the Kolovrat Outdoor Museum a short ride further along the ridge. On a clear day the view from there runs from the Kanin and Krn ranges all the way to the Friulian plain and the Adriatic.
PLAN YOUR ROUTE
We've partnered with Sherpa-Map.com to bring you the best route planning tool. With a PRO Membership you can use this climb as a reference when creating your route. Kolovrat climbs 10.3 km (6.4 mi) at a 9.2% average, gaining 937 m (3,075 ft) from about 205 m (674 ft) in Idrsko to about 1143 m (3,749 ft) on the Kolovrat ridge.
The first half is the hardest. The road bites almost immediately after leaving Idrsko, and the 2nd kilometer is the steepest full kilometer of the climb at about 12.5%; the 4th, at about 11.7%, isn't far behind. The grade drops to around 4% through Livek, the only real rest on the climb.
Leaving Livek toward Livške Ravne, it kicks straight back up - a roadside sign warns of 2 km at 12% - and kilometers 6 through 8 average between 9% and 11%. There's a brief easing near Livške Ravne before one last steep kilometer, at about 10.6%, up onto the ridge.
The steepest half kilometer averages 14.2%, the steepest kilometer 13.0%, the steepest mile 11.9%, the steepest 2 km 11.6%, and the steepest 5 km 9.7%.
Roadway: Paved the entire way. Most of the road from Idrsko to Livek and on to Livške Ravne was newly resurfaced for the 2022 Giro d'Italia - the Livek-Livške Ravne section, formerly the roughest part, got particular attention - and it remains in good condition, if narrow above Livek. On the descent, watch for loose stones and gravel washed onto the tighter corners. The ridge sits above 1100 m and can hold snow and ice from late autumn into spring.
Traffic: Light. The road serves Livek, Livške Ravne and a few scattered farms, plus some cross-border traffic toward Italy, so expect only occasional cars and very few on the ridge road itself, which is used mostly by hikers and visitors to the outdoor museum.
Parking: Idrsko is a small village with only limited roadside parking near the start, so many riders park in Kobarid a few kilometers up the valley - its larger public parking areas on the edge of town were used as the main hub for Giro spectators - and ride down the flat valley road as a warm-up. At the top, a small parking area serves the Kolovrat Outdoor Museum on the ridge.
Gear: Bring low gearing - a compact crankset with a 32- or 34-tooth low cog. With kilometers of 11-13% in both halves and only one short flat through Livek, this is a climb where the lowest gear gets plenty of use. Standard road tires are fine on the new pavement.
Provisions: Idrsko has a village inn right near the start, and Kobarid, a few kilometers up the valley, has shops, cafes and restaurants for stocking up. Livek is small, so don't count on finding anything open along the way, and there are no services on the ridge. Carry enough water for a full hour or more of steep climbing, much of it sun-exposed below Livek.
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Take time for the history on this one. The Kolovrat Outdoor Museum, about 2 km further along the ridge from the finish, preserves the trenches, observation posts and caverns of the Italian third defense line, including a cavern with a spiral staircase, and it's part of the Walk of Peace (Pot miru), the trail network that links the Isonzo Front sites from the Alps to the Adriatic. The Walk of Peace info point on the ridge is staffed in summer (Wednesday-Sunday in June, daily in July and August).
Down in the valley, Kobarid - Caporetto in Italian, the setting of Hemingway's A Farewell to Arms - is home to the Kobarid Museum, one of Europe's most respected World War I museums, and it makes an easy base for a few days of riding. From the ridge, the road continues west into Italy's Natisone valleys, the side of the border covered by our Matajur (da Ieronizza) page, or you can drop back east toward Tolmin on the descent that local riders rave about.
See other climbs nearby, or build a custom route from here, with our Routes in the Area tool.
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