Destination: Rožanski kukovi - The Premužić trail (Seravski vrh - 1661 m, Crikvena - 1635 m, Gromovača - 1676 m)

Starting point: Mountain lodge Veliki Alan (1340 m)

Ending point: Mountain lodge Zavižan (1590 m)

Duration: About 8 hours of walking

Difficulty: Easy signed trail. The ascent to Crikvena requires a little climbing (but it is very short - 5 min)

Altitude difference: 336 m* (see altitude profile)

Attractivness:  *** (of ***)

Tagline:

• The Interesting mixture of wild and inaccessible nature with the trail especially well built and integrated in the landscape. The Premužić trail was built in the first half of the 20th century in a traditional way. It consists of stones only without concrete, in Croatian: "suhozid" (dry wall). There are no big ascents (only a few stairs in the rocks of Crikvena) but it leads through almost an impassable but beautiful part of Mt Velebit. Here is the description of its northern part (16 km long) through North Velebit called - Rožanski kukovi. This area is placed inside of Northern Velebit National park.

Maps

• Nacionalni park Sjeverni Velebit (Northern Velebit National Park), Map No 16a, M 1:30.000, SMAND d.o.o., Varaždin, 2005.
• Sjeverni Velebit (Northern Velebit), Map No 16, M 1:30 000, SMAND d.o.o., Varaždin 1995.
• Topographic map TK-25 Rab-4-2 (418-4-2), M 1:25000, Državna Geodetska uprava, Zagreb
• Topographic map TK-25 Rab-2-4 (418-2-4), M 1:25000, Državna Geodetska uprava, Zagreb

Appropriate season(s) for ascent:

• The summer. The Premužić trail is accessible in springtime or fall too, but in that time there is a possibility of snow or strong wind bora. This can make the trip unpleasant or even dangerous.

Planned route:

• The Mountain lodge Veliki Alan - The Rossi Shelter - The Mountain Lodge Zavižan - 6 hours
  
  • Options (small trips from trail):
    • Seravski Summit (1661 m) - 15 min
    • Crikvena  (1635 m) - 5 min
    • Gromovača   (1676 m) - 30 min
    • Čepuraš
    Total: about 8 hours of walking

• Alternatives:
  • This route can be taken in the opposite direction (from The Mountain Lodge Zavižan to the Mountain Lodge Veliki Alan).
  • In case of the problem with organization of the transport, there are a few possibilities:
    
    • to take shorter route and to get back using the same way:
      • The Mountain Lodge Zavižan - Crikvena (and return)
    • rounded trip:
      
      • Lubenovac - The Premužić Trail - Crikvena - The Rossi shelter - (Gromovača) - Lubenovačka vrata - Lubenovac meadow
      • this option takes 8 hours of walking, some interesting places are missing but there are some others (meadow Lubenovac). See notes from the trip Velebit 2012.
        

Related trips:

• Veliki Zavižan - Balinovac
• Hajdučki kukovi

Approaches and Accommodation Facilities:

• Approaches to Northern Velebit and accommodation facilities are described on page Northern Velebit - Approach and Accommodation facilities
• There are other approaches described in references.

Route description:

• The trail is well built and there are no difficulties for the orientation (except at the meadows near Alan). The maps and GPS data are available and there is no need for detailed route description.
• The trail starts behind the mountain lodge Alan. It leads up, through the forest. Soon, we reach Premužić trail and after that we leave the forest and we can see great views toward the sea. By walking through the meadows we come to the branch to Seravski vrh (Seravski summit).
• From Seravski Summit we continue toward Rožanski Kukovi. After about half an hour there is a connection from Lubenovac meadow and after about 3,5 hours we come to the Rossi shelter below Pasarić cliff.
• From the Rossi shelter we come to branch to Lubenovačka Vrata and Škrbina draga (Hajdučki kukovi), and after that we pass the highest point and branch to Gromovača and Čepuraš. About after one hour before Zavižan there is a table - monument to the constructor of the trail, a forestry engineer Ante Premužić.

GPS data

• Google Earth (TM) view

Recommended equipment (summer):

• An appropriate rucksack, mountaineering boots, water, food and other equipment needed for the whole-day walking on karstic terrain

Hajdučki Kukovi and Rožanski kukovi from Veliki Zavižan

Other interesting places:

• Krasno
  
  • Church Lady of Krasno  - the pilgrimage place
  • Forestry museum
  • Krasno is famous for its cheese
  • Kuterevo - bears' shelter  
• Štirovača - strong spring and beautiful meadows
• Jablanac
  • Zavratnica - "Croatian fiord", a picturesque and deep, narrow bay. There is a sunk German torpedo boat which is an additional attraction for bathing (in the summer).
  • Mountain Lodge Miroslav Hirtz - the lowest mountain lodge in Europe (20 m)

References:

• Rozanski kukovi by Velebit @ SummitPost
• Alancic/Rozanski vrh/Seravski vrh by Velebit @ SummitPost
• Velebit by Velebit @ SummitPost
• The list of other mountaineering references is here.

NOTES

• The trail leads through Northern Velebit National Park. The ticket is obligatory (there is a discount for mountaineers) and visiting rules must  be strictly followed.
• The route is placed in karstic area with the lack of water (except springs in Štirovača). Mountain lodge Zavižan and Veliki Alan are supplied with beverages. There is collected rainy water at Zavižan, Oltari, Lubenovac and Veliki. Alan. This water is not for drinking without processing  At Štirovača there is strong spring with quality drinking water.
• There are no shelters (except Rossi's shelter) and there are no procurement facilities.
• The world famous phenomena of Mt Velebit is strong NE wind called Bura (Bora - eng). It is the wind of goodwill but it is cold and very strong.
• With a minimum attention there is no real danger but it is worth saying that in this area there is the biggest European poison snake - horned viper (pepeljasti poskok - HR, Vipera Ammodytes - lat). The owner of mountain hut Prpa, Vlado Prpić examines them and he can give a lot of information about them (and sometimes even show them).

Panta rhei (πάντα ῥεῖ), Heraclitus - "Everything is in a state of flux"  - This page is permanently under construction!!!