Obzova SE ridge

Introduction

Technically, this route doesn't need much description. You need a map and you can do it. The route is also mentioned on the parent page of Obzova and even on the Kvarner area page. But i'd like to highlight a few nice details and also propose a round tour combination:

1. Ascent by the S-SE ridge,
2. Descent by the SE ravine.

Overview

The highest summit of Krk island can be ascended by many routes. Here, the S-SE ridge is described. It can be done in full length, or can be shortened. The ridge is very panoramic and we are moving by an interesting karstic landscape. Besides stone desert, you will encounter also precious water ponds, grass oases and interesting fauna and flora. If you continue from the summit towards the N, you will reach the main road on the Treskavac saddle, from where you can return to Baška either by bus or by bike (if you had prepared it there). A faster return from the summit of Obzova is the SE route to Draga Bašćanska.

Trailheads

See the map below to learn where to leave your car and/or bike. The trailheads are:

1. Baška, 0 m. You can park on the very southern end of the bay. For the tour along the whole S-SE ridge.
2. Batomalj, 50 m. The hamlet SW of Jurandvor, reachable by a narrow asphalt road. Don't leave your car too high (returning by the main road, you'll need to go up anyway). Perhaps on the crossroads below the hamlet, on some 20 m of altitude. For the proposed shortened ascent by the S-SE ridge.
3. Draga Bašćanska, 50 m. In the upper part of the village, you drive westwards, just to the parking place by the bridge. Here you will return.

Majka Božja Gorićka

This is a big pilgrimage church N of Batomalj and W of Jurandvor. The old sanctuary was built on a place of a prehistoric fortified village of Iapodi people. It can be reached by a narrow road, although most of visitors ascend it on foot. This sanctuary can also be a trailhead for Obzova ascent, but that tour would be even more shortened.

General Information

Difficulty: Technically all trails are easy (T2). But on the rough karst terrain on many places the trail can even not be beaten, so walking is a bit slower and more unpleasant. Orientation: All the routes are marked by coloured marks, red, green and blue, respectively. Don't go by pathless terrain, unless you know well where you are heading! Objective dangers: The hike is well exposed to the sun. Make sure to protect yourself, unless you do the tour out of the main season. Vipers are another danger to be mentioned. They are very poisonous, so don't stroll in suspicious terrain, where you can't see the animal first. Also make sure to bring enough water with you. Best season: Spring and autumn. Summer can be very hot and also visibility is usually best in other seasons. Gear: Good shoes and poles. Don't rely only on sport shoes, because the karst terrain can be very rough! Route Points and average times:

• Baška, 0 m - Vraca saddle, 150 m: 30 min, red marks. (Vraca saddle, 150 m - Bag summit, 185 m: 10 min)
• Vraca saddle, 150 m - Vrska glava, 393 m - Vratudih pass, 350 m: 1 h 15 min, blue marks.
• Batomalj, 50 m - Iznad Batomlja (Above Batomalj), 133 m - Vratudih pass, 350 m: 1 h, green marks.
• Vratudih pass, 350 m - Veliki Hlam summit, 482 m: 25 min, red marks.
• Veliki Hlam, 482 m - Lipica pond, 400 m - Zminja summit, 537 m - Obzova summit, 568 m: 1 h, red marks.
• Obzova, 568 m - Na Plakari pass, 520 m - Plakara sources, 400 m - Draga Bašćanska parking, 50 m: 1 h 30 min.
• (Draga Bašćanska parking, 50 m - Batomalj, 50 m: 20 min of biking.)

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Route Description

Ascent

Baška - Vraca From the Bay of Baška (Zarok, autocamp) a nice, broad trail starts ascending the southern slopes of the bay. Through pine trees we have from many places great views on the beach, the village and the broader surroundings. After exiting nice woods, the path starts ascending more steeply and in less than 10 min brings us on the notch (saddle) of Vraca, where the S views open. Just left above us, there's the very panoramic summit of Bag. Vraca - Vratudih I haven't done this section, but supposedly it's not difficult and also very panoramic. More or less the trail is following the main ridge and is decently marked. In 1 h we gain the Vrska glava and descend beyond it to the Vratudih pass (important crossroads). Batomalj - Vratudih If we park below the hamlet, we just follow the road up till the highest houses. There, it turns first into a cart-road, then into a good, marked path. Above the village, on 133 m, the yellow marks continue crossing the slope (towards the SE, where the main ridge can also be gained), but we deter right up. In many turns a comfortable trail ascends towards the SW, gaining quickly the altitude. First part of the ascent goes through nice, shady woods, the last part climbs up by a barren, rocky slope. Vratudih - Veliki Hlam This is a short section in the NW direction. The path is very weak, terrain karstic. In good visibility we all the time see the dome of Veliki Hlam in front of us. Veliki Hlam - Obzova On Veliki Hlam we may lose the trail and marks, but we simply continue northwards, down to a distinct saddle in the main ridge. There the trail from Sta Maria sanctuary comes up. The path is winding a bit left and right, stick to it and soon you'll reach the nice Lipica pond. You can imagine how these water reservoirs are precious in this karstic terrain. From Lipica pond we continue along the broad main ridge. The path is only slightly ascending, but as we do a lot of distance, we also gain the altitude. The scenery doesn't change much. Finally, the path ascends to the summit of Zminja, Obzova is just beyond a broad valley in the NW direction. Finally the views are open on all sides.

Descent

From the summit of Obzova we continue northwards, descending towards a broad pass in the main ridge. There (after 10 min) we must be careful to deter right, following the marks down to Draga Bašćanska. (The continuation northwards however goes along the whole main ridge to the road pass.) After deterring right the marked path branches again. The descent goes by the right branch, but the left one is gently descending along a broad side ridge, finally reaching the wonderful panoramic point, called Kunjalabor. Certainly worth coming also here - the whole valley down to the Bay of Baška is lying below us. In the rocky valley right we see now the main descent trail. You can either return up to the branching, or simply descend by steep, pathless terrain directly into the valley. In both cases we find ourselves on a place, where quite some faint water sources can be found. The place is called Plakara, but as we walk down, water very soon disappeary in the rocky terrain. In continuation, the path follows the ravine, then crosses the slopes towards the right and finally descends into the main valley by a ravine again. In spring and after heavy rain there may be some water, in summer certainly not.

Maps

All better public maps on the web are sufficient to get oriented (for example the above OpenTopo map), but the most comfortable option is the tourist hiking map, covering the areas of Baška, Punat and Stara Baška. The map is available for free in the Baška tourist center and also on the web. It's advantage are clearly coloured trails, matching the colours of marks on the terrain.

Images

View Obzova SE ridge Image Gallery - 13 Images