Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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45.46160°N / 14.46780°E |
Route Type:
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Hike - Rock Climbing |
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Time Required:
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Half a day |
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Difficulty:
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Some Rock Climbing - I-II on UIAA scale |
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About Route
This is most beautiful route leading to Hahlici hut. It is twice longer than normal Potkilavac route and in quite contrast to it. Normal route is open with fantastic views while this route most time spends in deep Mudna Dolina valley and its claustrophobic and fantastic canyon which is on spots only wide enough to pass through. This route is not for everyone as there are some climbing sections over smooth boulders and sides of the gorge. Toughest sections are secured with pegs, ladders and fixed steel but plasticized ropes. Unsecured climbing jumps are not high but quite tricky because of boulders smoothened by water which means difficult in descending direction so I highly recommend this fantastic route on your way up. Mudni Potok creek only flows through canyon after heavy rains and sudden melt downs of snow. In such occasions it is impassable but that is rare.
Potkilavac – Mudna Dolina – Hahlici: 4h
How to reach Potkilavac is described in ‘Getting There’ section. Road goes through the village which is placed at the edge of Grobnik field. Behind the last houses you’ll reach narrow bridge over dry creek bed. Behind the bridge is immediate junction where left leads first Potkilavac route towards Hahlici. Leave car here.
Continue using right macadam road. In next kilometer or 15mins, through rare oaks and pines, you’ll reach another junction where towards left leads Normal Potkilavac route. Sings show that Mudna Dolina is straight forward. You can also leave your car here if 15mins of additional walking on return is too much for you. Macadam ends here.
Path continues over the rocky meadows or through oaks and pines close to the foot of Obruc. On one spot sign on tree illogically points to the right while you see that entrance to Mudna Dolina is straight forward. This is not mistake as immediately after path turns left again. After 25mins you are at the junction where right is towards Platak while straight is Mudna Dolina. In next 5mins you are at the sign which marks the beginning of Mudna Dolina. Above are steep and high sides.
Most exciting of the route now begins as you enter the canyon whose sides rapidly rise and bottom narrows. Soon it is only few meters wide as path zigzags over the rocky bed. After 20mins suddenly canyon is blocked by smooth barrier and you must wonder ‘what now?’ till you notice the gorge on the left which is above 10m high smooth step. It is surmounted by steel steps as you hold to fixed wire cable. Without that help this would be serious climbing, probably IV on UIAA scale and end of the 'road' for non climbers. Sign here says that further should go only those with some experience in rock climbing. Just above the wall is very interesting, 1m wide, gorge where is also fixed wire cable.
In next 30mins canyons widens a bit, if 10m narrow gorge can be called widening, only to narrow again. At one point you might even think its over till suddenly behind one bend you reach second most exciting section. Jump is first surmounted by fixed wire cable then with steel ladders. Above them is red box with seal of Hahlici trail and note book where you register yourself and write impressions if you want.
Next 30mins gorge is constantly very narrow, with some of the narrowest spots in whole canyon and few short climbing sections. When gorge begins to widen you have still around 15mins to completely get out of it. Transition between rocky bed and grassy valley is sudden. From the entrance into Mudna Dolina to this point you probably needed 2h or little bit less.
Sides of the valley are still quite high, grassy with scree tongues and rare beech trees. Through it bottom path continues to ascend, sometimes steep, and in next 40mins you reach its top where is a small plateau at the edge of the forest and macadam forest road. Back is nice view towards sea. Few minutes below this spot there is unmarked path which comes from right, traversing grassy slopes. On the junction you might wonder if that is your path. No, go right and exit Mudna Dolina valley.
Once on the road turn left. Shortly after road ends as path begins to ascend through beech forest. In 5mins you’ll reach junction where is left towards Hahlici. Immediately after is another junction where left path leads to the summit of Vidalj (1184). If you have time this is nice view point and from the summit you can descend to the normal path.. Towards right another path ascends towards Osoje (1338m) while Hahlici are straight forward.
Path traverses grassy slopes on top of valley between Vidalj and Dnic peaks. In around 10mins you are on the pass behind Dnic (1190m). From here is beautiful view down southern grassy slopes of Obruc towards Grobnik field, sea, Krk island and Velebit in the distance. Behind the pass is another 10mins, over the nice meadows and through beech groves, to the short descent at whose bottom stands Hahlicki hut, 4h from Potkilavac.