MTB Velebit: Visočica

Country: Croatia
Mountain: Velebit
Length: 32,5 km
Elevation gain: 1200 m
Maximum elevation
:  1619 m
Technical difficulty: 5/5
Download GPS TrackVelebit_Visočica_Cyclotrail
Date of ride: 31.07.2021
Suitable for e bike: Yes (if e-bike has push assistance)

I’ve got this gpx file from a friend of a friend. I altered it a little bit, cut down some macadam and along the way we shortened connecting macadam to the start of the route. All in all, we got great ride with hidden enduro/hiking trails that nobody rides.  That was way more than we expected from this ride.
We parked our car near camp Rizvan city and from there started our ride. First part is on flat asphalt road, and after  about 3 km we turned left on unpaved road that leads to Visočica peak. From there we continued to the end of the gravel road which comes soon after serpentines. Then starts hiking part that leads to the peak.  On the middle of the way there is mountain shelter, and near it there is rainwater tank from which we filled our bottles.

(more…)

Continue ReadingMTB Velebit: Visočica

MTB Sveta Gera/Trdinov vrh

Country: Croatia/Slovenia
Mountain: Žumberak
Length: 41 km
Elevation gain: 1630 m
Maximum elevation
:  1178 m
Technical difficulty: 3/5
Download GPS Track: Sveta Gera_Trdinov vrh_Cyclotrail
Date of ride: 22.06.2021
Suitable for e bike: Yes

We decided to finally visit Sveta Gera (or Trdinov vrh on Slovenian). I’ve got a gpx file from Filip (on of the founders of Night riders Croatia) who recommended me to ride this trails as best of Sveta Gera. This track visits both side of border amongst Croatia and Slovenia, so you can say that this ride is illegal because there is no official border crossing. We started our ride from Sošice, it took us about hour and a half from Zagreb. Ascent from Sošice is on unpaved road at the beginning it is very easy not so steep, but as we were approaching peak, macadam became steeper and loose. It wasn’t so though for me because Ivan, Marko and Gojsi were riding E-bikes, so they gave me a boost on uphill sections.  After little rest on the peak we descended on the easy flow trail that goes along the ridge, and then we went on trails called Trdinka and Ciklama. Those trails are marked as black and red trails on trailforks, but for my website I classified them as 3/5 on technical difficulty. Ciklama and Trdinka are classic bike trails perfectly made by Slovenians, and those trails are ridden on Sloenduro competition. On the end of Ciklama trail we reached unpaved road on Slovenian side of Žumberak that leads to Sveta Gera/Trdinov vrh. This path easier than road on Croatian side, better maintained and not so steep. After reaching Sveta Gera peak for the second time, we descended once again on the flow trail that goes along the ridge and border, but after that trail end, we didn’t turned left, we continued forward on unpaved road.
(more…)

Continue ReadingMTB Sveta Gera/Trdinov vrh

MTB Velebit: Sveto Brdo

Country: Croatia
Mountain: Velebit
Length: 32,5 km
Elevation gain: 1400 m
Maximum elevation
:  1751 m
Technical difficulty: 5/5
Download GPS Track: Sveto Brdo_Cyclotrail
Date of ride: 05.06.2021
Suitable for E-bike: No

Finally, a serious ride on Velebit. Even though this is not my first MTB ride on Velebit, it is first ride on Velebit with proper trails. Few years ago I was visiting Velebit couple of times, but that were mostly XC rides. Žac invited me to go with him, Miroslav, Vjeko and Dino. It was already my plan to visit Sveto Brdo, so he didn’t have to ask me twice.

Before going on Velebit, we checked weather conditions, it is very important to avoid hot summer days. Could be very hot. We caught probably one of the last weekends when it is possible to go on Sveto Brdo without risking heat stroke. We started from Zagreb very early by car and from Sveti Rok went by Majstorska cesta (name of the road)  close to famous “Tulove grede”  and parked our car near.

(more…)

Continue ReadingMTB Velebit: Sveto Brdo