Medveja

Medveja

 /  / Medveja

Wide valley of Lovranska draga, which ends in the sea at Medveja, is another natural pearl of the region, at first sight rich with excellent walls, which seem hard to access. Today, this is one of the crags with the hardest routes in the region and a concentration of 7s and 8s, all of which are spectacular: mostly on overhangs and tufas, endurance based, continuous and full of innovative moves and cruxes. For all better climbers this is an absolute pilgrimage destination, with plenty of room for more.

ACCESS

The sector behind the camp has a separate approach. Drive to the camp in Medveja and park beside the road before it (from the direction of Rijeka). From here, there is a short path beside the camp fence to the wall.

For other sectors you have to drive through Lovran, where you need to catch the turn uphill (from direction of Medveja camp sharp left after the gas station, from direction of Rijeka turn right after the Riviera restaurant). Follow the signs for Liganj, Tuliševica and Lovranska draga. You will drive through the first two villages after a series of hairpin bends. Once you leave Tuliševica, drive on for 1,5 kilometers and park on the left side on a big widening (look for the signs for Lovranska draga and Villa Oraj). Here, a narrow road goes left and down. Go on it by foot and you will soon see a small parking on the right and a path right beside it, leading to the crag under the powerlines. Follow the path and you‘ll arrive to sector Stribog. From here going down you can reach sectors Mali and Veli Jože using via ferratas, for sector Knezgrad just traverse to the right.

The easier way to get sector Knezgrad directly is to go on asphalt road for another 100 meters down the hill, turn right on a small trail which will bring you directly under the wall. The path to sector Kvarner starts at the end of Knezgrad and goes around on a series of ropes and via ferrata. Most approaches are unsuitable for kids!

WEATHER

Maybe you’ll be able to climb behind the camp in the summer early morning, because elsewhere will be too hot. Winter is the perfect season, with spring and autumn too, if the weather is not too great. You can even climb in rain, but as with any wall with tufas, Medveja will get wet and will dry depending on the wind.

ROCK QUALITY

The lowest sector is right beside the campground – it‘s old and made for beginners. Still, it‘s nicely bolted and in a pleasant environment, so despite lower grades, you can climb nicely here. It functions almost as a separate crag.
Stribog is a vertical wall, rich with holds, for technically advanced climbers, with great continuous routes on the grey limestone.
Veli Jože has three long, fairly hard and slightly overhanging routes, but mostly lots of free space. More wellrounded is the superb Mali Jože, offering something for everyone: easy warmups, even better 7s, technical 8s, tufas, slopers, crimps, overhangs, vertical walls. It‘s an almost mandatory visit, if you don‘t drift straight to Knezgrad.
Knezgrad is the king sector. Almost all the routes are fantastic, but not for beginners. If you want to truly enjoy here, you need the level of at least 7c. All of the routes are rich in tufa, holes and big holds, interrupted by cruxes for power or technique. Of course the basis for everything is endurance in overhangs.

ENVIROMENTAL NOTES

The crag is at the edge of Ućka National Park and is surrounded by private property. Since climbing history is not so long here and with it understanding and knowledge of our sport (as is the case in Buzet), the climbing is tolerated here, but is also just starting to build its public image. Anybody coming to Medveja contributes to it. So your first imperatives should be the basic rules of civility: politeness, respect, cleanliness and peacefulness, especially towards locals. Next, park only at the designated spot and use only the described paths. It‘s absolutely forbidden to camp or sleep illegally at the crag or anywhere near, not to mention building of fire or anything similar. There is also archaeologically important concentration of prehistoric caves here, so equipping of new routes is forbidden at some walls. In any case, the area is exemplary maintained by RiRock club from Rijeka, so before doing anything, contact them on: rirockclimbing@gmail.com!

INTERESTING NOTES

The first to bolt here were locals and climbers from Rijeka, Pazin and Pula around 2008, who first made the lower sector Mali Jože with the first route RiRock, which kick started the revolution. Climbers with drills came from all sides: Varaždin, Zagreb, Italy. The biggest leap was made by bolting the magnificent Knezgrad, where Italians with Andrea Polo left their mark. Soon after, the first Croatian 9a fell: in 2011 Klemen Bečan climbed the Polo brothers project, the Core, which was later downgraded to 8c+ by Andrea Polo. But we didn‘t wait too long for the next 9a. During climbing of Vicious Circle in Mišja, Adam Ondra visited Medveja, where he onsighted Lovranska droga (8a) as a warmup, which was just an introduction to the on sight ascents of Outdoorfingerspiele (8c) and The Core (8c+). Ondra thought that The Core was easier, but he admitted, that he probably missed the best beta for it. Still, the highlight of the day was first ascent in More (meaning „the sea“ in Croatian – so don‘t pronounce it the English way), a proper 9a. An ordinary day in Ondra‘s life – a lifetime dream for everybody else. Check this funny video of his redpoint!

Recommended accommodations

Apartments Natali

Golovik 25b, 51417 Moščeniška Draga, Croatia

Apartment Natali is a brand-new apartment located above the village Brseč perfect for climbers who want to climb in Medveja, Moščeniška Draga, Brseč or Rabac. It is ideal for up to 5 people and in low season it will cost from 35€ per night. Welcome!

ROUTES (from left to right)

Sector behind the camp is completely separate story from the rest of Medveja: it has its own approach, different and even a little polished rock and a good selection of very easy and nicely equipped routes that will be simple enough even for a complete beginner.
Stribog is the first sector you come to if you go past the powerlines. Although the routes are more vertical, they are nice and continuous and are worth stopping by to warm up for the later, harder sectors.
Veli Jože is the tallest wall in Medveja, but there‘s lots to be done here. You get to it on a scary ferrata from Stribog. The first cave has three routes, while lower and to the left are long, technical and a bit crumbly ones. Anyway – equippers welcome!
Mali Jože was the first sector to be bolted here and has many long, quite demanding classics. Anybody, except complete beginners will find two or three routes for his or her level here, though not all are easy for their grade. Be sure to try the first route of Medveja (not counting camping), RiRock 7b+!
Knezgrad is the king sector about which nothing more needs to be said. Just be sure to have the proper level.
Kvarner is a sector bolted by Italians Polo and Varnerin. The Dreamer starts one floor lower. It‘s a sector for select few, but has some future potential. Of course, bring at least 70 m long rope, and enough quickdraws, especially if going to Knezgrad. Equipment is new and great, only the distances between bolts (especially in Knezgrad), in easy parts and in easy routes can be substantial. Space under the wall is mostly comfy, which doesn‘t apply for approaches – although the ferratas are safe and good, it‘s good to be well versed and elegant when moving on them.

A – Campground
Tom Bombadil 5b 15m
Tertium organum 4b 14m
Cherokee sol 6a 12m
Karl Viking 6a 12m
Tita 5c 8m
Lighting 4c 8m
Sara 5a 17m
Ben 5b 17m
Magdalenina oštrica 4c 17m
Pentagram 4b 17m
Irena 4b 20m
Pješčani sat 5c 20m
B – Stribog
Medea hejz 6b 15m
Kumpanija, muma i rakija 6a 20m
Mustafa Zlatni 6a+ 20m
Marinov dub 6c 20m
Medvejko 7a+ 20m
Molly Bloom 6c 20m
Bleach 6c+ 20m
La Poderosa 7a+ 20m
Grupa TNT 7a 25m
C – Veli Jože
Small crew 7c 45m
Armada 1987 7c+ 50m
Dances of resistance 7b+ 25m
Dances of resistance extension 7c+ 48m
P ? ?
Pirati s Marsa 6c 25m
House of pain 8a 15m
D – Mali Jože
Novi val 6c 25m
Điber 8a 30m
Disciplina Kičme 7c+ 30m
Radio Bemba 7a 20m
Radio Bemba Sound System extension 7a+ 30m
Mr. Morgen 7b 30m
Ledeno doba 8a 30m
Tequila 8a 30m
Ri Rock 7b+ 30m
Stare užance 7c 30m
Gorki park 6a+ 15m
Loligo Vulgaris 6a+ 15m
E – Knezgrad
Lana 7a+ 15m
Flex Luthor 7c 15m
Outdoor fingerspiele 8c 20m
L’artiglio infiammato 8b 20m
Criogenetica 7b+ 15m
Criogenetica extension 8a+ 25m
Friends without borders 7b+ 18m
Non pensarci troppo 8b 26m
Aria di Golpe 8b+ 28m
Golpe de Estado P 30m
The Core 8c+ 30m
Koraj (Villa Oraj + top part of The Core) 8b 30m
Villa Oraj 7b+ 20m
More = Villa Oraj extension 9a 28m
Lovranska droga 8a 20m
Venga vecchio 8a 25m
Colpo di fulmine 8b+ 30m
Total extrem 8a 22m
Total extrem extension P 28m
The end 8c+ 25m
L’Istrian 8a+ 20m
Analmario 7a 22m
Il catalogo 7c+ 25m
Happy birthday 8b 25m
Štrnoflc 8b+ 25m
Nausicaa (start in Rizzo Razzo, finish in Štrnoflc 7c 25m
Rizzo Razzo 6c 25m
F – Kvarner
El Kvarner 8b 22m
Water for life 7c+ 15m
Hotel Lovran 7c 25m
L’era glaciale 7c 25m
The dreamer 7a+ 25m