How to get there:
This peak has a very convenient trailhead. First, drive to Raduc, easy access from the major
freeway A-1. The key road forks off left (in Raduc) at location N44.40227, E15.57876. This
road is (2026) in excellent condition, dirt, but driveable for any kind of car. Follow
the road as it climbs, note that shortly before the trailhead the road has a major fork, you
should turn left here. Find a large parking area on your right at location
N44.36296, E15.53310, elevation about 1230 meter.
Route description:
The trail starts directly across the road, there is a sign and the trail is
marked with red/white paint. It climbs to a col in 2 (uphill) sections. Next,
the trail descends into a local basin,
there would have been a lake here if the
rock had not been limestone. Unfortunately, the trail ascends in a big loop (hikers left)
and gains elevation which is then lost. Still, it most likely pays to just stick to
the trail. Continue along keeping right at a couple of trail forks, easy terrain gets you to
the summit. The summit is marked with a small cairn.
nearby and slightly lower
is a cross with inscriptions.
The south summit, not far away, also has a small cairn. It is
about 3 meter lower.
Here is a quick summary of peaks climbed on this trip to Balkan.
A track of the mountain road is
posted on Peakbagger.
Comments:
I left our hotel in Sibenik shortly after 0730. A few stops along the
way including a wrong turn on the final access road, but ready to hike
by 1000.
A nice and well marked trail quickly got me to the col from where the
mountain landscape open up. It did look like a detour to follow the trail
ascending left, just to later loose elevaation and head towards my goal.
Thus, I decided to make a short-cut, it sort of looked like one could more or less
stay at the elevation and contour across, avoiding the pine-bush. Unfortunately,
my plan did not quite deliver. I got myself into the pine-bushwack, pretty hopeless.
Gaining some elevation, I did quite a bit of side-hilling in loose, limestone rocks.
When I finally did merge back with the trail, I had definitely made up my mind to just
walk the trail on my return hike.
Pretty soon, the Vaganski peak came into view,
the remaining distance being short.
I arrived at the summit shortly before 12 noon, so about 2 hours. The south summit with
a cairn caught my attention and I sort of immediately crossed over there.
Looking back,
it seemed fairly clear that this south summit point was lower. My GPS
agreed, saying about 3 meter. The view might be slightly better from this south summit,
so no big loss to head over here. Getting back, I stopped by the summit cross, somehow
place a bit lower than the highest ground.
leaving at 1210, I faitfully stayed with the trail aand arrived back at my car after
about 1:30.
The drive back home was nice and easy, this trailhead is well served by the
major A-1 road that runs along the coast of Croatia.
