MOUNTAINEERING CLUB KAMENJAK

Brief history

The Rijeka-based Kamenjak Mountaineering Club was founded on 14 December 1961 and has its roots in the Zanatlija Club, a subdivision of what was then known as the Rijeka Mountaineering Club (later to become the Platak Mountaineering Club). The Club was named after Kamenjak, a peak which stands at a height of 867 metres above sea level, situated in the hinterlands of Rijeka. It owes its creation to the famous Chakavian poet and publicist, Ljubomir Pavešić-Jumb. The club’s logo, a letter K stretching from the sea to the mountains, was designed by the famous artist Dorian Sokolić. Its anthem "Primorski planinar" was penned by maestro Dušan Prašelj on the occasion of the Club’s 20th anniversary celebration. The club’s figurehead is Pepić, a popular mascot, brought to life in the words and sketches of Josip Colnar, PhD (Eng).
With its forty-year history and many successes under its belt, the Club has become synonymous with mountaineering amongst locals. Its large number of active mountaineers, the peaks which they have scaled on all continents (such as Kilimanjaro, Mont Blanc, Atlas etc.), and the variety of mountain activities it offers have put the name of Kamenjak squarely on the map, both nationally and internationally. The Club’s achievements include over 500 medals, cups, plaques and awards. Occupying pride of place among them are the highest honours awarded by the Croatian Mountaineering Society and the City of Rijeka. Many of the Club’s members have also been awarded numerous medals and certificates of merit for their work, which focuses primarily on raising the profile of mountaineering, but also includes community service, which has been one of the Club’s tenets from its inception. Over the years, the Club has broadened its rich array of activities by creating various subdivisions within its organisation and setting up clubs in primary schools and businesses. In addition, for many years the Club published its own magazine, Planinarski list, which offered a rich diet of mountaineering and sports articles. A documentary film has also been made about the Club’s history, entitled “Kamenjak – the First 40 Years”.

Mission and vision

The Kamenjak Mountaineering Club is an independent, voluntary and non-political association, bringing together mountaineers, nature lovers and mountain enthusiasts who are deeply interested in the natural and historical heritage of the mountains. The Club’s mission is to organise a variety of mountaineering activities, equip its members with the necessary skills, and train them in conservation and protection of the mountains. In doing so, the Club members pay their respects to humanity and to their motherland. The Kamenjak Mountaineering Club is a sporting association and a member the Croatian Mountaineering Club and PS PGŽ.

Mountaineering/hiking tours

Every mountaineering club worth its salt seeks to organise the best possible mountaineering/hiking tours and works hard to ensure the safety and enjoyment of the people who participate in them. Our experienced guides will help you to reach the most breathtaking destinations as safely as possible.

The Frbežari Mountain Lodge at Tršće

Tršće lies at the heart of the Čabar region, situated on a vast plateau at a height of 830 metres above sea level.

The Frbežari Lodge has been in the ownership of the Kamenjak Mountaineering Club since 1968 and is the only dedicated accommodation for mountaineers in this large north-western part of Rijeka County, and indeed the only mountain lodge in the province of Gorski Kotar. The lodge is situated at a height of 825 metres above sea level and provides an ideal haven for all those who want to spend time in a clean environment, surrounded by nature. This region has all the necessary prerequisites for the development of tourism based on mountains, hunting, mountaineering/hill-walking, sports, health and education.
Here, visitors can enjoy the heart of nature in its pristine beauty and tranquillity. This region offers splendid natural habitats, forest conservation areas, unpolluted rivers, the beautiful springs of the Kupa, Čabranka and Gerovčica rivers, routes leading to Risnjak and Snježnik, large mountain hayfields, hunting grounds and the most breathtaking vistas. In addition, there are sports grounds for football, handball, basketball, tennis, athletics, pétanque, 10-pin bowling here, as well as cycling routes. Facilities include three sports halls, and natural settings for archery, hunting, fishing, rafting and hiking/mountaineering. Hiking/mountaineering routes and paths allow large numbers of people to enjoy the nature of this region. Next to the mountain lodge is a feeding station for deer. The Rudnik skiing centre is also in the immediate vicinity, offering terrains for Alpine and Nordic skiing, as well as ski-lifts. There are also many cultural and historical landmarks here, the most famous of which are the Castle of Petar Zrinski, the county museum, a Roman frontier-wall, old water mills and saw-mills, smithies and wood-carvers. Finally, the forests offer an abundance of forest fruits (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries, mushrooms and medicinal herbs).
The lodge has a capacity of 50 beds. At present, it is open to visitors by prior arrangement and is currently undergoing development. There are plans to open the lodge regularly in the future at weekends for the benefit of the large numbers of nature lovers flocking to this region.