Planinarska kuća Alan (Mountain Hut ALAN) Velebit

[@PavleBalenovic]

Odavno je čovjek iskorištavao šume i odvozio drvo iz ovih planina za potrebe industrije. Uz britansku ratnu pomoć tadašnjoj državi ovdje je instalirana žičara za transport drva iz Velebita do male luke u Stinici pored Jablanca na Jadranu. Lokalna Šumarija Jablanac, 1957. godine izgradila je drvenu lugarnicu na rubu šume prije cestovnog prijevoja Veliki Alan (1414 m). Žičara je radila nepunih desetak godina kad je zbog nerentabilnosti i nepodnošljivih klimatskih uvjeta, oluja i vjetra napuštena. Time je na njoj prekinut prisilni rad političkih zatvorenika s obližnjeg Golog otoka gdje je bio smješten zloglasni zatvor. Srušene su i barake u kojima su boravili a lugarnica je počela propadati. U sporazumu sa šumarijom u gradu Senju (sjevernija luka na Jadranu) planinari počinju koristiti tu brvnaru kao sklonište. Osamdesetih godina organiziraju se dežurstva volontera preko ljeta za prihvat posjetitelja planine. Osnivanjem nacionalnog parka ovo mjesto postaje prilično prometno kao jedna od ulaznih postaja za strane i domaće turiste. Danas je taj objekt pravi spas za one koji prelaze 57 km dugu uzdužnu planinarsku stazu koja je 1933. završena pod upravljanjem šumarskog inženjera Ante Premužića. Prvih desetak sati hoda prema jugu stazom se prolazi kroz vrletne vapnenačke kukove N.P. Sjeverni Velebit a dalje se gotovo nikad ne gube veličanstveni vidici prema moru i otocima.Staza je remekdjelo građevinarstva izvedena na starinski način bez upotrebe betona i cementa. Cesta koja se penje od obale do prijevoja Alan prema unutrašnjosti sječe Premužićevu stazu sasvim blizu skloništa. Meni je zbog snijega zimi često bilo razumno rješenje dočepati se tog skloništa pa odatle slijedećih dana krenuti u unutrašnjost. Od te lokacije postoje dobro obilježeni i markirani planinarski putevi u svim smjerovima Po starom običaju svakom putniku ostavljen je sasvim priličan prostor za smještaj u nuždi i kuhinja. Zime su ovdje duge, iznimno hladne i sva potrošena drva za ogrjev treba pošteno nadoknaditi za slijedećeg posjetitelja. Kad putujete planinom dobro je znati da vam se takvo sklonište nalazi na putu. Poznato je da su kroz prošlost nestajali ljudi kad ne bi pronašli put. Neki su pronađeni smrznuti a tek malo im je trebalo da se spase. U dane kad se rijetki upute u te prostore kuću smo obišli moj vjerni pratilac, Lik i ja. Sjećam se kad je noću osjetio kako se budni medvjed kreće cestom uz dom prema nižim predjelima i primorju u potrazi za hranom. I on je znao za nas. Osamnaest godina zajedno ... sve dok jedne zimske noći u Siječnju, po dubokom snijegu nisam morao odnijeti tog starog vuka na leđima. Zakopao sam ga u Velebitu. Nisam posjećivao tu planinarsku kuću godinama. To drveno zdanje uvijek ponovno osvježi sjećanja ... sjećanja na dobre i one loše ljude, njihove sudbine i sve oluje, nevere i godine. Velikim je djelom godine to ipak samotno mjesto. Možda su se baš zato u ovom planinskom domu znale izgovoriti misli koje mnogima u gradu nikad ne bi bile razumljive. (Pavle Balenović: arhivske snimke iz Velebita, Bckg.music: Dark Times by Kevin MacLeod - incompetech.com).

[@robertmastnak581]

Pavle , fantastične snimke , uspomene , priče , ja prosto volim to! Hvala ti!

[@PavleBalenovic]

Da, sad mi se čini kak su to bila zbilja dobra stara vremena ... dobro je da sam nekaj od toga spremil ovak za uspomenu. No iste ove snimke mi dokazuju da se puno toga promenilo ... nepovratno. Zbog toga više nema toliko puno veselja kad se spremam opet na put u te brege i planine. Bojim se iznenađenja i šokova kad vidim kakve promjene čovjek može smisliti. A sve je na štetu prirode i životinja. Hvala ti Robert, puno, na tvojim komentarima.

[@andrewnorris1]

It is amazing to see such vast swathes of unoccupied landscape, unoccupied except for you. I was once in this hut during the summer. Its a magical region and you certainly captured much of the beauty that most of us only get to see through your films. Thanks

[@PavleBalenovic]

+andrewnorris1 I am very glad you recognized the place as a special one worth visiting. The biggest part of the year you won't meet people there. I would say it is even too crowded during summer hollydays and when the weather is good. In winter it is almost impossible to reach it. High snow drifts cover the road completely what can last almost till June. This is Velebit. The rules of that mountain have to be respected. Thanks Andrew.

[@opensecret51]

Thank you Pavel for sharing this little film with beauty and intimate moments of wilderness and men ..so many special moments ...I felt a spiritual longing when seeing the landscape !

[@PavleBalenovic]

+Masha.M. S ... While editing I realized that some scenes were simply lost from my memory. Perhaps that old hard disk in my brain got tired. But that good old camcorder made it possible to recall the old adventures and experiences. It is out of use although not as old as I am. Ha, ha, ha. God, how many times did I passed by that old mountain hut.

[@opensecret51]

***** It Is a beautiful special place!! Thank you for sharing !

[@temp24Lno5]

Great memories for sure to come out of your spring trips to this seemingly well supplied mountain hut.The different views of this hut are remarkable. At 2.57, it looks like a face peering at the moon. I'm sure you realized this too, dear Pavle. I imagine all the debris of stones marks the place which was used to house the political prisoners. Dear old Lik, scratching just like all canines do, looks really well here. Good to know you had a wolf to warn you of any potential danger from bears. Its nice that this shelter is being used by travelers who cross the 57 km long trail as it surely offers a respite from whatever weather meets them as they travel. The views you show of the people who used this hut are interesting too. Young people today are in for a treat when they decide to visit the mountain trails and to take in the magnificent views of the sea.Very nice video, Pavle. Thank you for uploading. Joan, ywm

[@PavleBalenovic]

+Joan Ouellette Yes, I heard that the place must have been as bad as hell for those prisoners. There are even some signs on the rocks that show how cruel they used to be punished. Who knows what would all those rocks have to tell. It seems like our lives are really short. Or do we want too much. Who knows how many times the face peering at the moon has been noticed through the past. By the way, I have to say that it happened quite often that I noticed such the shapes ... depending on feelings I carry with me. Sometimes my rucksack was completelly full of feeligs. You can imagine. Must be that I spent far too much time in the mountains alone. It was easier with wolves that I have known. Now I can only search the sky and compare if the shape of the cloud looks like jaw or eyes, or even whole wolf with tail. Thanks my dear Joan. (ywm)

[@temp24Lno5]

+Pavle Balenovic Oh yes, I used to spend too much time noticing clouds looking like something, but it was a fun thing to do and I must confess, I still do it to this day. Your rucksack, same as mine, carried many feelings that we collect over the years. Feelings that are important to us alone and wouldn't be understood by the mass. Joan (ywm)

[@PavleBalenovic]

From the past the man exploited forests and transported wood from the mountains for the industry. With the help of the British after the WW2 former state here has installed cable lifts to transport the logs from the Velebit to the small port in Stinica next Jablanac on the Adriatic coast. In 1957 local Forestry of Jablanac, built a wooden hut on the edge of the forest before the road to the mountain pass Veliki Alan (1414 m). The cable transport has worked less than ten years when, due to unprofitability and unbearable climate, storm and wind is abandoned. In the same time the forced labor of political prisoners from the nearby Goli Otok (the notorious prison island), terminated. The huts where they stayed were destroyed and mountain hut began to deteriorate. According to the agreement with the foresters in the town of Senj (northerly port in the Adriatic) mountaineers are beginning to use the cabin as a shelter. During the eighties, their volunteers organized the services over the summer for visitors. After the establishment of the national park this place becomes very busy as one of the input station for foreign and domestic tourists. Today the facility this house offers is very important for those who cross the 57 km long longitudinal mountain trail (completed under the management of the forestry ing.Ante Premuzic in 1933). The first ten hours of walking to the south the trail is going through extremely rocky area of Northern Velebit National Park. After that part the visitors can enjoy the magnificent views towards the sea and islands almost all the time they walk. The track is a masterpiece of construction carried out in the traditional way without the use of concrete and cement.The road that climbs from the coast up to the mountain pass Alan inwards crosses the Premuzic path very close to the shelter. Because of the snow in winter for me it was always smart decision to grab this house as my shelter and from there the next day to go into the interior. From this location there are well-marked and kept hiking trails in all directions. According to old tradition, each passenger is left quite considerable space to accomodate in case of emergency. There is even complete kitchen ready to be used. The winters here are long, very cold. It is fair that the firewood spent should be compensated for the next visitors. When you travel the mountains it is really good to know that such a shelter is on the way. It is known that in the past some people disappeared or got lost. Some have been found frozen .. too late to be saved. In the days when others rarely visit the mountains I used to come with my faithful companion. Lik and I. I remember when he sensed the bear passing near the house by night towards the lower mountain areas in search for food. The bear was aware of us, too. Eighteen years together ... until one winter night with deep snow in January ... I had to carry that old wolf on my back. I burried him in the Velebit mountain. And I haven't visited the hut for years. That wooden building repeatedly refreshes a lot of other memories ... memories of the good and the bad people, their fate ... storms, blizzards and years. Over the year this mountain hut is still quite lonely place. Perhaps this is why quite positive thoughts have been pronounced and exchanged in conversations here ... such the thoughts would never be understood by the people in the city. - Paul Balenović: archival footage of Velebit - (Sorry, bad English).

[@trucha1618xx]

Hello Pavle, The Northern Velebit National Park mountains and forest are spectaculars, it is good for you could walking, walking, and walking for hours in complete peace, without noise, nor humans disturbing the sacred peace of that natural wildlife refugee, only your steps struggling on the snowy ground and your deep breath sounds, rhythmically marking the pace of time and your effort. It is good this trail is in use nowadays, also the hut ready to lend help and shelter to the hikers and mountaineers, I hope it receives the visit of lots of wild life lovers, which respectfully take advantage of those facilities and places. Dear Pavle, I can imagine how many marvelous moments did you spend with you friend Lik on that places, and mountains, how secure did you feel with a loyal wolf friend by your side, a special man-wolf friendship. It is good to know that Velebit mountains is the last home of Lik, under the snow in winter, listening the raindrops and the birds songs in summer, paying attention to the bear passing by there, rest in peace good Lik. Thank you my friend, for this document and information, I wish one day I could walk by those paths. Best Regards, Francisco