A ski tour in the Velebit range, with views over the Adriatic islands
It’s fascinating how nature can “paint” the Velebit mountains. In spring everything turns green, summer adds a touch of grey and red, and autumn brings those colours out even more. And then, in winter, when this long mountain chain, stretching along the Adriatic, gets a spell of heavier snowfall combined with real cold, Velebit puts on its beautiful white cap.
That’s when true winter arrives — with the burja wind, sharp enough to cut straight through you, right to the bones. It’s the season when you often admire these mountains from a safe distance, because the conditions can be serious.
I’m a passionate ski tourer, mostly in the European Alps — but I’m also deeply connected to Croatia: its mountain ranges, its islands, the varied inland landscapes… And for a long time I’d had this idea in my head: to go ski touring on Velebit. To cross on skis its highest peaks — the peaks that are almost 2000 metres high and not exactly easy to reach.
The Burja Wind Phenomenon
Velebit is famous for one thing in particular: the burja (Bora wind). This powerful wind usually shows up when the weather turns from bad to better. The well-known burja has “shaved” the islands of the Kvarner Gulf and Northern Dalmatia on the side facing the mountains. Locals simply live with it — and in winter it’s a wind that chills, causes chaos at sea, and makes life harder on the coast and islands, right below the western slopes of the range.
Every ski tourer chases powder
Of course, every ski tourer is always chasing powder — fresh snow, the kind you ski like butter, like waves. I’ve been watching the Velebit forecasts for years, and it’s surprisingly hard to catch it with a really good amount of fresh snow. It doesn’t often get properly “loaded”. And when it does, the burja wind often takes that new snow and blows it away — out towards the sea, or over to Lika, or even farther, towards Bosnia.
Sounded almost too good to be true
But this January the forecast looked… honestly perfect. Something like 50–70 cm of new snow on top of a firm 20–30 cm base. I followed it closely, because it sounded almost too good to be true. I set off the ski alarm, convinced my friends, and said: Now. This is the moment. We’re going to Velebit to ski lines above the Adriatic. That kind of thing is famous in Europe mostly in Norway — skiing from the mountain all the way to the sea. And for a while, it really looked like that’s what we’d get: soft snow from the highest Velebit peaks.
Leaving home before dawn
So we left home before dawn. As the sky began to brighten, we drove closer and saw Velebit wearing that white cap — looking like it had truly received a fresh pile of snow. At least that’s what we wanted to believe. We hoped we’d get there before the burja did its work.
But the closer we got, the clearer it became: the burja was already fully awake. It had started during the night and was working at full power, throwing those iconic white “curtains” off the ridgelines. Still — we were already there. No point turning around. We shouldered the packs, clicked into our skis, and headed into the core of the range, where that bright white line was shining along the ridge.
An iced over landscape with amazing views
At first we walked — over a landscape that was literally iced over. Then we switched to touring mode and climbed higher and higher. And suddenly: the views. The Adriatic opened up beneath us, the Kvarner islands, Northern Dalmatia… It felt like you could see all the way to Istria — and even out towards Dugi Otok, far to the west.
Grateful for snow no matter the amount
We kept moving on skis. There was more snow higher up, but still not much — that fresh fluffy layer had been blown away. The burja had left it only in tiny samples, just enough that we couldn’t say there was “no snow for skiing.” But we’re not that spoiled, really. We’re grateful for snow wherever it is. A happy skier doesn’t overcomplicate things: you respect nature, you adapt, and you ski where it’s possible.
A satisfied skier is a happy skier
When we finally reached the peaks, we stopped for real. Looked at each other honestly and said it out loud: Alright — today will be mostly hard snow, and in places, pure ice. Any softer snow would have to be hunted down in the hollows and bowls — and Velebit has plenty of those, places that collect what the wind leaves behind.
And still… those views over the endless Adriatic made us genuinely happy. I always say: a satisfied skier is a happy skier. So we started exploring lines, enjoying the movement, occasionally catching an edge on icy patches, laughing it off, staying present.
Skiing was different and we loved it anyway
While skiing down towards the sea, I kept turning my head to take in the distance — enjoying the day in a completely different way than in the Alps, or in the higher, rougher Balkan ranges. The burja slowly subsided, but it never truly disappeared. It stayed with us, cooling us, reminding us that this is a kingdom of wind. The skiing wasn’t bad — just different. And we loved it anyway. We played with transitions, looked for little pockets of softer snow, leaned into the sun when we could. We simply had a good day. A real experience. Something that builds a genuine relationship with a place and its natural forces.
As for the mission — skiing from the top of Velebit all the way down to the Adriatic in perfect conditions — for me, that story continues. After two decades of patience, I’ll gladly add a few more years, if that’s what it takes, to catch that unique moment. For me, as a skier, it would mean a lot.
Velebit — see you soon!
I respect these mountains. In summer they’re more approachable — for hiking, biking, climbing… But in winter they are quiet and distant, living their own wild uniqueness.
So I can only say: Velebit — see you soon. And hopefully next time, the burja shows us a bit more mercy. So we can ski the way we dream of skiing — throwing snow high into the air, leaving a clean signature line from the peaks all the way to the sea.
A huge thank-you to my ski buddies — Tadej, Tim, and Aljaž — for the motivation and the willingness to explore Velebit with me. It meant a lot to finally live out this skiing dream, and you can’t do it without true friends.
Written by Matei Mejovsek | Photos by Aljaž Znidaršič
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