Bulgarian Adventures

Discussion in 'Adventure, Hiking, Backpacking and Travel' started by Bozho, Jun 2, 2019.

  1. Bozho

    Bozho Member

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    Going higher, the views are outstanding !

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    Almost there

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    At the top :


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    Going down

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    More to follow !
     
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  2. Bozho

    Bozho Member

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    Day 3 - we headed to the beautiful mountain Pirin !

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirin

    We were sleeping in hut Vihren for the next 3 days - great hut, cheap beds, the eating and drinking is cheap too - they do many home made meals, very delicious.

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    View from the parking lot

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    We headed to the base of the Todorka peak, going through beautiful terrain, including some lakes

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    The Frog Lake

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    Peak Small Todorka high above

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    At the base under the peak

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    Still a lot of climbing to do, the picture doesn't show it, but it is more than an hour

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    More to come
     
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  3. Bozho

    Bozho Member

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    We decided to leave the peaks Small Todorka and Todorka for another time and headed to the two lakes under them - the Todorka Eyes

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    Lake - The Eye - on our way back, around 30 minutes from the hut

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    Finally! After 7 hours of walking - the hut

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    More to come!
     
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  4. Bozho

    Bozho Member

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    Mist falls fast when you are high in the mountain

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    The largest cat I have ever seen - 13 years old and in top shape!

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    Noodle time again

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    Day 4- the weather was bad (raining) - our gear is not waterproof, so we decided to stay at the hut, sleep a lot (I have been sleeping 5 hours per day for the last 10 days and was exhausted). This proved to be a much needed rest for the climbing of our goal for the trip - the Vihren peak - second highest in Bulgaria and 3rd on the Balkans. It is 2,914 meters high.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vihren

    Day 5 - the best hike in my life !!!

    Woke up early in the morning

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    There was only one direction that day - UP

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    There are lots of mountain goats here - amazing animals! So fast and agile, it is like they do not touch the ground as they walk and run. We saw more than 70 of them that day.

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    Small shelter - it will be of great help during the winter if you are lost, or the weather turns really bad.

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    Shelter Kazana, named after the area - 2445 meters above the sea level.

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    Nothing fancy, but it will be like a 6 star hotel in the winter

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    More to come!
     
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  5. Bozho

    Bozho Member

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    Distant view of Vihren

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    More goats

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    We decided to leave the peak for the end of the day and hiked further to a place called Koncheto (The Horse) - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Koncheto - it is a walk on the ridge of the mountain, having 300 meters perpendicular fall from one side and equally brutal fall from the other, but not perpendicular :D It has steel cables for safety - I used my Mechanix gloves on them and probably will not go to high mountain without them ever - they really gave me good grip on the cable and stones and saved my palms from wounds at one fall (on the ground, not from the cliff :eek: ).

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    On the way to the Konche - not there yet

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    More to come!
     
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  6. Bozho

    Bozho Member

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    Finally - the Konche!
    Called like this (Horse) because some people who are afraid from heights tend to sit on it and move slowly forward, like on horse back.

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    It is over - the ridge is much more wider now and there are no more cables - it goes to the peak Kutelo - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kutelo - just a bit shorter than Vihren - 2,908 meters. 2nd highest in Pirin and 3rd highest in Bulgaria.

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    Going down again - to the base of Vihren

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    Found a friend

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    More to come!
     
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  7. Bozho

    Bozho Member

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    Climbing the Vihren peak!

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    These chains help a lot, using the gloves gave me awesome grip.

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    At the top :)

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    Going down, 3 more hours to the hut

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    The Vlahi lake

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    Goats!

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    The hut can be seen already

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    More to come!
     
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  8. Bozho

    Bozho Member

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    Delicious beans and beer back at the hut after 10 hours of walking in steep terrain

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    The whole thing lasted 2 days less, because of coming bad weather, but it was truly great.
    The wife walked as a beast, as usual, she can climb the peak, return to where I am (struggling and covered in sweat :D) and climb it again with me, while smoking a cigarette.

    There was an older dude in our group - 72 years old. I have my full respect for him, he walked like a champion, I really hope I can do the same when I am at his age. He was truly inspiring.

    I got home and on the next day went on a 400 km trip with an old Ford Transit van (70 hp, diesel without turbo but with LPG, no air conditioning) - to haul some stuff to our house in the country side. It took us 7 hours to make the trip, but the rakia and beer later were totally worth it!

    Cheers!
     
  9. Se7eN

    Se7eN Member

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    What an incredible post! Thank you for taking the time to share this with us!

    Looks like it was a great trip!
     
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  10. Strigidae

    Strigidae Administrator Staff Member

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    Amazing!!
     
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  11. Strigidae

    Strigidae Administrator Staff Member

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    What was the temperature like up at the peaks compared to around the hut?
     
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  12. Bozho

    Bozho Member

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    Thanks dudes!

    @Strigidae - during the day it was hot at the peaks - perhaps 30 Celsius, even more. At the hut, the temperature was around 10-12 Celsius at 5-6 AM, 30+ during the day and around 10 Celsius at night.
     
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  13. Strigidae

    Strigidae Administrator Staff Member

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    Oooo that is hot.
     
  14. Bozho

    Bozho Member

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    We have very hot summers here
     
  15. Bozho

    Bozho Member

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    Made a coffee in the woods yesterday, then went to the shooting range to practice.

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  16. Andy the Aussie

    Andy the Aussie Administrator of the Century Staff Member

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    Great way to spend a day out !!!!! Mine was spent mostly laying under my Landcruiser ... ;)
     
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  17. Bozho

    Bozho Member

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    The fact that you have a TLC and do something on it would make every day great :cool:
     
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  18. Andy the Aussie

    Andy the Aussie Administrator of the Century Staff Member

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    Time is my greatest enemy at the moment !! I am busting to go away but simply can't at the moment, so I spend what spare time I have toying with the truck !!
     
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  19. Bozho

    Bozho Member

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    Let's swap it with my car then - you won't be toying with it but you will be busy with repairs :cool: Kidding, mate:D

    I am going to do some hiking tomorrow - again to the awesome hut Vihren - tomorrow we will travel and relax in the hut, the next day we are going to hut Sinanitsa and the peak with the same name - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinanitsa
    - then back to hut Vihren.
    On Wednesday we will climb the highest peak of Bulgaria and the Balkans - peak Musala - 2925 meters above the sea level - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musala - the next day we will go to the 7 Rila Lakes - awesome place - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Rila_Lakes . Friday and Saturday will be enjoyed at the sea shore with lots of beers. Sunday - full day at the beach and back home :)
    It will be epic!
     
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  20. Andy the Aussie

    Andy the Aussie Administrator of the Century Staff Member

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    Sounds like a great way to spend a few days mate !!!!
     
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