Pirin Mountains: Another Avalanche, Another Life Lost

A young Norwegian skier was killed this afternoon in the Pirin Mountains when he ventured off-piste into one of the gullies which drop down from Mount Todorin Vrah towards the Demyanitsa Valley and was then caught up in an avalanche. This is the third death from avalanches this year in the Pirin Mountains, and once again the Bulgarian Mountain Rescue Services are calling on people not to venture off-piste into these dangerous avalanche regions.

Central Balkans: Very Strong Winds on Mount Botev

The high parts of the Bulgarian Mountains have again been subject to very strong winds today. This time Mount Botev in the Central Balkans (Stara Planina) has been the windiest peak with speeds averaging 30m/s, and at times topping 40m/s.

Rila Mountains: Fog & Gales on Mount Musala

Fog and gales in the high parts of the Bulgarian Mountains are making conditions very difficult and dangerous. On Mount Musala in the Rila Mountains the average wind speed today has been 29m/s, with the wind at times reaching speeds of 34m/s.

Rila Mountains: Avalanche Incident below Mount Musala

Having successfully reached the summit of Mount Musala in the Rila Mountains, a group of skiers attempted to ski down one of the gullies on the eastern flank of the peak towards Ledenoto Ezero. However, almost immediately after the first skier set off, a slab-type avalanche broke away behind him and swept him up. Thankfully one of his fellow skiers managed to located him very quickly and partly dig him out. The rescue was then assisted by meteorologists from the weather-station on the summit of Mount Musala and the victim was swiftly dug out and found to be miraculously unharmed!

Central Balkans: Mountain Rescue Services Save Man

A man who tried to make his way home to the village of Anton across the main ridge of the Central Balkans (Stara Planina) in atrocious weather and without proper clothing, equipment and food supplies, was finally discovered and saved by the Bulgarian Mountain Rescue Services. He was located in an abandoned shack on the northern slopes of the Central Balkans (Stara Planina) suffering from hypothermia, dehydration and exhaustion. Apparently he had been trapped in the mountains for 5 days when he finally made a call for help on his mobile phone.

Pirin Mountains: Mountain Rescue Action to Save Snowboarder & Skier

In two seperate incidents in the Pirin Mountains, the Bulgarian Mountain Rescue Services today had to rescue a skier and a snowboarder who, despite all the recent warnings, had ventured off-piste into dangerous avalanche zones. Both became stuck and unable to proceed safely without assistance from the Bulgarian Mountain Rescue Services. The skier is said to have been a 13-year old child.

Pirin Mountains: Avalanche Falls without Incident

An avalanche is reported to have fallen again in the Pirin Mountains today, but thankfully this time without incident or injury. The avalanche fell in the region of Tsarna Mogila.

'Pirin' National Park: Clamping Down on Illegal Extreme Sports

The growing tendency for off-piste skiing and snowboarding, and the increasing illegal use of snowmobiles and ATV (all terrain vehicles) within the 'Pirin' National Park has just been highlighted by the Directorate of the 'Pirin' National Park. Such activities are in direct contravention of the Protected Areas Act and the Management Plan for the 'Pirin' National Park. Furthermore, these activities frequently trigger avalanches in the mountains.

The Directorate of the 'Pirin' National Park is now reminding tourist agencies and other operators currently promoting and organising such extreme sports that these activities are illegal within the 'Pirin' National Park, and that in future they will be clamping down on them and that legal action will be taken against those ignoring and breaking the national park regulations.

Bulgarian Mountains: High Risk of Avalanche Continues

The director of the Bulgarian Mountain Rescue Services Kiril Rusev has told the Bulgarian media that the risk of avalanches remains very high in the Bulgarian mountains at the moment. This risk is especially great away from the perapred pistes and he once again called for skiers and snowbaorders not to venture off-piste.

Pirin Mountains: Another Skier Dies in an Avalanche

Another skier lost his life in the Pirin Mountains today when he was caught by an avalanche falling from Platoto towards the Demyanishka Dolina. His other three companions escaped without serious injury.

Central Balkans: Two Climbers Rescued from Avalanche below Mount Botev

Two climbers caught in an avalanche in the 'Severen Dzhendem' Nature Reserve below Mount Botev in the Central Balkans (Stara Planina) were finally rescued today. The avalanche fell yesterday evening and the Bulgarian Mountain Rescue Services were quickly on the scene. However, the difficulty of the terrain and danger of triggering fresh avalanches hindered rescue efforts. The climbers survived the night by digging a snow-shole, and were finally rescued today. One of the climbers has a fractured leg and hypothermia, and the other has a dislocated shoulder.

Pirin Mountains: Another Avalanche Falls in the Banderitsa Valley

For the second day running an avalanche has fallen into the Banderitsa Valley in Bulgaria's Pirin Mountains. According to reports nine people were attempting to climb from the 'Banderitsa' mountain hut towards Kazanite when the avalanche struck. Thankfully none of them were actually buried by the avalanche, but one woman suffered head injuries and was evacuated to hospital by the Bulgarian Mountain Rescue Services.

Once again the Bulgarian Mountain Rescue Services are warning that there is currently hightened avalanche danger in the mountains, and reiterating their demands that skiers, snowboarders and hikers only use prepared pistes and marked winter trails.

Pirin Mountains: Avalanche Kills Skier in the Banderitsa Valley

Tragically, a 29-year old skier from Bansko was today killed in the Pirin Mountains by an avalanche which fell down one of the many avalanche gulleys on the western flank of Mount Todorin Vrah (Mount Todorka) towards the Banderitsa Valley. The accident was spotted from a lift by Macedonian tourists and the Bulgarian Mountain Rescue Services were swiftly on the scene. Despite quickly locating the victim, they were unable to revive him. Although an experienced skier and former ski-instructor, it seems that he, like many other skiers and snowboarders, was tempted off-piste into a region that is known to be at risk from avalanches. Almost exactly a year to the day, on 28 January 2009, a snowboarder was killed by an avalanche in the same place. Recent extreme temperature fluctuations combined with fresh snow are currently hightening the risk of avalanches in this region.

New Record Low Temperatures in Bulgaria

Last night 17 towns and villages recorded new record low temperatures. These were concentrated in northern and eastern Bulgaria. Coldest of all was the town of Dobrich in the Dobrudzha region. The record low temperature for the town had been -15.2°C recorded in 1909, but last night temperatures plunged to -25.5°C. But even this is still a long way off the coldest temperature ever recorded in Bulgaria. That was -38.3°C recorded in 1947 in the small town of Tran which lies west-north-west of Sofia close to the border with Serbia.

Forecasters are predicting another very cold day and night. Today in the mountains, at altitudes over 2000m, it is expected that maximum temperatures will be no higher than about -12°C.

Danger of Frostbite & Hypothermia in the Bulgarian Mountains

The bitter weather continues its icy grip on Bulgaria. At 08-00 this morning it was -18.0°C on the summit of Mount Musala in the Rila Mountains and as low as -20.0°C on the summit of Mount Botev in the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina). The Bulgarian Mountain Rescue Services are warning that there is danger of hypothermia and frostbite and that those venturing out into the mountains should be properly equipped.

Walking in Bulgaria's National Parks

My new guidebook to 'Walking in Bulgaria's National Parks' has just been published today by Cicerone Press!

The 12 routes described in 'Walking in Bulgaria's National Parks' thread their way through the 'Central Balkan' National Park, 'Rila' National Park and 'Pirin' National Park, taking in ancient forests, shimmering glacial lakes, panoramic ridges and the two highest peaks in the country, Musala and Vihren. All great mountain walks in their own right, they have also been selected to offer the best chance of encountering a wealth of rare plants and animals. 'Walking in Bulgaria's National Parks' offers 2- to 3-day walks for fit and experienced mountain walkers and one full-day ascent of Mount Vihren with comprehensive background information about the wildlife to be seen.

Here is a short piece from the book's introduction:

'Blessed with a favourable climate, a wonderful variety of landscapes, a uniquely rich flora and fauna and a wealth of hiking trails, the choice of where to walk in Bulgaria is pretty much limitless. For the author of a guidebook such as this, it also makes the choice of what to include and what to leave out very difficult. In the end, I decided to limit the focus to Bulgaria’s three national parks, Rila, Pirin and Central Balkan. These national parks not only occupy the highest and wildest mountains in the country, but they are also threaded with a network of well-marked hiking trails. These paths typically lead through spectacular scenery and offer an unrivalled opportunity to encounter some of Europe’s rarest plants and animals.

As well as providing detailed route descriptions for many of the most outstanding walks offered by these three national parks, I have also included a great deal of background information about the history and geography of places passed along the trails, as well as comprehensive details of the wildlife likely to be seen. Mountain walking in Bulgaria’s national parks provides more than simply a physical challenge – it is a unique opportunity to experience wilderness and to glimpse the rare flora and fauna that still manages to find a safe refuge there.'

'Central Balkan' Important Bird Area

The 'Central Balkan' Important Bird Area (IBA) covers a total area of 166,678.21 hectares and includes not only the 'Central Balkan' National Park, but also the 'Bulgarka' Nature Park and several smaller protected territories.

Some 151 species of birds have been recorded breeding in the 'Central Balkan' Important Bird Area, of which 56 species are designated by BirdLife International as being of European conservation concern (SPEC). These include: 4 species of bird classified as SPEC 1 (species of global conservation concern), 21 species of bird classified as SPEC 2 (species with global populations concentrated in Europe and having an unfavourable conservation status in Europe) and 31 species of birds classified as SPEC 3 (species with global populations concentrated outside Europe but having an unfavourable conservation status in Europe).

'Pirin Mountains' Important Bird Area

The 'Pirin Mountains' Important Bird Area (IBA) covers a total area of 79,245.15 hectares and includes not only the 'Pirin' National Park, but also the 'Orelyak' Nature Reserve, as well as large areas of adjacent unprotected land in the central and southern regions of the Pirin Mountains.

Some 129 species of birds have been recorded breeding in the 'Pirin Mountains' Important Bird Area, of which 44 species are designated by BirdLife International as being of European conservation concern (SPEC). These include: 1 species of bird classified as SPEC 1 (species of global conservation concern), 13 species of bird classified as SPEC 2 (species with global populations concentrated in Europe and having an unfavourable conservation status in Europe) and 30 species of birds classified as SPEC 3 (species with global populations concentrated outside Europe but having an unfavourable conservation status in Europe).

'Rila Mountains' Important Bird Area

The 'Rila Mountains' Important Bird Area (IBA) covers a total area of 143,733.01 hectares and includes not only the 'Rila' National Park, but also the 'Rila Monastery' Nature Park and 'Rilomanistirska Gora' Nature Reserve, as well as some immediately adjoining unprotected land. As a whole, it encompasses more than 50% of the the Rila Mountains.

Some 130 species of birds have been recorded breeding in the 'Rila Mountains' Important Bird Area, of which 41 species are designated by BirdLife International as being of European conservation concern (SPEC). These include: 1 species of bird classified as SPEC 1 (species of global conservation concern), 14 species of bird classified as SPEC 2 (species with global populations concentrated in Europe and having an unfavourable conservation status in Europe) and 26 species of birds classified as SPEC 3 (species with global populations concentrated outside Europe but having an unfavourable conservation status in Europe).

'Central Balkan' National Park

Founded in 1991, the 'Central Balkan' National Park is the second largest protected territory in Bulgaria with an area of 71,669.5 hectares. It is located in the highest part of the Stara Planina (Balkan Mountains), covering an 85 kilometre long stretch of the main ridge. About 39% of the 'Central Balkan' National Park comprises mountain pastures, meadows and rock outcrops. The remaining 61% of the 'Central Balkan' National Park is forested, Broad-leaved species dominate, in particular European Beech (Fagus sylvatica) which accounts for about 70% of the forested area. The most common coniferous species is Norway Spruce (Picea abies).

There are nine nature reserves within the 'Central Balkan' National Park, accounting for about 28% of its total area:

• 'Boatin' Nature Reserve (1,597.2 hectares)


• 'Tsarichina' Nature Reserve (3,418.7 hectares)


• 'Kozya Stena' Nature Reserve (904.3 hectares)


• 'Steneto' Nature Reserve (3,578.8 hectares)


• 'Stara Reka' Nature Reserve (1 974.7 hectares)


• 'Dzhendema' Nature Reserve (4,220.2 hectares)


• 'Severen Dzhendem' Nature Reserve (1,610 hectares)


• 'Peeshtite Skali' Nature Reserve (1,465.7 hectares)


• 'Sokolna' Nature Reserve (1,250 hectares)

The 'Boatin' Nature Reserve, 'Tsarichina' Nature Reserve, 'Steneto' Nature Reserve and 'Dzhendema' Nature Reserve have all been designated as UNESCO Biosphere Reserves.

The flora of the 'Central Balkan' National Park is extremely rich, some 1900 species and sub-species of higher plants which represents about half the Bulgarian flora. These include 10 local endemics (found nowhere else in the world), 10 Bulgarian endemics (known only from Bulgaria) and 67 Balkan endemics (growing only on the Balkan Peninsula).

The 'Central Balkan' National Park also has an extremely varied fauna. The invertebrate fauna is still only partly studied, but already over 2300 species and subspecies have been recorded. These include 9 species of dragonfly (Odonata) and many interesting butterflies (Lepidoptera).

The vertebrate fauna of the 'Central Balkan' National Park has been studied in much greater detail, and includes 6 species of fish, 8 species of amphibians and 14 species of reptiles. Some 224 species of birds have been recorded within the national park itself, of which 123 species have been recorded as breeding. This number increases to 151 nesting species if one includes the species that have been recorded breeding in adjacent areas and which fall within the 'Central Balkan' Important Bird Area (IBA). Some 59 species of mammals have been recorded in the 'Central Balkan' National Park. These include 18 species of bats, 25 species of small mammals (insectivores and rodents), and 16 species of large mammals, of which 12 species are carnivores including brown bear, wolf, jackal and even a record of a lynx.