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.

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: 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.