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.

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.

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.

Bulgarian Mountain Weather Update

This week has seen Bulgaria swept by bitter Siberian weather, bringing heavy snow and plunging temperatures. Daily temperatures on Mount Botev in the Balkan Mountains (Stara Planina) have been averaging about -13°C during the week, and on Mount Musala in the Rila Mountains they have been averaging about -15°C.

'Rila' National Park: Investigation into Illegal Forest Cutting above Panichishte

The Bulgarian Ministry of Environment & Waters and the Executive of the Forestry Agency have started legal investigations into the illegal forest cutting which has taken place between Panichishte and the Seven Lakes.

The cutting has occured not far from the illegal new lift between the 'Pioneer' mountain hut and the 'Rilski Ezera' mountain hut. It is clear that this new felling was intended to continue development of ths ski-piste which was illegaly cut earlier in 2009 in the territory of 'Rila' National Park.

Construction of new ski developments and pistes is forbidden within the 'Rila' National Park. However, developers pushing for a new 'Panichishte-Seven Lakes-Mount Kabul' ski zone desire to encroach into the 'Rila' National Park, and the construction of the illegal new lift between the 'Pioneer' mountain hut and the 'Rilski Ezera' mountain hut was a fundamental first stage of their overall plan.

Permission for the proposed 'Panichishte-Seven Lakes-Mount Kabul' ski zone has not yet been approved, but obviously there are those who are interested in illegaly pushing ahead and trying to make it a fait accompli.

Interestingly, the Bulgarian Ministry of Environment & Waters has recently rejected plans by the local forestry executive in Dupnitsa to cut new so-called fire-breaks in the forests in the region which, according to the Coalition 'For The Nature' just so happened to be of the same shape and location as the proposed ski-pistes of the developers! What a coincidence!

More information about the campaign to stop the development of the proposed 'Panichishte-Seven Lakes-Mount Kabul' ski zone illegaly encroaching into the 'Rila' National Park can be found on the website of the Coalition 'For The Nature'.

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).

Stara Planina (Balkan Mountains)

The Stara Planina (Balkan Mountains) cover a total area of 11,600 square kilometres, almost one tenth of Bulgaria’s total land mass, and stretch right across the country from the Serbian border in the west to the Black Sea in the east. As a whole, the range comprises a large number of individual, yet closely associated massifs. However, a distinct main ridge can be delineated, which stretches for 530 kilometres from the Belogradchik Pass to Cape Emine, with an average width of between 15 and 50 kilometres. Although the average altitude of the range is only 722 metres, twenty-nine of its peaks top 2000 metres.

The name Stara Planina literally means 'Old Mountains', yet despite this title, they are in geological terms, the youngest mountain range in Bulgaria. The Stara Planina (Balkan Mountains) are on one of the so-called “new fold-mountains” that were uplifted as part of the Alpine-Himalayan system during the Tertiary period. The ancient core of the range mainly consists of Palaeozoic crystalline schists, often interspersed with granites. However, it is only in higher parts of the Western Stara Planina (Western Balkans) and Central Stara Planina (Central Balkans) that these break through to the surface. Elsewhere they have been outflanked by younger Mesozoic rocks, predominantly limestones, sandstones and marls. Due to their comparatively modest altitude, the Stara Planina (Central Balkans) were not subject to the effects of galciation during the Quaternary period, and thus lack many of the most striking features associated with typical alpine terrain. Instead, in many places, the range has been gradually eroded into a broad, rolling ridge of rounded summits and shallow saddles.