Weekend getaway: Vihren (Pirin III)
Well, here we are, the last day in the Pirin Mts. We disembark again from the shuttle at the Vihren hut keeping our eyes up and to the right toward Vihren peak; many others are doing just the same (best to avoid this trail in the weekends). Vihren hut is situated at the bottom of a deep valley below the east face of the massif.
Not everyone makes it to the peak from various reasons; bad weather is usually the main culprit. Vihren (2,914 m) is the highest peak of the Pirin Mts., also called by the locals the ‘Peak of Storms’ and the ‘Lightning-bringer’ (hint, hint…).
But the sun is shining for now so let’s go! – click to open the gallery with descriptions in every picture.
The weather can change very fast at higher altitude; always be prepared (rain coats and warm layer, hats,…). We made a cover from the ponchos and waited for a while. Luckily, the heavy rain stopped after half an hour, so we can proceed further.
Despite the bad weather that suddenly put a stop to the joyous picture taking, it was a successful day with superb mountain landscapes and many new/and familiar plants encountered. For those botanically inclined, I recommend to reserve 2 days for the Vihren climb and exploration.
I hope this was a sweet ‘taste’ of the Pirin Mts. The scenery is gorgeous, the flora rich and the people friendly, so there will be a return someday, hopefully in a near future!
