Picos Vihren y Kutelos. Cresta koncheto. P. N. de Pirin. Bulgaria
Trail photos
Author
Trail stats
- Distance
- 9.11 mi
- Elevation gain
- 4,846 ft
- Technical difficulty
- Difficult
- Elevation loss
- 4,846 ft
- Max elevation
- 9,579 ft
- TrailRank
- 55
- Min elevation
- 5,861 ft
- Trail type
- Loop
- Moving time
- 5 hours 15 minutes
- Time
- 10 hours
- Coordinates
- 2614
- Uploaded
- July 9, 2023
- Recorded
- July 2023
near Bansko, Област Благоевград (България)
Viewed 202 times, downloaded 15 times
Trail photos
Itinerary description
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Peaks Vihren and Kutelos. koncheto crest. Pirin Mountains. Bulgaria
Vihren Peak is the highest peak in the Pirin mountain range in Bulgaria. It reaches 2,914 m., it is the second height in Bulgaria and the third in the Balkan system, after Musala and Olympus. The summit is located in the northern part of the Pirin.
The easiest access route is from the Vihren chalet at 2,000 m, reaching the top from the south. Other routes include the Banderistsa chalet (1800m) or across the Koncheto ridge from the north.
Several lakes of glacial origin are located near the summit. This mountain is also characterized by hosting the small Snezhnika glacier, 0.01 km² and 12 m thick, which is considered the southernmost active glacier in Europe (2006). It is located about 2,450 meters high on its north-eastern face and is a remnant of the great Vihren glacier.
The Koncheto ridge joins the Kutelo and Banski Suhodol peaks (second and third highest in the Pirin Mountains). It is very popular among the people who come to do routes to the Pirin. It is a sharp ridge not too long that is protected by a metal chain attached to the rock with stakes and that can impress people who are not used to heights.
The Pirin Mountains are a mountain range in southwestern Bulgaria, of which Vihren (2,914 m asl) is the highest peak. The ridge stretches for about 40 km in a northwest-southeast direction, and is approximately 25 km wide. Most of the mountain range is protected by being included in the Pirin National Park.
The mountainous chain receives its name from Perun, the most important god of the Slavic pantheon, divinity of thunder and lightning. To the north Pirin is separated from the highest mountain range in Bulgaria, the Rila Mountains, by the Predel Pass, while to the south it reaches the Slavianka Mountain. To the west is the Struma valley and to the east, the Mesta river.
Pirin stands out for its rich flora and fauna. Much of the region is covered in forests, including the best coniferous forests in Bulgaria, which support significant populations of endemic Balkan species such as Macedonian pine, Bosnian pine and Bulgarian fir. Among the animals that inhabit these mountains are the wolf and the brown bear.
The city of Bansko, a major tourist and winter sports center, is located on the north-eastern slopes of the Pirin Mountains. The city of Razlog lies in the Razlog Valley, between the Pirin Mountains to the south and the Rila Mountains to the north.
Pirin is the second highest mountain range in Bulgaria after Rila (2925 m asl) and the eighth highest in Europe after the Caucasus, the Alps, Sierra Nevada, the Pyrenees, Mount Etna, the aforementioned Rila and Mount Olympus.
It has an average height of 1033 m. Pirin is located in the southwestern part of the country, between the Struma and the Mesta rivers; it is bordered by Rila to the north at Predel Pass (1,142 m) and Slavianka to the south at Parilska Pass (1,170 m). The distance between these two points is 60 km from northwest to southeast and the maximum width of Pirin is 40 km.
The reference population is Bansko. The best starting point to climb Pico Vihren is Chalet Vihren, 16 km by mountain road in good condition, half an hour by car, you can park but you should get up early.
The two main routes that ascend this beautiful mountain start from Chalet Vihren: the normal route that ascends its SOUTH face has no difficulties worth mentioning. The North face route has a rock climb from the col between the Vihren and Kutelo peaks. This stretch is equipped by an iron chain.
In our case we will leave the Banderishka Chalet, we will pass through the Vihren Chalet and we will arrive at the Collado. We will go up the Vihren North Face and we will reach the top. Descent through the South face equipped with chains and steel cable. Arrival at the pass that separates the two highest peaks of the Pirin. The Vihren and the Kutelo.
At the pass we go to the right to start the ascent to the Kutelo peak and make the ridge to the Banski Suhodol. We return along the path with some handrails back to the pass.
We continued from the front following some landmarks for not very defined stretches between pitches. The trail is not very clear. In case of fog it could be a problem. The trail crosses fields and large areas of apiaz to penetrate into lush forest vegetation. We link up with a trail marked as Premkata which leads us to the Banderica Refuge which links by road with the starting point of the route.
Other routes performed in Bulgaria are:
Malyovitsa peak and cabin. Elensko Lake. Allen Mark. PN of Rila. Bulgaria
Borovest. Lakes Alekovo and Musalenski. Peak Work. Mountains of Rila. Bulgaria
Lake Bezburg. Polezhan and Bezbog peaks. Pirin National Park. Bulgaria
Lake and peak Muratovo. Mountains of Pirin. Bulgaria
Vihren and Kutelos Peaks. Crest concheto. PN of Pirin. Bulgaria
Lakes Okoto and Ribno. Pirin National Park. Bulgaria
Stroll through the city of Sofia. Bulgaria
Rila Monastery. Bulgaria
Vihren Peak is the highest peak in the Pirin mountain range in Bulgaria. It reaches 2,914 m., it is the second height in Bulgaria and the third in the Balkan system, after Musala and Olympus. The summit is located in the northern part of the Pirin.
The easiest access route is from the Vihren chalet at 2,000 m, reaching the top from the south. Other routes include the Banderistsa chalet (1800m) or across the Koncheto ridge from the north.
Several lakes of glacial origin are located near the summit. This mountain is also characterized by hosting the small Snezhnika glacier, 0.01 km² and 12 m thick, which is considered the southernmost active glacier in Europe (2006). It is located about 2,450 meters high on its north-eastern face and is a remnant of the great Vihren glacier.
The Koncheto ridge joins the Kutelo and Banski Suhodol peaks (second and third highest in the Pirin Mountains). It is very popular among the people who come to do routes to the Pirin. It is a sharp ridge not too long that is protected by a metal chain attached to the rock with stakes and that can impress people who are not used to heights.
The Pirin Mountains are a mountain range in southwestern Bulgaria, of which Vihren (2,914 m asl) is the highest peak. The ridge stretches for about 40 km in a northwest-southeast direction, and is approximately 25 km wide. Most of the mountain range is protected by being included in the Pirin National Park.
The mountainous chain receives its name from Perun, the most important god of the Slavic pantheon, divinity of thunder and lightning. To the north Pirin is separated from the highest mountain range in Bulgaria, the Rila Mountains, by the Predel Pass, while to the south it reaches the Slavianka Mountain. To the west is the Struma valley and to the east, the Mesta river.
Pirin stands out for its rich flora and fauna. Much of the region is covered in forests, including the best coniferous forests in Bulgaria, which support significant populations of endemic Balkan species such as Macedonian pine, Bosnian pine and Bulgarian fir. Among the animals that inhabit these mountains are the wolf and the brown bear.
The city of Bansko, a major tourist and winter sports center, is located on the north-eastern slopes of the Pirin Mountains. The city of Razlog lies in the Razlog Valley, between the Pirin Mountains to the south and the Rila Mountains to the north.
Pirin is the second highest mountain range in Bulgaria after Rila (2925 m asl) and the eighth highest in Europe after the Caucasus, the Alps, Sierra Nevada, the Pyrenees, Mount Etna, the aforementioned Rila and Mount Olympus.
It has an average height of 1033 m. Pirin is located in the southwestern part of the country, between the Struma and the Mesta rivers; it is bordered by Rila to the north at Predel Pass (1,142 m) and Slavianka to the south at Parilska Pass (1,170 m). The distance between these two points is 60 km from northwest to southeast and the maximum width of Pirin is 40 km.
The reference population is Bansko. The best starting point to climb Pico Vihren is Chalet Vihren, 16 km by mountain road in good condition, half an hour by car, you can park but you should get up early.
The two main routes that ascend this beautiful mountain start from Chalet Vihren: the normal route that ascends its SOUTH face has no difficulties worth mentioning. The North face route has a rock climb from the col between the Vihren and Kutelo peaks. This stretch is equipped by an iron chain.
In our case we will leave the Banderishka Chalet, we will pass through the Vihren Chalet and we will arrive at the Collado. We will go up the Vihren North Face and we will reach the top. Descent through the South face equipped with chains and steel cable. Arrival at the pass that separates the two highest peaks of the Pirin. The Vihren and the Kutelo.
At the pass we go to the right to start the ascent to the Kutelo peak and make the ridge to the Banski Suhodol. We return along the path with some handrails back to the pass.
We continued from the front following some landmarks for not very defined stretches between pitches. The trail is not very clear. In case of fog it could be a problem. The trail crosses fields and large areas of apiaz to penetrate into lush forest vegetation. We link up with a trail marked as Premkata which leads us to the Banderica Refuge which links by road with the starting point of the route.
Other routes performed in Bulgaria are:
Malyovitsa peak and cabin. Elensko Lake. Allen Mark. PN of Rila. Bulgaria
Borovest. Lakes Alekovo and Musalenski. Peak Work. Mountains of Rila. Bulgaria
Lake Bezburg. Polezhan and Bezbog peaks. Pirin National Park. Bulgaria
Lake and peak Muratovo. Mountains of Pirin. Bulgaria
Vihren and Kutelos Peaks. Crest concheto. PN of Pirin. Bulgaria
Lakes Okoto and Ribno. Pirin National Park. Bulgaria
Stroll through the city of Sofia. Bulgaria
Rila Monastery. Bulgaria
Waypoints
Waypoint
6,141 ft
Mountain pass
Lake
Summit
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