Zeleznitza - Kupena Hut 2024

It has been 9 years, since we last climbed the trail from the village of Zeleznitza to Kupena hut and back. This is probably one of the steepest trails on Vitosha, with over 800 m elevation gain over less than 6 km. Because of the significant slope, the trail is exhausting in both directions - much more, obviously, up, but the downhill traverse is a killer for the knees and leg muscles. Quite frankly, after yesterday's hike I don't feel an urge to repeat this climb any time soon. No wonder it took us 9 years since the last time :)

Despite the difficulty of the track, it is a fairly popular one, mostly because of its accessibility - the village of Zeleznitza is close to Sofia, with excellent public transport. A lot of the climbers rest at Kupena hut and then continue up ro Cherni vruh - Zeleznitza is one of the starting points of the tracks to the summit. We've done this extreme climb too, but yesterday our aspirations were modest - Kupena hut and back.

Hike info:

Date: 15 June 2024

Destination: Academic hut (1782 m)

Mountain: Vitosha

Total length: 12 km

Elevation gain: 830 m

Total duration: 4 hours

Average difficulty: 6 / 10

Me-made items, worn on this hike:

Husband: boxer shorts, cargo pants, hoodie

I: lingerie, Sabrina Slims, raglan Burda, hoodie

The trail was very green and the meadows were covered with wild flowers. June is probably one of the most beautiful months on Vitosha.

We had our picnic on the grounds of Kupena hut, recovered our strength and took the same trail back to the village and the car.

 

 

Zheleznitza - Kupena Hut

Yesterday husband and I hiked the steep path from the village of Zheleznitza to the training base of the National Sports Academy - Kupena Hut and the nearby peak (with unknown to us name). The weather forecast promised more rain and cold, as was the entire last week, very un-end-of-June-like. But this time the forecast was wrong and the weather turned out just excellent for hiking in open areas - a bit cloudy, with temperate temperatures and no rain. The path is very steep and fairly difficult and we used our new trekking poles for the first time. At the beginning of the track the poles were actually a nuisance and we quickly folded them back in the backpacks. But when we reached the steep slopes and especially the uneven and stone terrain at the end of the track the poles came very handy. And they were simply indispensable for climbing the peak, which we did without any track, traversing right through the bushes and stones.

A very pleasant surprise - a medicine box, equipped with basic pain killers and bandage necessities

A woodpecker

The hut is right in the middle of the photo. We climbed the green peak to the left.

I should try to learn and recognize the medicinal herbs, of which the mountain is abundant. I gathered only thyme, as I know it, but the manager of the hut serves a divine tea, made from the herbs around the hut.

Lilium jankae - a rare flower, included in the Red list of endanger species

Almost there :)

The peak with no name we climbed without track

The hut - training base for the National Sports Academy, where we had some rest and lunch. I took the picture midway climbing the peak.

Off-track hiking

The ridge of Vitosha.

I know you can't see it, but there is actually a doe running away from us right in the middle of this picture (a brown spot with some white on its rump):

The view from the top

The clouds from Cherni vruh gathered above us, the wind at these 2000m altitudes was cold, but thankfully no rain.

Cherni vruh in the distance

And back down to the hut and then to the village of Zheleznitza. Down the slope the trekking poles were even more useful, providing lateral stability and ease on the knees.