Our part of the world is being hit by a catastrophic atmospheric setup - a combination of a strong Mediterranean cyclone and an intense cold air outbreak from Russia. The result - heavy rain and floods and early snow in the areas above 600 m altitude. However yesterday was a temporary lull in the overall unstable synoptic situation and we had full use of it - we packed our backpacks and went to Pasarel Reservoir to hike again the Lozen mountain, but along its southern slopes.
Our trail started at Pasarel Reservoir.
On this hike I used one of my recent birthday presents for the first time - a hydration system, consisting of a 2l water bag and a drinking hose with a mouthpiece. I was surprised how much more water I drank during the hike and how easy and accessible drinking was every time I felt the need - and a couple of months ago I had never heard of hydration systems for hikers! I wholeheartedly recommend it now!
Lanina mogila - the final destination of our hike
The high peaks of Rila, freshly covered with snow
Date: 05 October 2025
Destination: peak Lanina Mogila (1188 m)
Mountain: Lozen
Total length: 15 km
Elevation gain: 490 m
Total duration (plus picnic): 5 hours and a half
Average difficulty: 4 / 10
We climbed the southern slope of Lanina mogila gliganing style, as we usually do from the south, directly up, finding openings between the trees and bushes. There isn't a proper track to the peak from this side of the mountain, but enough people try to climb it this way, so there were clear traces and enough openings for it to be fairly easy and doable.
Half of Vitosha is now covered with deep fresh snow. Today the rain down in Sofia and snow up in the mountains continues, so the snow cover will be even deeper. Still, I hope the cold weather is just a fluke and we'll have our Indian summer and proper golden autumn sometime soon.
We were not sure what we would find on Lozen, as Lanina mogila is tall enough, but if there was any snow during the heavy snow and rain fall, it had melted.
Me-made items, worn on this hike:
Husband: men's boxers, Burda cargo pants, Burda longsleeve, remodeled black hoodie
I: lingerie, Burda raglan blouse, remodeled blue hoodie, legwarmers, Nalu fingerless mitts
Part of the time on this hike I wore my new hoodie - a ready-made hoodie I bought recently, which I remodeled, adding double welt pockets and a zipper.
We had our extra delicious tortillas and tasty beer with this gorgeous view to Lozen, Plana, Rila and Iskar dam. I've been joking with husband, that when people ask us why we hike, we could answer - to have a lunch with a view :)
We went down the mountain along the marked trail to the west. Only two weeks previously we hiked this part of Lozen with Gaby, dressed in top tanks.
The forests are not ready for the cold weather and are still mostly in their summer mode.
And back to Pasarel Reservoir.
Husband is also wearing a ready-made sweater, which I recently remodeled into a zippered hoodie, adding new sleeve cuffs, a new hem and a zipper.
Once we reached the bridge over the reservoir, we decided to continue along the trail by the shore, to see where it would take us. This part of the trail was not marked on the map, but it obviously existed, so we followed it. It turned to be probably one of the most beautiful parts of the hike - a narrow forest path, running right by the gorgeous green waters of the lake.
The path continued along the lake up to the reservoir wall and an old bridge, now out of exploitation, adding some 2.5 km of picturesque sights to our hike.
