Bosnian Mountains
Bjelašnica
Bjelašnica is a mountain in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is found directly to the southwest of Sarajevo, bordering Mt. Igman. Bjelašnica's tallest peak is 2067 meters (6782 feet).
Bjelašnica is a popular tourist attraction for hiking and skiing. It is only 20 minutes outside of Sarajevo. During the 1984 Winter Olympics, Bjelašnica was used for a number of Olympic events, and has several structures dating from that time, including hotels and skiing areas.
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Bjelašnica's base is largely forested, however there are no trees above the 1500 meter tree line. There are numerous trails set up and maintained by local mountain clubs that lead to the bald peaks higher up. The mountains name probably stems from the root Bijel, which means "White".
&规vrsnica
&规vrsnica is mountain in the Dinarides of Bosnia and Herzegovina, located in northern Herzegovina,West Herzegovina Canton Municipality to Posušje. The highest peak is 2228 metres.
&规vrsnica is surrounded by the river Neretva from the east (20 km), its tributaries Doljanka (18 km) from the north and Drežanka (19.8 km) from the south, the Dugo Polje field (12 km) and Vran mountain from west. The mountain consists of several plateaus — Plas and Muharnica on north, Mala &规vrsnica on south. There are more than ten summits above 2000 m (Plocno 2228 m, Veliki Jelinak 2179 m, Veliki Vilinac 2118 m, etc.), vertical cliffs (Pesti brdo, Mezica stijene, Strmenica ...). It also includes lakes of Blidinje, Crepulja and Crvenjak. The Diva Grabovica canyon (6.2 km) goes into the mountain.
Bio-life is characteristic of its three climate areas: conifers above 1200 m, plateau with grass and junipers; numerous endemic species (like Munika Pine). Cvrsnica is well known as a home of chamois.
Dinara
Dinara is one of the more prominent mountains located on the border of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its Latin name is Adrian oros while the current name is suspected to be derived from the name of an ancient Illyrian tribe that lived on the eastern slopes of the mountain. It is best known for the fact that its name is the base for the name of a large mountain chain called the Dinaric Alps or Dinarides. The Dinarides are known for being composed of karst — limestone rocks — as is the mountain that named them.
Dinara itself spans from the Derala mountain pass (965 m) in the northwest to the Privija pass (1230 m) which is 20 km to the southeast, where the Kamešnica Mountain begins. The Dinara Mountain is up to 10 km wide. The highest peaks are Troglav (1913 m) ("Threehead") and Dinara (1831 m). The peak called Dinara is shaped like a human head made of stone, and it happens to be the highest peak of Croatia.
Despite the fact it is only a few dozen kilometers away from the Adriatic Sea, the climate on Dinara is hardly Mediterranean. In fact, Dinara marks the border of the area with a much colder, mountain climate. There are no inhabited areas on the mountain itself and human presence consists mostly of small shacks that belong to the herdsmen from the nearby valleys such as that of the Cetina river.
One of the most fascinating massifs is on the southwestern slope. It is six kilometers long and up to 1700 meters high, providing an interesting landscape for the travelers on the roads in the valley below to view. The massif does not attract many climbers, which prefer only its Ošljak peak (1706 m). Dinara is host to an endemic species of rodents, a vole called "Dinarski miš" ("Dinaric mouse"), Dolomys bogdanovi longipedis, which is declared an endangered species.
Igman
Igman is a mountain in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is found directly to the southwest of Sarajevo, bordering Bjelašnica mountain and the city of Ilidža. Igman's highest point, Vlahinja Ridge, is 1502 meters (4928 feet), making it the shortest of the Sarajevo mountains.
Igman is a popular destination for hiking and skiing. During the 1984 Winter Olympics, it was the primary mountain used for the Olympic events, along with Jahorina and Bjelašnica. There are numerous structures on Igman dating from this time, although many still bear the scars of the 1992-1995 conflict. There are plans for a new cable railway line between Igman and Ilidžas Hrasnica neighborhood. Today Igman is still one of Sarajevo's leading tourist attractions.
One of the most interesting attractions are the Ski Jumping platforms from the Winter Olympics. Of note are the many bullet impact holes near the medal platform at the bottom of the hill; this site was used for executions during the war. Igman was the location of the lowest recorded temperature in the region, &43 °C (&45 °F). When the weather is right, from Igman mountaineers can see all the way to Montenegro and the Adriatic Sea.
Jahorina
Jahorina is a mountain in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Republika Srpska entity. It is found directly to the southeast of Sarajevo, bordering Bjelašnica mountain. Jahorina is 1913 meters (6276 feet) tall, putting in the middle of the Sarajevo mountains height wise.
Like the other Sarajevo mountains, Jahorina is a popular destination for a variety of winter sports and activities. During the 1984 Winter Olympics, Jahorina was the location of many Olympic competitions. Today, Jahorina is still a popular destination for skiing, hiking, and sledding. Jahorina has over 40 km of ski tracks, along with modern facilities.
Kamešnica
Kamešnica is a mountain bordering southwest Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia (Dalmatia). It is an extension of the Dinara that stretches from the northwest white road pass Vaganj (1173m) to Buško jezero (artificial lake). Most of Kamešnica belongs to Bosnia, including the tallest peak named Konj (1852 m) with a magnificent view of Bosnia and Croatia. During clear weather, even the islands of the Adriatic Sea can be seen.
Thanks to its geographical position, Kamešnica is a favorable habitat for plant and animal species. It has many hiking paths and deep caves. The ecosystem of the northern parts of the mountain has been completely preserved due to its inaccessible and isolated position, and to the thick forest that surrounds it. Six or seven months per a year, most of Kamešnica's peaks are covered by snow.
Kozara
Kozara (&&&&&&) is a mountain in western Bosnia and Herzegovina, administratively part of Republika Srpska. It is bounded by the Sava river - north, Vrbas river - east, Sana river - south and Una river - west. The highest peek on Kozara is Lisina (978m). In 1942, Kozara was the site of an important battle, a part of the Yugoslav partisan resistance during World War II.
Majevica
Majevica (&&&&&&&&) is a mountain in north-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated between Semberija, Posavina, and Tuzlanska Kotlina. Its highest peak is Stolice, some 10 miles east of Tuzla, and its stands 916 m high. The north-eastern part of the mountain is located in the Republic of Srpska while most of it is located in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Orjen
Orjen (Serbian cyrilic range in : &&&&&) is a Dinaric Mediterranean limestone mountain Montenegro-Bosnia and Herzegovina. At 1894 m (6225 ft), Zuba&觅ki kabao is the highest peak in the subadriatic Dinarides. The massif of Orjen lies to the Northwest of Risan in Bay of Kotor (Boka Kotorska). From the town of Risan, situated at the innermost protected part of the bay, a well-engineered road, at first metalled, with many hairpin bends climbs to about 1600 m, over to the interior. At the main summit of Orjen and the surrounding ridges and high plateaux the action or quaternary glaciation is evident. In Ice Age long valley glaciers receded from Orjen to the Bay of Kotor and surrounding poljes. Hollowing U-shaped valleys and cirques in their course. Glaciers also shaped jagged peaks and ridges. Glacial and karst type relief combine now in a unique coastal scenery. Elsewhere in the Mediterranean, few places show similar phenomena.
The Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor is a UNESCO World Heritage site, comprising the territory between Orjen and Lov&覿en, including all the small towns in the bays of Risan and Kotor with their natural setting. With this privileged natural harbour the Bay of Kotor has been settled for millennia. Illyrians and Greeks colonised the coast from 400 BC and established today's ports Risan (Rhizon) and Kotor (Cattaro). Due to lack of potable water the high mountain was never densely populated. Snow patches collected from deep pit holes were used even late in the 20th century to provide the few hamlets with water. Today wells are used instead.
Trebevic
Trebevic is a mountain in central Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is found directly to the southeast of Sarajevo, bordering Jahorina mountain. Trebevi&覿 is 1627 meters (5338 feet) tall, making it the second shortest of the Sarajevo mountains.
During the Middle Ages, Trebevi&覿 was known as Zlatni Do. During the 1984 Winter Olympics Trebevi&覿, like the other Sarajevo mountains, was used for a number of Olympic events, such as bobsledding. During the Siege of Sarajevo, Trebevi&覿 took on a darker role as its elevations proved ideal positions for besieging artillery and the mountain became a key fighting ground.
Trebevi&覿 today is not as important of a tourist destination as Igman or Bjelašnica, largely due to the heavy fighting that took place in the early 1990s. Still, most of the land mines are now cleared, and civilian casualties on Trebevi&覿 are today unheard of. There are numerous hotels, mountaineering homes, and other such structures on Trebevi&覿 and the immediate area.
Treskavica
Treskavica is a mountain in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, just south of Sarajevo. Most of the mountain is located in Republika Srpska while the smaller western part of the mountain is located in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
At 2088 meters (6950 feet), Treskavica is the tallest of the Sarajevo mountains, and only some 300 meters shorter than the tallest mountain in the country. On clear days with good weather, visitors can see far into the distance, up to Montenegro and the Adriatic Sea.
Troglav
Troglav is the highest peak of the Dinara mountain range, and symbolises the Dinaric Alps, the longest mountain chain on the Balkan peninsula. Troglav is located in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is named after Triglav, Slavic god. The name literally means "three headed".
The Troglav group is around 30 km long and around 15 km wide, making it the largest in the range. On the northwestern side, it is separated from the Dinara group by the Privija pass (1230 m) and on the southeast from the Kamešnica group by Vaganj (1173 m) road pass, which connects Sinj in Croatia with Livno in Bosnia. On the northeastern, Bosnian side, lies the huge Livno karstic field (Livanjsko Polje; 700 m), which is 65 km long. On the southwestern, Croatian side, there is the Cetina river valley with 15 km long Peru&觅a lake (Peru&觅ko jezero).
The south-western slopes (Croatian side) ascend in a few steps. The first step rises up to around 1500-1600 m: up to 1100-1200 m slope is forested, mostly with oak and hornbeam, while the area above is grassy. Behind is a large depression, which is a labyrinth of peaks up to 1700 m, ridges and plateaux, which are strewn with funnel-shaped basins. On the part of the plateau called Vješti&觅ja Gora (around 1400 m), south of Troglav, there is a large complex of beech forest, which stands out against the background of grass and stone. Behind this area, the main ridge rises. From the border with the Dinara group, the main ridge gradually rises up to the summit of Troglav. Thereafter, the slopes gradually descend towards Vaganj pass, while the pasture area between them widens.
The north-eastern slopes (Bosnian side) are much steeper and mostly forested with beech and spruce. They mostly descend steeply, without steps, towards Livanjsko Polje field and end abruptly. A few kilometres north of Troglav, the only level ground appears and it contains the Velike Poljanice complex of meadows. On the northeastern part of the group, between Bat (1851 m) and Bunjeva&觅ko Brdo (1849 m) groups of peaks, there is huge undulating grassy plateau, a few kilometres long and wide. The average altitude of the area is over 1600 m, and the region was glaciated during the ice ages.
Vlaši&覿
Vlaši&覿 is a mountain in the very center of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its peak is called Paljenik and has an elevation of 1,943 meters above sea level. The mountain is a major center for winter tourism due to its excellent accommodation for skiing, snowboarding and other winter sports. It is also a popular destination for summer and eco tourism with many hiking trails and undisturbed wilderness areas.
The average winter temperature is 1°C (29°F) while the average summer temperature is 14.2°C (60.8°F). In the wintertime snowfall is abundant with an average snow coverage of up to 5 months in accumilation between 1.5-2.1 meters.
It is closest to the Bosnian town of Travnik although lodging is available on the mountain itself. In August 1992 during the Bosnian War Mt Vlasic was the scene of the Koricani Cliffs massacre. More informations on www.vlasic-online.com.
