Maja e Jezercës
Maja e Jezercës (Lake Mountain) with 2694 meters is the highest peak in Accursed Mountains situated on Montengro/Albanian border. It's located in pristine, wild and remote area. Therefore to reach the summit a long distance needs to be covered. Let me be clear, that is totaly worth it. This truly versatile trip will cater the most demanding mountain tastes. The diversity of landscape is truly massive and is what you could experience in couple different mountain trips combined. And all of that comes at relatively reasonable effort.
Trip starts in Vusanje with easy 5km of walk up Ropojanska Valley with slow rise of altitude which gives an opportunity to watch surrounding rocky giants. The effort goes up once the trail turns left and leads to Katun Zastan meadow. Now through the forest, at first steep and then with more even narrow path ending in opening of lakes basin in Buni E Jezerce valley. Here the path diverges, the right one goes a bit to the left and then straight to the hill in the centre. It continues up on the right side of the valley till a rocky threshold is reached. Here a more caution is needed because of the snow patch lying on the way. Whenever is possible it is advised to take the path through the rocks (path is marked). After snow is finally over the trail takes eastern direction from which it becomes a nice hiking effort. Above the pass between Maja Kokerhanes and Maja Jezerce the path goes south again and after about 100 meters terrain becomes demanding and requires head protection. In here marked well at all times. Path goes up and traverses in the western direction to avoid vertical north face. It becomes crumbly for about 100 meters of ascent to finally get us to the ridge along which another 200 meters of distance will get us to the peak.
Return path goes the same way (at least covered by this post) or the path to Albanian side can be taken. The route can be also modified to return directly to Ropojanska valley and give up Buni Jezerce valley on the way back. That will add to the overall distance and ascent values.
Sunny and mildly warm temperatures, from 5 degress celsius in the morning to 20 during the day
Passable at all times, overall well marked in red colour, no securings
Guest house Kolata (10 EUR per night). Lots of tent fields available, also the free ones
Vusanje can be reached by car, on foot or hitchhiked. The nearest bus stop is in Gusinje.
Links:Parking location
No potable/running water available on the way. There are lakes and some snow that could possibly serve as water source but obviously needs to be disinfected. I've seen people camping next to the lakes on the way.
Crossing Montenegro/Albanian border which is needed to climb Maja Jezerce is theoretically illegal. No one controlled me on the way, nevertheless it is reasonable to hold a permit from border police.
A total of about 5 people met directly on the path. Some groups of people could be seen in Buni E Jezerce Valley.
Vipers (mind your steps in grassy passages), snow gaps, falling rocks, no phone signal in the valleys (which is for about 75% of the route)
Helmet, 20L rucksack, trekking poles, 10m of 7mm cord
