Description
Wikipedia
Cherni Vrah (Bulgarian: Черни връх [ˈt͡ʃɛrni vrɤx], "Black Peak") is the summit of Vitosha Mountain in Bulgaria. Rising to 2290 m, the peak is the fourth highest mountain summit in the country after Musala (2925 m, Rila Mountain), Vihren (2914 m, Pirin Mountain), and Botev Vrah (2376 m, Balkan Range). Cherni Vrah is bounded to the northwest by Torfeno Branishte (Turf Nature Reserve) which — like the extensive adjacent territory to the south — is a no-go drinking water catchment area. Several major stone rivers are situated in the peak's vicinity, occupying the upper courses of Vladayska and Boyanska Rivers to the north, and Struma River to the south. The peak is part of the water divide between Black Sea and Mediterranean Sea, its northern slopes draining into Iskar River, and eventually into Danube River and Black Sea, and the southern slopes draining into Matnitsa River, flowing in turn into Struma River and Aegean Sea. Cherni Vrah hosts a weather station built in 1935, one year after the mountain became the oldest national park on the Balkans. The station provides refuge in bad weather (no tourist accommodation though), and has a well supplied cafeteria offering hot meals. A Mountain Rescue Service team is based on the peak too. The nearest mountain chalets are Aleko Chalet situated 3 km to the north-northeast (1810 m, major ski and snowboard centre accessible by gondola lift from Simeonovo, Sofia), and Kumata Chalet (1725 m) situated 5.5 km to the northwest. Ski paths link Cherni Vrah to Aleko and Kumata areas in winter, and a ski run on the northern slope of the peak itself is served by a 600-m surface lift. With its annual average wind speed of 9.3 m/s Cherni Vrah is the second most windy peak in Bulgaria after Murgash Peak in the Balkan Range (10.3 m/s). The legend holds it that Cherni Vrah was climbed as early as 181 B.C. by King Philip V of Macedon.
