These days on Facebook, I had the opportunity to see phenomenal photos of the sun-bathed, snow-covered Hum Orahovski peak. The photos looked unreal, and the participants of that expedition gained an experience that they will surely remember for a long time. I envy them that. However, I can look at such photos, without being the author of any of them. Where there is snow, my foot tries not to step. It happened to me 2-3 times that during some ascent we unplanned encounter snow, but if I go in advance expecting snow, no. I am aware of my capabilities and equipment.
But these photos reminded me of my ascent to this same peak, which I did about a month and a half ago. Maybe this text of mine will help someone to get to it more easily, whether it's now, in the snow, or when the spring days break. Time flies, that's tomorrow.
Hum Orahovski is a part of Kučka planini. It can be seen from most of Podgorica. The ascent starts from Kučki Korita. I heard a long time ago that the view from the top is extraordinary, but I thought that the climb was more difficult and I kept putting it off. Thanks to the corona virus that "locked down" the municipalities during the weekend, I finally reached this peak. As usual, before going on the tour, it is mandatory to read the text from the Peaks of Montenegro. The beginning of the trail is approximately halfway along the asphalt road that leads from the exit to the Kučka Korita plateau to the cattle watering hole. We were sure we would come across a signpost, so I didn't pay attention to the photo that marked the beginning of the trail. After a short drive in a circle, we opened the text again and located the house from where the tour starts. The house is located next to the road on the left from the direction of Podgorica.
We parked the car here and walked past the house towards the elevation. The text in Vrhovi CG was written more than 4 years ago. In the meantime, a construction boom took place here, which is probably the cause of the disappearance of the initial markings. Fires are common here, but a few years ago a huge fire ravaged this area and destroyed most of the trail on the side that can be seen from Kučki Korita. Almost all the trees were burnt. There were markings on them. Unburnt parts of trees littered the path. This part of the climb to the top is the most difficult precisely because there are no paths or markings. In my head, I had a route scheme that I saw on the page Vrhovi Crne Gore. The author allowed me to borrow that picture with the help of which the ascent was incomparably easier.
From the start, the path goes steeply up the hill, then turns left with constant ascent and finally turns sharply right. Following the image in my head and without markings, I found the way.
First, we climbed a little, then turned left, constantly gaining altitude. Our rapper was Kučka Korita, who stayed below us. When I came across the first marking, I was too proud of my intuition and ability to navigate in space. Then everything became easier. After the first, the markings were more frequent, and finally the path became noticeable. It didn't take much from here to the right turn.
When we turned right, we found a stone path in front of us, as if it had been laid by human hands. We were going almost flat. I couldn't resist constantly looking towards the plain below us. I could not be surprised at the number of cottages in the valley. They sprouted like mushrooms after the rain. While I counted the cottages, Sanja looked towards Prokletije. A peak caught her eye and she tried to Google its name and how to get to it. She didn't succeed, which was annoying. Scenes of burned trees, as, unfortunately, on many of our mountains and peaks, were numerous. No matter how sad we were about this devastation of nature, we couldn't help but be delighted with some trees, and in one place with the entire grove, which seemed to have acquired a silver patina. While I was walking slowly taking photos around, around, Sanja and Duško took a break, trying to detect at least some of the peaks that stretched out in front of us. We have determined with certainty the only place where the viewpoint Grlo Sokolovo is located.
The trail continued to go through mostly rocky terrain. At one point, we again deviated a little from the path (again, the reason was fallen tree trunks), but we still followed the direction of the path until we came to it again. Stones have replaced tamer surroundings. Even in one part of the forest it was much better preserved. Suddenly, we saw in front of us the remains of what seems to be a long-forgotten katun, which is located in a depression between the three peaks of Hum. We left the detention near Katun for the return.
As soon as you pass the katun path, it turns to the left and climbs along the edge of the forest. It leads through low vegetation, which was already dry, with dry white parts on top, which resembled down or sheep's wool.
Until we left the forest and followed a well-trodden path through the grass, we thought that this peak had been forgotten by mountaineers. The reason for this is the lack of a track and thus the markings on the first third of the track. But, as I said, the well-trodden path in this section swayed our opinion. And only when we looked at the visitor's book... Full and overflowing. Some even proudly wrote: Fourth time at Hum Orahovsko!
Very quickly we reached the place from where we could see the peak. Sanja went straight and then to the right, where the markings led, and Duško and I, as usual, took a short cut, a steep slope.
At the top there was the traditional enthusiasm. As for me, I don't remember that my expectations of a climb and a peak were exceeded to this extent. Yes, I've already read that you can see a lot from this peak, but it's another thing when you see it for yourself. Lovers of the view from the peaks have been threatened in recent years due to air pollution. Despite the absolutely clear day, we could not locate with certainty everything that can be seen from this peak. We were sure of something: there are Prokletije, the Kučke mountains (which to a large extent obscure the slightly lower peak of Hum than the one we were standing on), the bridge on Moračica with Brotnjik in the background. At the foot you can see the village of Orahovo, after which the peak most likely got its name. From the top you can see Prekornica, Garač, Lake Skadar, part of Podgorica (which we located thanks to Sjenica and which was barely visible due to the smoke). Our view did not reach Lovcen, Rumija and the Adriatic Sea, although it could have if the air was clear.
We signed in the notebook and noted with regret that it is a shame that there is no stamp. Then Duško saw it stuck on the pyramid above the name of the peak. I saw this for the first time and was delighted with the innovation. After at least three rounds of photography, trying to locate individual peaks that could be seen and admiring those that were clearly visible, we headed back. On the way back, as is usually the case, everything was easier. We passed by a burnt tree-sculpture, which I declared to be the most interesting of all seen that day. It was as if two trees were hugging each other, so she stepped back a little so that they could be seen better. Or they dance…
On the way back, we stayed for ten minutes next to the katun. In addition to a few buildings that are still standing, we noticed numerous remains of foundations for huts (I think they are called glade in Kuči), so I am sure that this katun was very lively during some long-gone summers. The location of Katun is exceptional. Protected, tucked away and above all not easy to get to. One of the huts had a low porch, and we also noticed parts of the barns that are still resisting rotting.
On the way back, we managed to see which fallen tree had diverted us from the path when we arrived. From the opposite direction, the markings were more visible. As long as there were any. The road without markings and a path was not any easier even on the way back, except that we had a clearly visible goal in front of us and we knew that we could not go astray.
We arrived at the car where still hot tea was waiting for us in a thermos. Fearing the cold, I remembered the thermos for the first time (a gift that had been unwrapped for a year). We were also quite bloated, so we were cutting off part by part of our layered clothes as we went. The day was much nicer and warmer than expected. I passed the height of 500 meters above sea level in two directions without even feeling it. The peak was three times better than my expectations. We wandered very little. All criteria for satisfaction with the tour were met.
Since Sanja had not yet "caught the circle" around Korit, we decided to introduce her to the second part of this panoramic route. We parked in Deljaj to take a look at the Cijevna canyon. Dusk was falling gently. A winter day is too short. The canyon was foggy, but intriguing enough for Sanja to put on her list of future endeavors. We were already descending. A herd of sheep grazed peacefully near the viewpoint. The whole area together with the huge cross and the sculpture of Jesus belong more to the climate of Latin America.
We couldn't resist going up to another viewpoint that was along the way: Kuk Ledinski. The viewpoint is, in fact, a rock beside the road from which there is an excellent view of Podgorica and part of Lake Skadar, Suka Gruda, Sjenica. Climbing to the top of the rock is made possible by a fence that serves to hold on during the ascent. The rock is not high but it is quite steep. Unfortunately, one bar of the fence has already come loose. The welder probably didn't know that people would lean on the bars with all their weight. Here, our view was a little obstructed by the darkness, and a little more by the smoke that pressed on Podgorica. But, we didn't want to be picky. The day was perfect.
When I entered the Internet range, I received a message from an unknown FB profile: When were you here?, with a photo of our names written in a notebook at the top. It turned out that 3 guys were there about 15 minutes after us. Neither we saw them, nor they us. Where and how we passed each other remained a great mystery to them and to us.
Bonus video:
