AN EXAMPLE DIVISION OF THE HIKING ROUTE IN STAGES
The route from peak Kom to cape Emine consists of different itineraries; there is a wide choice of trails and forks, possibilities for visiting interesting sites, ascents, traverses and descents. For this reason the length of the route may vary between 599 and over 700 km.
The time required to go the distance depends on the choice of the type of transport; the meteorological conditions, the size of the group and its training, and other predictable and unpredictable factors as well.
The average tourist crosses the route in about 20 days. Well prepared mountaineers could make it in 15-16 days, and the sportsmen take 10 days or less.Below are presented some example schedules for crossings on foot or by bike, which have been realized by groups of different size and demographic structure.
All of the example schedules are optimized according to the rule of an overnight accommodation with the best possible conditions necessary for a recovery of the strengths. There is of course the option of camping between the shown sections so that the time for the crossing becomes shortened or prolonged.
STAGES DIVISION 1 |
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DAY | STAGE | DISTANCE | TIME | DENIVELATION |
1 | Berkovitsa – Petrohan hut | 28 km | 9 hours | 2750 m |
2 | Petrohan hut – Proboinitsa hut | 16 km | 5 hours | 1400 m |
3 | Proboinitsa hut – Trastena hut | 28 km | 7 hours | 1900 m |
4 | Trastena hut – Leskova hut | 22 km | 7 hours | 1300 m |
5 | Leskova hut – Vitinya pass | 39 km | 10 hours | 3200 m |
6 | Vitinya pass – Chavdar hut | 18 km | 6 hours | 1750 m |
7 | Chavdar hut – Momina polyana hut | 33 km | 8 hours | 2750 m |
8 | Momina polyana hut – Echo hut | 32 km | 9 hours | 3900 m |
9 | Echo hut – Dobrila hut | 32 km | 11 hours | 2800 m |
10 | Dobrila hut – Botev shelter (thrue the ridge) | 14 km | 10 hours | 2300 m |
11 | Botev shelter – Mazalat hut | 24 km | 10 hours | 2700 m |
12 | Mazalat hut – Buzludzha hut | 33 km | 9 hours | 2650 m |
13 | Buzludzha hut – Gramadliva ski base | 30 km | 10 hours | 2300 m |
14 | Gramadliva ski base – Chumerna hut | 32 km | 11 hours | 2000 m |
15 | Chumerna hut – Vratnik shelter | 27 km | 9 hours | 2000 m |
16 | Vratnik shelter – Kotel | 27 km | 8 hours | 1700 m |
17 | Kotel – Varbishki prohod hut | 28 km | 9 hours | 2200 m |
18 | Varbishki prohod hut – Hazim the foresters' shelter | 28 km | 12 hours | 2750 m |
19 | Hazim the foresters' shelter – Topchiisko hut | 44 km | 12 hours | 2050 m |
20 | Topchiisko hut – Kozichino village | 24 km | 6 hours | 800 m |
21 | Kozichino village – Cape Emine | 39 km | 11 hours | 1800 m |
STAGES DIVISION 2 |
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DAY | STAGE | DISTANCE | TIME | DENIVELATION |
1 | Kom hut – Proboinitsa hut | 34 km | 8 hours | 1330 m |
2 | Proboinitsa hut – Leskova hut | 45 km | 10 hours | 3150 m |
3 | Leskova hut – Chavdar hut | 59 km | 12 hours | 5200 m |
4 | Chavdar hut – Momina polyana hut | 37 km | 10 hours | 3500 m |
5 | Momina polyana hut – Echo hut | 32 km | 9 hours | 3900 m |
6 | Echo hut – Dobrila hut | 32 km | 10 hours | 3100 m |
7 | Dobrila hut – Botev shelter | 20 km | 10 hours | 2300 m |
8 | Botev shelter – Mazalat hut | 24 km | 10 hours | 2700 m |
9 | Mazalat hut – Buzludzha hut | 33 km | 9 hours | 2650 m |
10 | Buzludzha hut – Gramadliva ski base | 30 km | 10 hours | 2300 m |
11 | Gramadliva ski base – Chumerna hut | 32 km | 11 hours | 2000 m |
12 | Chumerna hut – Kotel | 54 km | 14 hours | 3700 m |
13 | Kotel – Varbishki pass hut | 28 km | 9 hours | 2200 m |
14 | Varbishki pass hut – Hazim the forester shelter | 28 km | 12 hours | 2750 m |
15 | Hazim the forester shelter – Topchiisko hut | 44 km | 12 hours | 2050 m |
16 | Topchiisko hut – Cape Emine | 55 km | 15 hours | 2600 m |
STAGES DIVISION 3 |
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DAY | STAGE | DISTANCE | DENIVELATION |
1 | Kom hut – Trastena hut | 55 km | 3100 m |
2 | Trastena hut – Vitinya pass | 61 km | 4200 m |
3 | Vitinya pass – Momina polyana hut | 51 km | 4500 m |
4 | Momina polyana hut – Dobrila hut | 64 km | 6500 m |
5 | Dobrila hut – Tazha hut | 27 km | 3900 m |
6 | Tazha hut – Buzludzha hut | 46 km | 4600 m |
7 | Buzludzha hut – Chumerna hut | 58 km | 4100 m |
8 | Chumerna hut – Kotel | 58 km | 3900 m |
9 | Kotel – Hazim the foresters' shelter | 56 km | 4900 m |
10 | Hazim the foresters' shelter – Topchiisko hut | 44 km | 2050 m |
11 | Topchiisko hut – Cape Emine | 55 km | 2600 m |
AN EXAMPLE DIVISION OF THE BIKING ROUTE IN STAGES
The crossing of the route by bike is distinguished by a few characteristics such as the technique of moving forward, the impossibility of pedaling during some sections of the foot track and last but not least: the higher speed of moving forward and running longer distances in the daytime. It’s good to have in mind that the route Kom-Emine doesn’t belong to the classical cross-country routes nor to all-mountain routes, but most of it is classified as an enduro route. It is inevitable even for the most experienced bikers to carry in hands the bike across the brushy areas of the track or the rocky climbs or the crags.
Therefore, the mountain bike crossing of Kom-Emine is not an easy task, especially if one takes into account the primitive conditions of an important part of the accommodation places. The bikers should familiarize themselves beforehand with the by-pass itineraries which avoid the difficult sections of the foot track. This way they would cope with the challenge more easily. It is common that some trails and pathways are not marked; and branches which take less time and efforts to complete and which lead to interesting locations are not indicated. Below are presented some example schedules, with each of them being appropriate for various sizes and quality of the groups and for various weight of the equipment which is carried.
STAGES DIVISION 4 |
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DAY | STAGE | DISTANCE | DENIVELATION |
1 | Kom hut – Trastena hut | 55 km | 3100 m |
2 | Trastena hut – Gorno Kamartsi village | 61 km | 5100 m |
3 | Gorno Kamartsi village – Momina polyana hut | 52 km | 5750 m |
4 | Momina polyana hut – Dobrila hut | 64 km | 6500 m |
5 | Dobrila hut – Tazha hut | 27 km | 3900 m |
6 | Tazha hut – Buzludzha hut | 46 km | 4600 m |
7 | Buzludzha hut – Bukovets hut | 58 km | 4100 m |
8 | Bukovets hut – Kotel | 58 km | 3900 m |
9 | Kotel – Hazim the foresters' shelter | 56 km | 4900 m |
10 | Hazim the foresters' shelter – Topchiisko village | 44 km | 2050 m |
11 | Topchiisko village – Cape Emine | 55 km | 2600 m |