Third Time’s the Charm. We made it to Suva Planina
This was actually our third attempt to reach the summit of one of the most impressive mountains in Serbia—Suva Planina. Three attempts, and all started from three different directions.
First Attempt: Devojacki Grob
Three attempts, and all started from three different directions. The first one was when we first had the chance to cast a look on this unapproachable peak. It was from the least demanding hiking trail leading from the Mountaineering hut. The trail led to the little valley between this mountain’s two highest peaks, a place called Devojacki Grob.
Second Attempt: A Challenging Ridge Route to the the top of Suva Planina
The second time, Trem was our unaccomplished goal. We started our hike ambitiously, aiming to complete the longest trail, which was almost over 19km long. The trail led over all three peaks and along the ridge of the mountain. That time, there was a bit of free climbing included.
Up to today, we still claim that this side was the most impressive one. The view and the cliffs you walk by make you feel so small and irrelevant. This feeling comes in comparison to the size of the mountain, its grand rock formations, and steep cliffs. Just one wrong step could be fatal. However, due to the cruel nature of this mountain, we did not manage to get past the second peak. We had to endure frozen rain, wind, and snow before casting one last look at Trem. We promised to come back.
Third Attempt: A New Approach from the East
This summer, we discovered another way to approach the mountain, this time coming from a totally different direction, all the way from the east. There, we found pastures at a high altitude, hidden in the forest. Cows and horses strolled and fed in a carefree manner, far from people, reception, and civilization.
See the route at Strava
Camping in Isolation
Looking for a camping spot was a challenge, as we loved every following place even more. There, far from everything, food tasted better, fire sounds were hypnotizing, and stargazing was just next level.
The Final Push: Reaching Trem
The following day, woken by the early morning sun and refreshing cold air, we were ready to face the mountain again.
The trail was leading along the other side of the ridge, a longer but a milder one, where the actual trail was a bit hidden in the tall grass, so we would often meander towards the ridge to cast a view onto the whole mountain. Trem somehow did not seem to get closer, however, we decided not to give up this time—it took us about five hours to finally reach it.
It was everything we expected it to be, and more. The view stretched over the following two peaks, and we could see all the cliffs and trails crossing the mountain. The sense of achievement gave us strength to get back to the beginning of our trail just in time to watch an amazing sunset and speed up back to our camping spot
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