Pashtrik climb

back to Albania site back to hikes and climbs back to Locations and Travel

Pashtrik

Summary: Pashtrik is the "third" high mountain near Kukes (next to Gjallica and Koritnik - see separate trails). The other two are higher, but the views from Pashtrik are as dramatic. The upper reaches of Pashtrik are more rocky than those of the other two.

Pashtrik is more often climbed from the Kosovo side; there is a shrine on the summit. The last 150 elevation-meter to the summit are marked with white dots and red circles, presumably owing to the activities of a Kosovo mountain club.

You may climb to the summit and back on the same trail. We included a traverse across the "summit 2" - the part of Pashtrik that is most visible from Krume. There might be various ways to return - but which ever way you take (if you take it in early summer), the meadows are strewn with wildflowers.

For a climb from Albania, it is best to start from Kishaj, in Has district.

The Drive: This trail, for which a 4WD is recommended but not stricyly necessary, leads from Krume to the villages of Cahan, Mujaj and Kishaj, at an altitude of about 1000 meter. The area has some touristic potential. A campground is under construction (we hope that construction will continue) in Mujaj, and the plateau provides many possibilities for hikes in the forests and, of course, the beautiful mountain of Pashtrik

Note that the location shown in google earth as Kishaj is Mujaj.

Maximum altitude:	1134 meter
Minimum altitude:	458 meter
Cumulative height:	796 meter
Cumulative length:	16 kilometer
Difficulty	easy
Time:	less than 1 hour
Date of this record	June 2012
Download GPS info:	From Krumë to the Pashtrik Plateau

The climb:

Maximum altitude:	1991 meter
Minimum altitude:	1127 meter
Cumulative height:	976 meter
Cumulative length:	8.86 kilometer roundtrip
Difficulty	moderate
Time:	less than 5 hours without breaks
Date of this record	June 2012
Download GPS info:	Pashtrik Traverse

General location and approach: Krume appears to be an "up-and-coming" district capital. The road from Kukes is under improvement, and it takes an hour or less from Kukes to Krume. Considering the time on the road, the once-remote Krume is not further from Tirana as Vlora.

Other Information: The area used to be mined during the Kosovo crisis of 1999. The last incident happened in 2003. Since, minesweeping operations were underway, and have handed over the area back to the community many years ago. There are many trails, from herds as well as men, on and across the mountain and we personally felt safe.

When you hike Pashtrik, you should park your car in the village of Cahan or Kishaj and notify someone - as our car was broken into while left unattended.

Gjallica Mountain, with the bridge across Fierza Lake that connects Has district with Kukes

A restaurant which we found worth a stop, near the bridge

and Fierza Lake, in June, at high water mark

Krume, with Pashtrik Mountain in the background

If you travel further on in the direction of Bajam Curri, you may have this view (back) to Krume and Pashtrik

As you approach the plateau, coming from Krume, this might be your first glimpse of Pashtrik Mountain. The summit is not yet visible.

The to-be-campsite, once the energy and resources can be mustered.

In June 2012, early in the morning, during the ascent of Pashtrik. The Jezerce massif in the background, and fog over Fierza Lake

The grassy slopes of Pashtrik. They are steeper than the image may suggest.

Approaching the col between the two Pashtrik summits. Wildflowers and orchids in abundance.

View towards Koritnik, Korabi and Gjallica (from left to right) - see separate trails

At the col between the two summits of Pashtrik

View across the deep hole of Pashtrik Mountain

Wildflowers and the Jezerce massif in the background

Summit #2 of Pashtrik, which we also crossed

On our traverse form the main summit (in the background) to Summit #2, which is the one visible from Krume

The possible descent north from Pashtrik #2. We took an easier route towrads the left (west). Many routes are possible from the summit area.

Cliffs near the summit area. There are always passages between the cliffs that allow access.

GPS and trailmaps: The map and trailinformation is generated by www.wikiloc.org, based on GPS information collected from the actual hike. Waypoints can be downloaded to a GPS device from Wikiloc. If necessary, use GPSBabel to convert GPS data to different formats. For more hike descriptions by Palmtreetreeproduction, browse this website or visit Wikiloc and search for "Palmtreeproduction". You may also find nearby trails from other authors.

Google Earth: You may also view the trail in 3D by viewing it directly in Google Earth. You need to have Google Earth installed on your computer. Activate "wikiloc"in the "Gallery" menu in Google earth.