Pelister in the fog, and why we turned around
Not every walk needs a summit photo. This one is about a beautiful forest, a grey wall of cloud, and a sensible decision.
The plan was simple: walk up from the hut through the pine forest, visit the glacial lakes the locals call the mountain's eyes, and come back the same way. The forecast promised scattered cloud. The mountain had other ideas.
The lower part of the route is lovely in any weather. The old pine forest is quiet and smells of resin, and the path climbs gently with plenty of places to stop. It was above the tree line that the cloud came down, fast and thick, and within twenty minutes we could see perhaps thirty metres ahead.
Turning around
We had a map, a phone with the track and warm layers. We also had no real reason to push on except stubbornness. Rocky ground in poor visibility is how small mistakes become long evenings, so we sat on a boulder, ate our sandwiches in the mist, and walked back down.
The lakes are still there. We will see them on a clear day, and I suspect they will look better for the wait.
If you go
- Start early: afternoon cloud is common in summer.
- Decide your turnaround time before you leave and actually keep it.
- The forest section alone is worth the trip if the weather turns.
Filed under walks. See all routes →