Географски разгледи (52) 91-106 (2019) Geographical Reviews

UDK: 551.43.035:911.2(497.77) DOI https://doi.org/10.37658/GR19520091sh

GENERAL GEOGRAPHICAL OVERVIEW OF THE MOUNTAIN AND ITS (UN)EX- PLORED PEAKS, LAKES AND LANDSCAPES

Mario SHAREVSKI Mountaineering hiking guide with licence A of FPSM, MA of Geopolitics e-mail: [email protected]

ABSTRACT

Mount Korab is the highest mountain in Macedonia and its natural features abound in extraordinary natural beauties. Due to its relatively remote location and characteristics, it is difficult to access, therefore making it less known although very attractive to the general public. The rapid increase in tourist and mountaineering interest in the last few years, however, highlighted a need for more in-depth studies of Mount Korab, whose data will con- tribute to development of both tourism as well as preserving the wildlife and mountain itself. Based on previous scientific evidence, folklore, history record, and on-site knowledge gained during several expeditions to Mount Korab, this brief article provides and in-depth overview on the location and features of the mountain’s lesser known and explored peaks, lakes, waterfalls, canyons and landscapes. This article also includes typological suggestions for naming each of them. The data and the proposed typology for naming do not call for exclusive- ness but they are intended to serve as basis for further exploration of Mount Korab, both by the general public and the scientific community whose findings will additionally support the development of the tourist offer and economic opportunities of Mount Korab.

Key words: Korab, mountain, peaks, lakes, naming.

INTRODUCTION

Korab is the highest mountain in the Republic of Macedonia, namely it is a high mountain with many distinct geographical-orographic and relief, as well as natural features on which is located the highest peak in the Republic of Macedonia. Due to its specific features and its difficult accessibility, conditioned by a variety of reasons, discussed below in this study, Mount Korab is seldom visited and less known to the general public and to the expert and scientific community, hence certain areas, peaks, lakes, waterfalls, gorges and canyons that are located on Korab are very little or not explored and studied yet, therefore even not represented on geographical and topographic maps and geograph- ical surveys published so far. With the increasing rise of mountaineering and visits to the mountains, including Korab, these places, landscapes, peaks, lakes, and landmarks of mountains whose names are unknown or nonexistent are being discovered, so visitors name them by different names, made up in a variety of ways. The most obvious example of such a "discovery" in recent times is the Korab Waterfall on the Dlaboka Reksa river, which today is one of the most visited sights and mountain- tourist attractions on Mount Korab. Exploring and naming all of these places is useful and necessary for their clear identification as natural-geographical objects and places, expanding the knowledge of their existence, location, and other data and information that, through further expansion and sharing, can be used by scientific researchers for further more detailed study and in-depth research, as well as for support and developing tourism, mountaineering and other industries that would benefit by having

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M. Sharevski General geographical overview of the Korab mountain and its (un)explored peaks, lakes and landscapes these places at the center of their scope of activities. The rise and the increasing number of visits to the Korab Mountain and its extraordinary attractiveness of its landscape require the designation and study of its peaks, lakes, landscapes and locations to improve the opportunities for its active and safe tourism, hiking and economic exploitation. Given the scarcity of written material data about Korab, the main purpose of this brief article is to review the available data in line with facts acquired on our field visits and surveys, thus to share information about location and features of several lesser known and unnamed peaks, lakes and areas of Mount Korab and make suggestions for their naming, consistent with the traditional local and general Macedonian toponymy and the features of these places. At the same time, the proposals for naming this lesser-known and / or unnamed peaks, lakes, places and areas of Korab, presented and elaborated in this short paper, are not intended to express any exclu- siveness or exclusive right to their permanent and sole naming, on the contrary, they are just sugges- tions as a starting point and a call for the opinion of other expert researchers whose subject area of expertise is geography, geomorphology, hydrography, toponymy, linguistics, history, ethnography in order to develop a broader professional and scientific debate, which will produce and deliver the best and most appropriate solutions and names that will be further used in print maps, promotional materi- als, books, promotional papers for tourist visits and any other visits to these extraordinarily beautiful places. Drawing facts on the insights acquired during our visits on Mount Korab on several occasions in 2015, 2018 and 2019 (for the first time a three-day Mount Korab transverse trekking the ridge from south to north) and considering available written sources this record strives to present general data in order to inform the general public of these places that will be recognized as a subject for further study and research, which will ultimately contribute to an even greater number of visits and recognizing the tourist opportunities of Mount Korab.

NATURAL-GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES OF KORAB MOUNTAIN

Korab is a high mountain located in the westernmost part of Macedonia, ie it is a mountain that is spread in two countries: Macedonia to the east and to the west, where along its main stretch of the ridge is the Macedonian-Albanian state-border. According to its characteristics, Korab Mountain is a young chain mountain. It belongs to the Shar subgroup of the Dinaric Mountains Group (Dinchev and Atanasov 1998), ie it is part of the Shar-Pind mountain system. In a broader orographic and relief sense, the Korab Mountain Range comprises the three high mountains, extending in a meridian direc- tion from north to south: Korab, Deshat and Krchin. On the Macedonian side they cover an area of 290 km2 (Stojmilov 2011). The boundary between the three mountains that make up the Korab moun- tain massif which stretches from the Sherupa peak in the north to the bottom of the valley in the south is difficult to determine, but for the people living in the foothills of this mountain range the north part has the name Korab, the centra is Deshat and the southern is Krchin (Vasileski 1997). Korab Mountain rises in the northern part of the mountain range from the peak of Sherupa (2092 asl) in the north, to the mountain pass Deshat (1976 asl) in the south in length of 26 kilom (Vasileski 1997, 22). From the top of Sherupa, Korab in the north conjoins Shar Planina, while in the south the mountain range itself continues with Deshat. To the east its sides descend steeply into the valley, and to the west into the Black Drim valley. On the highest parts of Korab, along the main stretch of the ridge lies the Macedonian-Albanian border (Stojmilov 2011, 51). Specifically, the northernmost slopes on the outskirts of the Korab main crest are bounded by the Bustrica River, to the east the Radika River separates the Korab from the southernmost parts of Shara Mountain (Vraca and Nichpur Moun- tain) and Mount , the southern boundary of Korab River stretches along the stream of Zirovnica River from its confluence in Radika to its sources, it crosses the watershed and the state border

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through the saddle Desat (1976 m.) which separates it from the mountain of the same name which is its continuation in the massif, after which it crosses Peshkopia down to the river Crn Drim along its course and valley, making up its western boundary (Dincev and Atanasov 1998). The length of Korab by air is about 26 km and its maximum width is 27 km. The total area is approximately 580 km2, of which 210 km2 on the territory of Macedonia, 360 km2 on Albania and a very small part of several square kilom are on territory (Dinchev and Atanasov 1998, 22). The stretching direction is meridian from north to south (Vasileski 1997), with a slight deviation to the southwest. The Korab main crest is extended from north to south as a breached line and with minor exceptions it is almost over 2000 m (Dinchev and Atanasov 1998). The mountain range is clearly determined along the entire length, with the north part slightly rounded and the central and southern parts quite sharp and slightly divided (Vasileski 1997). Above the crest of Korab, which is also very clear, sharp and narrow, there are several peaks over 2000 m height and in some places over 2500 m, whereas the highest peak in Macedonia and Albania is situated, Golem Korab which is 2764 m high (in some places 2753 m). Korab is a plateau from which rise few steep cliffs and 16 peaks over 2000 m, including mountain passes Golema Korapska Vrata, Mala Korapska Vrata (so called Korab Gates), Ciganski Premin and Skrtec (Stojmilov 2011). The book and hiking guide "The High Mountains of the Republic of Macedo- nia" states that the entire Korab Mountain has 52 peaks higher than 2000 m (Dinchev and Atanasov 1998, 22).

Figure 1: View of the main mountain range of Korab (left) and view of the highest peaks of Korab (right)

From Korab Mountain on the territory of the Republic of Macedonia, within the area of the belongs to the eastern mountain side, which is characterized by a rather steep slope, especially in the central and southern part, while in the north it is slightly milder. (Petkovski et al. 2011, 39). The largest inclination on slopes of the terrain occur beneath the high mountain peaks and along the sides of the deep river valleys (Petkovski et al. 2011). The mountainous side of Korab that belongs to Macedonia, that also belongs to the Mavrovo National Park, is dissected with surface watercourses, which are predominantly faulted structures, or represent fossilized erosive glacial relief forms (cirrues or silt) (Petkovski, etc.). 2011). In this respect, the eastern slope of Korab which belongs to Macedonia and the western slope of Korab which belongs to Albanian territory, are quite different in their appear- ance, features and composition of terrain and land. In this respect, the Macedonian mountain side of Korab seems much larger and more spacious, filled with mountain branches with elongated ridges and steep valleys ending steeply in the narrow valley near the Baric Gorge in the upper stream of

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M. Sharevski General geographical overview of the Korab mountain and its (un)explored peaks, lakes and landscapes

Radika, while the Albanian side is seemingly insignificantly smaller, with more spacious plateaus, in- cluding the largest by area Gramsko Pole where the largest coral glacial lake is located, Gram Lake, under which open quite steep but very short valleys that open to the broad Black Drim Valley. Meas- uring with the modern geographic tool Google Earth and taking the highest peak Golem Korab as the starting point of reference in the middle of the ridge, the longest straight line to the Baric Gorge in the Radika valley between the villages of Zirovnica and Vrbjani in Macedonia is 15.27 km. , while the length of the opening of the valley of the Gram stream (Proj and Grams) in the valley of the Drim valley near the village of Dipjak in Albania is 12 km. The scope of this article will provide a detailed overview only of the eastern side of Korab in Macedonia, as several of our Korab field trips are made only on that side, as well as because it belongs to the Mavrovo National Park and is part of our country, with a tremendous opportunity for tourism development and hiking, which are at the forefront of our focus and commitment. The genesis of Korab Mountain occurred during the Alpine orogenesis, and was definitely shaped during the Tertiary (Stojmilov 2011). It is built of old rocks, Paleozoic shale, while the peaks are of Triassic limestone (Stojmilov 2011). The mountain was frozen, so the glacial (glacial) forms of the relief are still present, with moraines, valleys and most cirques being most noticeable (Dincev and Atanasov 1998). In the east there is a developed glacial relief and the mountain is quite dissected. Thus, cirques occur from the top of Sherupa in the north to the peak of Visoko Brdo in the south, and are more noticeable in the source parts of the rivers: Ubav Potok, Shtirovica, Gabrovska River, Deep River, Grekajska River, Nivishka River , Zavojska River and Zirovnica River (Tairovska River) (Stojmilov 2011). The cirques have primarily northeast exposure and placement, due to the fact that winds on Mount Korab, like most of the Macedonian mountains, blow mostly from the southwest, and naturally atmospheric precipitation also comes from there (Dinchev and Atanasov 1998, 22). Due to strong winds the snow cover on the western and southwestern slopes is not appropriate to the amount of rainfall since the snow is blown eastward of the main mountain crest wherever freezing is for this reason much more serious (Dinchev and Atanasov 1998). Additionally, to the west the proximity of the Korab air distance to the Adriatic Sea is very low, while to the east in the mainland continental part it is closed by mountains such as Shar Planina, Bistra, Stogovo, so the movement of glaciers and freez- ing is still and even today present and shape the eastern slope relief, making this side of Korab much more dissected and branched. The event, or alpine orogenesis, also caused many "alpine" landscapes and sights with steep and sharp peaks, grassy slopes to the crest, boulders, bushes along the entire mountain range and especially in the central part. According to these features and their appearance Korab is also considered to be the "most alpine" mountain in Macedonia, with some (erroneously) only the highest "most alpine" looking parts considering to represent Korab Mountain (Dinchev and At- anasov 1998, 21). In terms of tectonics of the soil, stone and rock structure of Korab, silurian-Devonian cover is composed of several cluster scales and is most prominent in the form of Triassic limestones and Paleozoic shales in the area between Kobilino Pole in Korabska Vrata towards Korapino rocks from the "Kaboshian series" and partly to the north of the less complex cluster (Nestorovski 1969). Korab abounds in forest vegetation and numerous watercourses. The valleys are deeply cut have numerous waterfalls within. Among them, the waterfall of Zuznjanska is 138 m high and is con- sidered as the highest in Macedonia. Due to its difficult accessibility and long-standing inability to visit, this waterfall has been "discovered" and known to the general public for relatively recent time, ie from the last fifteen years. Because of its magnificent and spectacular scenery, the Korab Waterfall is a well-visited tourist attraction and landmark of Korab Mountain. The forests occur at an altitude of about 1,750 m, and up to about 2000 m, and over them is a complex of high-mountain pastures extending

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about 20 km in length. Well-known areas under Korab pastures are: Goren and Dolen Karamustafa, Proibaba, Belandza, Nitrovski Korab, Kobilino Pole, etc. (Stojmilov 2011). The most common of the forests are beech, in places littered with pines, and in the lowest parts of the foothills, oak and shrubs are scarcely represented. Due to its difficult accessibility and poor (in places non-existent) road connectivity from major roads and traffic links, Mount Korab has been poorly visited for many years, and today it is poorly visited considering the opportunities it offers for hiking and tourism. An additional aggravating circumstance for a visit in the past was the location of Korab in the border zone, which in past times during the the geopolitical circumstances of the "Cold War" and security doctrine of that time was of great importance with strict and strong security surveillance. The best remark of this are the concrete bunkers on the Albanian side next to the border line at 2460 m above sea level at Mala Korapska Vrata mountain pass. Due to these circumstances, until the independence of Macedonia, Mount Korab was hardly visited at all, and in the first years after independence, visits were allowed only with special permits and police approvals, for which a certain price was paid (Dinchev and Atanasov 1998, 28 ), and pre- cisely because of this the first, now widely known and recognizable, traditional climb to the top of Golem Korab on the occasion of Macedonia's Independence Day began to take place starting in 1992. All these things and aggravating circumstances are the reason that there are no any short-term facili- ties such as bivvy, nor mountain huts on Korab mountain, despite its extraordinary natural beauty and vast possibilities for hiking, mountaineering and tourist visits, (Dinchev and Atanasov 1998, 29). How- ever, in recent years the situation has changed and there has been considerable development and improvement in this regard, so today over the asphalt road leading to the village of Girovnica, there is a newly built mountain hut Govdarnica where you can access and climb to the peak of Kurtovo Fule and from there to visit several high and beautiful peaks in the southern part of Korab, while the wide gravel-lined road leading to the Pobeda Border watch post - Strezimir and Restelica provides good opportunities for access and climbing to Golem Korab peak and other peaks and landmarks in the central and northern part of Mount Korab.

THE LEGEND ABOUT THE NAME KORAB IN MACEDONIAN FOLKLORE AND RECORDS OF KORAB FROM RESEARCHERS AND MOUNTAINEERING EXPEDITIONS IN THE PAST

The word Korab in means ark, ship, boat. Due to its size, height and great- ness of its appearance with beautiful mountain views, although not very visited and well-known, Korab Mountain is widely present in the Macedonian folklore, where a legend of the birth of its name - Korab is noted, which is directly related to the "ark" that Noah sailed after the biblical flood, and it also men- tions the surrounding Macedonian mountains with their names associated with their reflection in water or events happened with the ark during sailing. According to the records of the collector of Macedonian folk tales Marko Cepenkov, once when there was a sea of Korab Mountain there were chains on which the boats were tied and anchored at the top, and those rings were seen and stood and "present day" but were not accessible because of the extreme height (Cepenkov 2009). The legend which Marko Cepenkov has written, says that when the flood occurred Noah sailed with the boat he first passed by Pesjak Mountain (meaning Dog Tooth), which he called it because of the sharp stone peaks, which would pierce his arl, and then he passed from Shara Mountain, which he saw interspersed with the water, so he gave it the name Shar Mountain (meaning colorful, motley) to continue sailing through Mount Bistra (meaning clear), which he called it because he saw it clear, and finally his boat was crushed and broken on a mountain to which he gave the name Krchin due to the sound of the crushing

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M. Sharevski General geographical overview of the Korab mountain and its (un)explored peaks, lakes and landscapes and ultimately Korab was given as a name to the mountain where he finally sailed and stopped and where his boat was broken and "today" there were remnants of wooden boards from the boat and other sea occurrences such as shells and snails ("Cepenkov 2009, 174)". The legends of Marko Cepenkov's writings also mention that above the village of Krponica (probably referring to the village of in the ) there is a lake on top of which a herd of cattle has once grazed and a heifer has fallen into the lake and came out in Drim river the next day (Cepenkov 2009). The same legend was written by the Macedonian revolutionary Gjorce Petrov, where it is said that Noah's boat, after the flood, stopped at Krchin as the highest mountain in the area (Petrov 1896). Notes on the general features and stretching of Mount Korab, but with a more professional and precise approach, earlier in our history published the Macedonian revolutionary Gjorce Petrov at the end of the 19th century in his book "Materials On Studying Macedonia" in 1896 and the Miyak ethnog- rapher and researcher Tomo Smiljanic - Bradina from Tresonce at the beginning of the 20th century in his 1925 book "Miyaci, Upper River and Mavrovo Field". In his orographic descriptions of Korab, Gjorche Petrov gives the following record of its location and features, noting that in the southern part of the first part of Shar and south-west of the city of , the serpentine and rocky peak of Korab rises, ie in that part of the range there are three elevated sites like boulder massifs over which the giant height rises up to the clouds with sharp swirling peaks, the first of which at the beginning of the range is the three-limbed Korab peak, which is also called the first part of the mountain range (Petrov 1896, 49). Here the range turns south-west under the names Korab, Deshat and Krcin and ends over Debar (Petrov 1896, 48). Beneath its southeast steep slope is the deep valley of the Radika River, and the northwestern slope descends to the Drim valley in Dolni Debar (Petrov 1896). Both slopes in the lower parts are woodlands while in the higher are bare and rocky (Petrov 1896). Writing for Korab, Tomo Smiljanic - Bradina noted that it features two peaks, inaccessible and up to 2660 m high called Korabe Vogl (Small Korab) and Korabe Made (Big Korab) (Smiljanic-Bradina 1925, 18). At the same time he gives an explanation of the reason for the appearance of sharp and steep peaks by recording that the Korab ridge with its main high peaks is composed of Triassic limestone, and because of such composition and diluvial glaciation such sharp shapes of the Korab peaks developed (Smiljanic - Bradina 1925, 18). West of Korab are steep sections to the Lower Debar Valley or Peshkopia. In addition to the aforementioned names of the main Korab peaks, in his writings Tomo Smiljanic - Bradina, also mentions: Jurda Peles, north of Golem Korab, where there is a glacial lake called Fusha Korabi (meaning Korab Field) and east of Kukul (Smiljanic-Bradina 1925, 18). Considering that just west of Golem Korab, lies the vast Kobilino Pole where there are 2 glacial lakes: Golemokorapsko (proposed for such a name below) and Kobillino Lake, and it is likely that the author named Golem Korab considered and named the large rocky peak next to Mal Korab (with a marked prominence as the "pyramids"), below in a study proposed to be named Malokorapska Stena, from which the Kobillino Pole is to the north, and hence probably the lake mentioned refers to one of the glacial lakes on Kobilino Pole (probably remarkable Golemokorapsko Lake). In the more detailed descriptions of the Gorna Reka villages in the Special Part of the book, we can see the names of the peaks and areas of Korab Mountain that are still known and used by locals and hikers today, so in the records of the villages Nitrovo, Bibaj, Zuznje, Ribnica , Tanuse, , Niviste and Vrbjani are listed: Ribnicka Skala and / or Skala Ribnitsas, Popova Livada (area through which today passes the marked hiking trail for the Korab Waterfall and the peaks Ribnicka Skala and Kabash), Korabska Vrat /, (Smiljanic- Radina 1925). Particularly important is the fact that through the village of Zuznje it was easiest to reach Korab, and hence the road linking the Gorna Reka with and Peshkopia (Smiljanic-Bradina 1925, 116).

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In the 1930s, in the spring of 1934, a larger 18-member expedition led by 12 hikers, skiers and climbers from Slovenia from April 3 to April 8, 1933 made a winter hiking trip from the Ljuboten peak on the Shar Mountain to Korab in length of 140 km, with the main purpose and task of this mountain- ski-excursion to ski on the mountain ridges and plateaus from Ljuboten to Korab, to determine the conditions for the development of mountaineering and skiing on these mountains, with the experience of this tour written with pictures and lectures to promote winter tourism in Macedonia (then within the Yugoslav kingdom); thereby attracting interest in mountain-skiing visits to these sites by visitors from the country as well as from abroad (Pretnar 1939). The records of this mountaineering expedition have been published as a three-part travelogue in the 1939 "Mountain Newspaper" in Slovenian, with the second part entitled "Geographic Survey of Sharr Mountain and Korab" covering a very extensive and expert study on these Macedonian mountains. In addition to the remarkable significance of the entire published travelogue and paper, for this record of ours is of particular importance the part which refers to Korab, especially with respect to the mentioned peaks, ridges, places, and their names and naming, present and recorded then eighty-ninety years ago. Within the broader geographical overview, it is particularly important to note that the names of the mountains differ in part from the name of the entire massif to which they belong, with the area from Tetovo Bistrica to Vratsa area also called Rudoka Mountain, south of it through Stirovica, continues into Korab where Desat, its southern extension, defies the only general denomination (Jordan 1939), named Korab. Further in this geographical survey it is stated that Korab has 6 peaks over 2500 m, three over 2600 m and two peaks over 2700 m (Jordan 1939, 182). Regarding the geological composition it is said that Korab is not very different from the Shar Mountain, except that in the northern part of it, up to the Korabska Vrata pass there is a more diverse composition: besides Paleosoic shale there are deep granite, middle and lower triassic rocks, as well as craboniferous rocks, hence the role or appearance of limestone is very large (Jordan 1939). In this Geographical overview of Shar Mountain and Korab but also in the third part titled From Ljuboten to Korab (Ski Tour), which actually presents the diary of the movement and activities of the mountain- eering-ski expedition in more detailed and precise descriptions, there are noted names of peaks and areas of Korab Mountain that are known today and used by locals and hikers: peaks Kabat (Kabash), Ribnichka Skala, Golem Korab which is already indicated in these records with an altitude of 2764 m, Crna Chuka, ridges Shilovert (Watchtower "Jedinjenje"), Kara Mustafa, rivers Dlaboka Reka (Proj Fell) and Shtirovica.

Figure 2: Izgrevno Ezero on the foothills of Boazi peak (left) and Izgrevno Ezero and the main ridge of Korab (right)

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M. Sharevski General geographical overview of the Korab mountain and its (un)explored peaks, lakes and landscapes

LESSER KNOWN PLACES, LANDSCAPES, PEAKS, LAKES AND LOCATIONS ON MOUNT KORAB AND SUGGESTIONS FOR THEIR NAMING

The natural-geographical features in terms of terrain configuration, extremely high altitude, the spatial characteristic of the relief and geographical location with its geostrategic and security im- portance in close association with the traffic connection, make it difficult to access the mountain thus making it little visited area. There have been written records of this since the beginning of the 20th century, when ethnographer Tomo Smiljanic - Bradina in his book "Miyaci, Gorna Reka and Mavrovo Field", writing about the village of Zuznje, noted that according to the locals, until then, only one peas- ant had climbed on the Korab peak (Smiljanic-Bradina 1925, 116). For this reason some parts of Korab's localities, landscapes, peaks, lakes are very little or almost completely unexplored and un- known to the professional and general public, although Mount Korab is relatively well and fully mapped on detailed topographic maps and general tourist maps. However, some of these places are not named, and some (lakes) are not shown at all. In addition, several works of professional literature covering studies of Korab and its peaks, lakes, watercourses show some inconsistency and diver- gence as to the exact location of some of these sites.

Peaks

There are a total of 41 mountain peaks more than 2,000 m high on Korab Mountain (Petkovski, et al. 2011, 42). while other sources indicate that the whole of Korab Mountain has 52 peaks over 2000 m (Dinchev and Atanasov 1998). Of the total, six peaks are more than 2500 m high (Petkovski et al. 2011). In the northern part of the Korab Mountain there are six peaks with more than 2000 m in height, the highest of which is the Ziberova Kula peak (2377 m) (Petkovski et al. 2011). The Sherupa peak is the northernmost peak of Korab Mountain and Mavrovo National Park which also represents a triangle between the territory of the Republic of Macedonia to the east and southeast, the Republic of Albania to the west and Kosovo to the north. In the middle part of the Korab Mountain stretching on the section between the high mountain saddle Golema Korabska Vrata (2063 m asl) to the north and the high mountain pass Shkrtec (2020 m) to the south, a total of 29 mountain peaks higher than 2000 m have been recorded, among them six peaks are more than 2500 m above sea level high (Petkovski et al. 2011). The highest peak in the Mavrovo National Park is also in the Republic of Macedonia, and the fifth highest on the Balkan Peninsula is Golem Korab. There are various indicators of its height, on the older and newer maps it is 2764 m high, on the topographic maps of the Military Geographic Institute - at a scale of 1: 25,000 from 1976, it is 2753 m high, while it is 2753 m high according to Albanian literary data, its height is 2751 m (physical geography of the Republic of Albania). In the southern part of the Korab Mountain there are six peaks each more than 2000 m in height, the highest of which is the Visoko Brdo Peak (2245 masl) (Petkovski et al. 2011).

Malokorapska Stena

In the central part of Korab Mountain on the main ridge, in the immediate vicinity, just opposite of Mal Korab peak, there is a rising prominent peak that represents an impressive, huge stony block, visible from great distances and more peaks on several different mountains deep inland of Macedonia. On the very narrow and rocky ridge at the top extends the border line between Macedonia and Albania. According to the location, the Malokorapska Stena peak is located at coordinates 41°46'28 "north latitude and 20°32'03" east longitude. Specifically, the Malokorapska Stena peak is located just north

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of the valley of the Dlaboka Reka and the famous Korab Waterfall, where directly to the south (in the direction of the valley) through a saddle covered with stones is directly connected to the lower Mal Korab peak (2683 m), while to the northeast it is connected by the pass of the Mala Korapska Vrata (2478 m.), and to the west by a steep slope of ss descends to a plateau in Albanian territory. Its height is 2725 m. It features a magnificent appearance due to the steep and perfectly vertical rocky, stony block that forms its eastern side, while the southern slope has a sharp slit separating it from Mal Corab and the stone fern, and the northern slope where its northern and northeastern slope they descend steeply to the Mala Korapska Vrata overflow, making it visible from very long distances. Climbing to the top of Malokorapska Stena is very difficult and dangerous due to the very inaccessible steep terrain with large fissures, rocks and slippery and crushed stones on three sides, where climbing is only pos- sible from the northeast side from the Mala Korapska Vrata, though from there after the initial short walk along the grassy slope, it quickly reaches and must climb up the stones and flinty rocks. Due to the severity and danger this peak is extremely rarely climbed by hikers. On almost all geographical maps the peak is not marked or named at all, ie only the trigonometric point is marked - elevation of 2725 m, without any naming. Due to its very close proximity to the Mala Korapska Vrata, many hikers, climbers and visitors name the peak and it is also known as the Mala Korapska Vrata. However, since the peak itself represents a huge rock (rock, wall, large stone, stone block) (Vidoeski 1999) in the immediate vicinity of the Mal Korab peak, the most appropriate designa- tion for this peak would be "Malokorapska Stena" (meaning: the rock of/nearby Mal Korab) or for the sake of uniqueness, just as the Korapska Stena. Due to the remarkable appearance of the Malokorap- ska Stena with its distinctive rocky and stony appearance along with the adjacent rocky peak of Mal Korab, their common ridge has the shape of an ark (ship), ie a sailing vessel (Korab, in Macedonian), which is why it is so named by local inhabitants and shepherds, which also the name of the entire mountain is obtained. As mentioned above, looking at the records of Tomo Smiljanic - Bradina from the early 19th century, the names of the peaks Golem and Mal Korab were present at that time and probably due to the close position and appearance of the huge rocks looking like a ship with its body and deck. (rocks and stone blocks) sailing above the waterfront, most likely those names refer to today's Mal Korab, which in some topographic maps includes the designation Kepi Bard (Korab) and the proposed Malokorapska Stena. This assumption was confirmed on the spot, during our visit on 27.07.2019 in conversation with a shepherd from Albania who was grazing a flock of sheep on the pasture of the Mala Korapska Vrata, who told us that these peaks are the "true" Korab for which the mountain is named after these huge rocky peaks (Mal Korab and Malokorapska Stena, AD), while the name Golem Korab for today's highest peak and point has been given later by experts and scientists from Macedonia and Albania, after measuring that it was located at its highest point. , which is also visible to the eye obviously if you are at the peaks of Kabash or Ribnicka Skala.

Kobilin Vrv

At the west end above Kobilino Pole, on the main ridge extending between the Golem Korab peak in the north and the high mountain range Mala Korapska Vratain the west and Mal Korab peak further in the southwest, there is a peak with elevation of 2567 m above sea level, at a coordinate of 41°46'45" northern latitude and 20°33'04" eastern longitude, which is listed in the "Mavrovo Protected Area Re- valuation Study" as Bezimen (Petkovski et al. 2011). This mountain peak with obvious prominence and noticeability, due to the close proximity of Kobilino Pole which encloses it to the west, could be named and named after it as Kobilin Vrv. The peak is remarkably prominent, with the southwestern slope leading to the crest and connecting with the Mala Korapska Vrata covered with grass almost to

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M. Sharevski General geographical overview of the Korab mountain and its (un)explored peaks, lakes and landscapes the very top, whose highest point is a steep cliff that runs steeply to the west and east above Kobilino Pole, and to the north of it descends a narrow and steep ridge to the grassy and rocky outcrops that adjoins the Golem Korab peak. Just below the Kobillin Vrv peak from the east, on from the direction from south-southwest to the north, leads the recently marked hiking trail that connects the Korab Wa- terfall and Mal Korab to Golem Korab.

Korabec

On the main ridge extending to the eastern end of the ridge at the famous Kepi Bard peak (White Cap - 2589 m) where the ridge turns and changes direction to the northward, there is a smaller ridge marked with a trigonometric point with elevation 2538 m. This smaller, prominent peak located at the very end of the ridge of (by) the Kepi Bard peak (west - southwest) and in a straight line opposite the Nistrovski Korab to the east with the Korapska Mlaka to the northeast and the remarkable Crna Chuka peak to the north, with location on the coordinates 41°47'20.9 "north latitude and 20°34'20.8" east longitude, during our climbing on 28.07.2019, as part of a three-day traverse expedition to Korab, we called it among us, thus named it – Korabec, as we have written it down in our hiking diaries. This smaller peak that rises from the main mountain ridge resembling a tooth (Zabec, in Macedonian) is actually a crumbling rock block with a short but very steep uphill slope and flat top.

Lakes

There are fifteen natural glacial lakes on Korab Mountain, of which there are 8 permanent and 10 periodical on the territory of the Republic of Macedonia, while a smaller number are on the Albanian side. The largest by surface is the Gram Lake on the Albanian side. On that side the lakes are much larger than on the Macedonian side, but those lakes lie at a lower altitude than the lakes on the Mac- edonian side. In fossilized cirques there is a large number of springs, and in some there are permanent, periodic and occasional natural post-glacial lakes (Petkovski et al. 2011). In the cirques of the Ribnica River on the Macedonian eastern side of Korab, there are 4 permanent glacial (glacial) lakes, and the same are found in the source of its left tributary - Deep River (Stojmilov 2011). The most notable of them are: Korabsko Lake with an area of about 800 m2 and depth of 0.5 m, Malo Korab Lake, Lake Bachilski Kamen, Lake Babin Kamen and others (Vasileski 1997). If we compare these data with later more extensive published research, such as the Mavrovo Protected Area Revaluation Study from 2011, some discrepancies and inadequacies in the data on Korab's natural glacial lakes may be noted. Thus, the aforementioned Korabsko Lake is said to be beneath the Golem Korab peak, near the wa- tershed between the Radika River and the River Radomirs in Albania, at an altitude of 2470 m, with a surface of about 800 m2, and its depth in spring at high water level is 15-20 cm (Petkovski et al. 2011, 67), which is true and evident at every climb on the Golem Korab peak as the hiking trail passes in its immediate vicinity. The lake is fed by precipitation water and melting snow. Given that near the Mal Korab peak, in the Brushtla area, as well as in the Lake designated area, there are 2 more glacial lakes whose designation is found as Mal Korab and Malo Korapsko Lake, this lake may be called Golemokorapsko Ezero (meaning Golem Korab’s Lake, not Big/Great Korab Lake) , and merged as an adjective which is derived directly from the name of the Golem Korab peak. The designation of the lake as Golemokorapsko is due to its location in the immediate vicinity of Golem Korab, not because of its size features, which is smaller than that of nearby Malokorapsko Lake. In the published works and written sources can be found data about Malo Korapsko Lake, also known as Mal Korab Lake, which is a naturally glacial lake on the Korab Mountain, under the Mal

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Korab peak, in Macedonia. Lake Mal Korab or Malokorapsko Lake is located beneath Mal Korab peak, at the source of the Dlaboka Reka river, at an elevation of 2310 m. The surface of the lake is 1,374 m2 and its maximum depth is about 35 cm (Vasileski 1997). Specifically, it is located directly on the wide flattened eastern foothills beneath the peaks of Mal Korab and Malokorapska Stena; over the valley of the Dlaboka Reka. The lake is fed by precipitation water and melting snow and there is no running water from its bed (Vasileski 1997, 142-143). An appropriate option for naming this lake, as well as the above proposal and example, would be a Malokorapsko Ezero (meaning Mal Korab’s Lake, not Small Korab Lake), written merged as derived directly from the name of the Mal Korab peak, and is not a complex of two adjectives: qualitative - Small and Relative - Korapsko . Naming the lake as Malokorapsko is due to its location in the immediate vicinity of the Mal Korab peak, not because of its size features, as it is larger than the adjacent Golemokorapsko Lake.

Izgrevno Lake

In the middle part of Korab Mountain, on the area between the Boazi peak in the north and the high mountain pass Ciganski Premin in the south, on the east side very next to the ridge on the territory of Macedonia, there is a natural glacial lake. Specifically, it is located at coordinates 41°44'54.4 "north latitude and 20°31'15.7" east longitude, on the eastern Macedonian side adjacent to the main stretch of mountain range, situated in a cirque, west and immediately above the cirque Ujt Kalar (whose be- ginning is) between Boazi peak north and the high mountain saddle Ciganski Premin to the south, immediately to the south foothills below Boazi peak at 2318 m. The shape of the lake is elongated, oval and rounded with a slight pear-shaped or egg-shaped appearance. The lake extends the longest stretch in northwest-southeast direction and the widest stretch is on southwest-northeast, with the west coast being a nearly straight line, while the east coast is rather curved, as are the south and north shore are with less curvature. The lake has a constant water level and its maximum depth is about 1.5 m, while the average depth reaches up to 1 meter. The water level is steady and almost unchanged throughout the summer even on the hottest days with not much fluctuation on its volume and level, and in winter it freezes and is covered with snow. The bottom of the lake is muddy and partly rocky, making the lake water very clear and translucent through- out the profile, and due to the grassy shores and surroundings, seen from a distance the lake has a dark green (emerald) color. The water does not flows out from the lake, and it feeds with water from the precipitation and melting of the snow, which due to the position of the cirque in which is located, that is closed and in shade from three sides south, west and north, the snow stays longer so it melts later and longer, feeding water thus giving it less variable constant water level with less hesitation. According to its features, the lake's origin is probably circular, that is, erosive-cirque or cirque-moraine, where it originated in the overlying part of the cirque where the mountain glaciers began to move. This mountain lake is distinguished by its unique, extraordinary beauty and because of its eastern position from the crest, ie openness to the east, it is especially brightened by the sunrise which reflects on the lake waters at sunrise, hence it can be called Izgrevno Ezero (meaning the Sunrise Lake or Lake of the Rising Sun). Because of its location close to the Ciganski Premin, the lake could very rarely be known as Cigansko (Gypsy) Lake or Boazi Lake because of its proximity to the Boazi peak. However, due to the remarkable beauty of its features the name Izgrevno Lake would be most appropriate and attractive for general tourist promotion. The lake features an extremely beautiful view as well as the entire landscape in the immediate surroundings and expanse of majestic sharp peaks of Korab (but also the view of Bistra.Stogovo and Deshat ridges in the distance), which surround Izgrevno Lake from the north, west and south, the cirque in which it lies is open only to the east and south east, giving the

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M. Sharevski General geographical overview of the Korab mountain and its (un)explored peaks, lakes and landscapes lake and its immediate surroundings a appearance like a pearl in a shell. Although it is a permanent natural lake, due to the very difficult accessibility of the area and the great distance, it is not often or not marked on any of the geographical and recent topographic maps (marked only on the military topographic map Korab - south 173 3-1, 1 : 25,000 (Military Institute of Geography, 1973) and is almost completely unknown and unexplored by science, and is also rarely visited by visitors - shepherds and hikers.

Osojno (Izvir) Lake

In the central part of Korab, on the mountainous area above the forest belt west of the village Tanushe in Macedonia, there is a natural glacial lake. It is located just below the peak of Bacilski Kamen and the three natural glacial lakes Bacilsko Lake, Sredno Lake and Dolno Lake at an altitude of 1690 m. It is situated in a recess on a steep terrace connecting the Osoj ridge below Babin Kamen peak to the east and Bacilski Kamen peak to the west. The lake itself is a source in which flows water from several springs to the west of which the largest springs flows directly from the northwest where it expands and deepens into a significant confluence, and then there is an outflow of water to the north- east into a periodical stream which is the source of Izvorski Potok which in turn is the source of the river Ribnica. From this it can be assumed that the lake has a reservoir origin, formed by a bulkhead of moraine materials. The lake is characterized by clear water and has less volatile water level than some of the nearby lakes immediately above, making it more stable on the surface and does not dry out, and due to the permeability of the steep land above it receives water from the lakes above it. In this area where these lakes are located, which are explored in our science, during our two visits to marking a hiking trail and on organized hile to Bachilski Kamen peak (25.05.2018 and 10.06.2018) we noticed 5 lakes, which we only partially identified according to the features described in previously published works, which did not provide accurate coordinates, and the overlap of the attributes reported is incompletely matched because the layout of the terrain location is slightly different from that de- scribed about the features of Bachilsko Lake, Sredno Lake and Dolno Lake. The lake itself, which is the lowest of the few lakes in this area, with a position on the northern slope and side of the Osoј ridge beneath the peaks of Bacilski and Babin Kamen, can be named as Osojno Lake, and because it is also a source located near the areas of Golem and Mali Izvir it can also to be called Izvirsko Lake.

Waterfalls, canyons and gorges

Large steep sections in the valleys and rocky blocks cause the appearance of high-altitude water- falls, which due to it and the immediate surroundings of the beautiful mountain highlands are charac- terized by beautiful and majestic scenery. As mentioned above, the biggest "discovery" in the last fifteen years is the Korab Waterfall, which by its height and water drop of 138 m is the highest inter- mittent waterfall in Macedonia, and thus the beautiful sights of the water falling from the rocks and the whole landscape around, filled with majestic high and sharp peaks in its surroundings, has become one of the most recognizable tourist-mountain attractions to visit Mount Korab. This waterfall is peri- odical and does not have a constant water flow, ie it only has water in the late spring and early summer months to the period from late May to mid-June, at the peak of most snowmelt, making it the highest periodical waterfall in the Macedonia. Based on its location, it is named and known under 2 different names in the public: Korab Waterfall by the name of the Korab Mountain itself where it is located, and Projfel Waterfall by the name of the stream Proj i Fel which is actually a name of Albanian origin used by the local population for the Dlaboka Reka river.

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In the narrow valley of Izvorski Potok which is the source of the Ribnichka (Tanushka) River, in the area called Maguteze, west and uphill of the village of Tanushe, in the dense beech forest there is a rocky ravine or canyon between the Osoj ridge below Babin Kamen peak and Mahia Made (Spasenov Kamen) peak to the north, where several lush waterfalls in cascades are located. These cascade water fall are up to ten m in height, whose waters fall and carve the rocky shores, creating deep pools through which the water flows loudly and foamy. According to the toponyms or names of the localities in this area, present among the population and recorded on the topographic maps, this natural occurrence with very beautiful scenery can be called Tanushski Slapovi (meaning Tanushe’s Cascade Water- falls) in the Magujtese Canyon or Osojska Klisura Gorge.

Figure 3: Tanushki Slapovi waterfalls (left) and reflection of the sun on the water surface of Izgrevno Ezero (right).

CONCLUSION

Korab Mountain with its height, position and extraordinary natural beauty of its crest, slopes, ridges, foothills contains numerous places, peaks, lakes and landscapes which as exceptional natural beau- ties with majestic appearance and sights, are an important prerequisite and precondition as a reason for further visits and development of this area. The natural features of the difficult terrain accessibility and the geostrategic and geopolitical position at the border have contributed to the long-standing in- accessibility of Mount Korab and consequently the uncertainty and scarcity of data about Korab. From this information in this paper it is seen that Mount Korab as a part of the young-chain mountains with its grandeur in appearance was noticed in the Macedonian folklore and older writings by Macedonian activists, and was an attractive challenge for climbers who left records for some of its areas and peaks. However, every time we visit Mount Korab, despite carrying and navigating with geographical and topographic maps, we are "exploring" new places, landscapes, magnificent peaks, beautiful lakes, waterfalls and valleys for which we provided initial data on their location and features, to serve as a starting point for their further in-depth research, study and outreach to the broader general public. On the main crest on the range of Mount Korab, the peak of the huge stony, rocky block next to Mal Korab nowadays we recognize and denote as Malokorapska Stena although, most likely in not too distant past, (most likely precisely) it was the Golem Korab. Above it and above Malokorapsko Lake follow the crest of the Kobilin Vrv Peak, which connects it with the highest point, the nowadays famous Golem

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M. Sharevski General geographical overview of the Korab mountain and its (un)explored peaks, lakes and landscapes

Korab peak, from which the Golemokorapsko Lake and the Kepi Bard peak cliff hide the protruding Korabec peak. High, at the top of the Korab mountain, by the mountain ridge shine with a gleam of magnificent natural lakes, which located on the eastern (Macedonian) slope, first absorb the rays of the sunrise. There we "found" them, visit and dive into the beautiful, clear waters of Izgrevno Lake located at the highest point in the cirque just below the main ridge between the Boazi peak and Ci- ganski Premin pass, and we remained in limbo for Osojno (Izvir) Lake in the middle of the crest of Korab Mountain between the Bachilski and Babin Kamen peaks. The great steep slope of Korab is the reason for the emergence of waterfalls and valleys of streams, streams and rivers with breath-taking views, where besides the not so long-discovered Korab (Projfel) waterfall, we have discovered lush Tanushe cascades waterfalls in the canyon Magjutese or the Osoj Gorge at the Izvorski Potok stream in the source area of Ribnica river above the village of Tanushe. Named according to their location, features, and appearance, these peaks, lakes, waterfalls, and canyons of Korab remain in the future to be subject of numerous visits and scientific research that would result in better and more appropriate suggestions for their naming, which will ultimately should and will be used to support the wider tourist promotion of Mount Korab for tourists, hikers, and adventurers, admirers of the nature which here have endowed Korab with all its splendour and beauty.

REFERENCES

Jordan, Bogdan. 1939. “Geografski pregled Šar Planine in Koraba.” Planinarski Vestnik 180-193. Pretnar, Jože. 1939. “Od Ljubotena do Koraba. Planinsko-smučarska odprava v Južno Srbijo.” Planinarski Vest- nik. Василески, Драган. 1997. Радика. Тетово: Напредок. Видоески, Божидар. 1999. Географската терминологија во дијалектите на македонскиот јазик. Скопје: МАНУ. Динчев, Евгениј, и Петар Атанасов. 1998. Високите планини на Република Македонија . София. Несторовски, Иван. 1969. “Тектоника на планините Бистра, Стогово и Кораб со Дешат.” Географски Разгледи 26-27. Петковски, Светозар, Драган Василевски, Владо Матевски, и Claudio Orlandini. 2011. Студија за ревалоризација на заштитено подрачје Маврово. Министерство за животна средина и просторно планирање & Oxfam Italia. Петров, Ѓорче. 1896. Материали по изуванието на Македония. София.Материјали по изучувањето на Македонија (2016). Превел Марио Шаревски. Смилјаниќ-Брадина, Томо. 1925. Мијаци, Горна Река и Мавровско Поље. Београд: Српска краљевска академија. Стојмилов, Александар. 2011. Географија на Република Македонија. Скопје: Универзитет за туризам и менаџмент. Цепенков, Марко. 2009. Македонски народни приказни. Уредил Кирил Пенушлиски. Том 5 книга. Скопје: Матица македонска.

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ОПШТ ГЕОГРАФСКИ ПРЕГЛЕД НА ПЛАНИНАТА КОРАБ И НЕЈЗИНИТЕ (НЕ)ИСТРАЖЕНИ ВРВОВИ, ЕЗЕРА И ПРЕДЕЛИ

Марио ШАРЕВСКИ Планинарски водич со лиценца А при ФПСМ, м-р по геополитика [email protected]

ИЗВОД

Планината Кораб е највисоката планина во Македонија, која со своите природни одлики изобилува со извонредни природни убавини, но истовремено заради својата местоположба и карактеристики е и тешко пристапна, а со тоа и делумно непозната за пошироката јавност. Зголемениот интерес и подем на турзмот и планинарството, изискуваат подетални изучувања на планината Кораб чии што податоци ќе придонесат во поткрепа и поддршка на нивниот развој и економски добробит. Осврнувајќи се на расположливите податоци од научните истражувања, народното творештво, записи од минатото и сообразувајќи ги со сознанијата стекнати при неколкуте повеќедневни наши посети и престои на планината Кораб, во ова кратко истражување ги изнесуваме општите, начелни и првични податоци за местоположбата и одликите на неколку помалку познати врвови, езера, водопади, кањони и предели заедно со предлози за нивно именување. Изнесените податоци и предложеното именување сообразено на одликите на овие непознати врвови, езера и предели на Кораб, не се повикуваат на исклучивост туку со нивното претставување имаат за цел да послужат како појдовна основа и повик до пошироката стручна јавност да пристапи кон нивно подробно и подетално научно истражување чии податоци и факти понатаму ќе служат за нивно пошироко претставување во прилог на поддршка и развој на туристичката понуда и искористување на стопанските можности на планината Кораб.

Клучни зборови: Кораб, планина, врвови, езера, именување.

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