Maja Jezercë

Maja Jezercë
Maja Jezercë as seen from Maja Trojan
Elevation	2,694 m (8,839 ft)
Prominence	2,036 m (6,680 ft)
Listing	Ultra
Translation	Lake ridge (Albanian)
Location
Maja Jezercë Albania
Range	Prokletije
Coordinates	42°26′30″N 19°48′45″E / 42.44167°N 19.8125°E / 42.44167; 19.8125Coordinates: 42°26′30″N 19°48′45″E / 42.44167°N 19.8125°E / 42.44167; 19.8125
Geology
Type	Limestone

Maja Jezercë (Albanian: Maja Jezercë, meaning 'lake ridge'; Serbian: Језерски врх, Jezerski vrh) is the highest point of the Prokletije and the entire Dinaric Alps, standing at 2,694 m (8,839 ft) AMSL.

Location and surroundings

The mountain peak, which is just five kilometres from the border with Montenegro, lies between the valleys of the Valbona to the east and the Shala in the west. In part, the whole floor between the valley of Shala, Valbona and Ropojana and Maja Roshit (2,522 metres) is known as Jezerca, in addition to the peak, Jererca borders other peaks such as the Maya Popluks (2,569 metres) and the Maja e Ali (2,471 metres) in the west, the Maya Rrogamit (2,478 metres) to the east, Maja Kolajet (2,498 metres), Maja Malësores (2,490 metres) and Maja Bojes (2,461 metres) in the northwest and the Maja e Kokerhanës (2,508 metres ) and Maja Etheve (2,393 metres) in the north. Apart from certain areas north of the Jezerca peak the mountain massif is part of the two National Parks of Thethi and Valbona.^[1] The summit can be climbed from the North without major equipment. Most climbers come from Gusinje in Montenegro or from Theth in the Shala valley.^[2]

Topology and geography

Cirque of Buni i Jezercës with lakes

Jezerca is a large rocky peak of dolomitic limestone. Vegetation there to almost none. North, east and west of the mountain top is in great cirque from that in the glacial periods when glaciers were formed. Today the northern cirque is called Buni i Jezercës at a height of 1980 metres and 2,100 metres in height around 400 metres. There is abundant snowfall in the winter and in dry years, only the less exposed sections melt away.^[3]

Name and meaning

The name Jezerski Vrh means lake peak in Serbian. This name likely refers to the cirque lakes in the lower part of the Buni i Jezercës on the northern side of the mountain.

Maja Jezercë is known to be the focal point in many old tales of the Malesori people the name comes from Albanian (north Albanian, especially the region of Tropoja) word "jezer" (English "fog")and "maja" (English "top") it was called Maja e Jezercës ever since the Illyrians lived in the region, named so as there's almost constant fog surrounding the peak, which in turn means that the Serbian name is not where from it originates.

During the Communist era in Albania it had been given the name of Maja e Rinisë (Mountain of Youth), which never stuck.^[2]

First Ascents

In 1929 British climbers Sleeman, Elmalie and Ellwood reached the summit of Maja Jezercë on the 26th of July. These three climbers were the first to do so. Before this expedition took place the highest peak of the range was believed to be Shkëlzen at 2,407m and then Maja Radohimës at 2,570m high.

References

1. ^ Florian Baba (Herausgeber): Linja e Gjelbër Shqiptare, Tirana 2008
2. ^ ^{a b} Summipost: Jezerca. Retrieved on 2. August 2009.
3. ^ Milovan Milivojevića, Ljubomir Menkovića and Jelena Ćalić: Pleistocene glacial relief of the central part of Mt. Prokletije (Albanian Alps), in: Quaternary International, V. 190, 1, 1. November 2008, S. 112-122

External links

• SummitPost.org
• Bericht von einer Ersteigung mit hilfreichen Informationen