Mount Trebeshinë
1,923 m
Albania
Also known as Τρεμπεσίνα, Trebeshina, +2Also known as
Τρεμπεσίνα · Trebeshina · Maja e Trebeshinës · Mali i Trebeshinës
- Elevation
- 1,923 m
- Prominence
- 1,367 m
- Difficulty
- 2/10
- Hike
- Best Season
- May
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1Sources differ: moderate (Wikiloc track by Palmtreeproduction (2014))
A steep, unmarked climb of almost 1,400 m in about 6 km from the hamlet of Mullahaj above Katundishtë, near Këlcyrë, past shepherds' huts (stane) and cairns and up a long ridge to the broad, unmarked summit of the Trebeshinë massif, with views to Tomorr, Nemërçkë and the Greek mountains.
About 100% of this line is approximate (no mapped trail; drawn from the terrain). Check it against a map before relying on it.
Why? 4 check notes
- 100% approximate geometry
- low confidence 0.4
- Mullahaj (Katundishtë) → Mount Trebeshinë: dem (snap_failed, 4.3 km)
- unresolved waypoints: Stan and water pond, Ridge cairn, Upper stan
Elevation Profile
approximate line- Distance
- 4.3 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +1,354 m
- start → summit
- High Point
- 1,923 m
- Time Up
- 5h 03m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 3h 14m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Start at the hamlet of Mullahaj above the village of Katundishtë (about 575 m), east of the massif and a short drive from Këlcyrë. Follow the road (or, with permission, a shortcut through a farmhouse property) to a house about 100 m higher. Note the fork soon after, which is easy to miss on the way back. Shepherds' paths lead past a stan (shepherds' hut) and a small pond at about 950 m. From the second stan, head north for a large cairn on the ridge. From here the steepest part begins; follow the ridge, past further forks, a stan at about 1,380 m and another cairn at about 1,590 m, to the broad summit plateau. The highest point (about 1,912 m by GPS; 1,922–1,923 m on maps) is unmarked apart from the remains of a foundation for a pole or antenna. A secondary top with a big cairn lies a few hundred metres north; a lower northern summit with abandoned military buildings (about 1,902 m) is further north again. The Palmtreeproduction party took just under 5 hours up in April with snow on the upper mountain. Descend by the same route or by one of several shepherds' paths; a major watering place at about 1,165 m helps locate the path down the steep slope. A longer western approach from Arrëz e Madhe (about 1,100 m of ascent but 9–10 km to the summit) is also possible.
Start
Mullahaj (Katundishtë)569 m
- None documented to Katundishtë; reach Këlcyrë by road and arrange local transport.
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mullahaj (Katundishtë) → Mount Trebeshinë | 4.3 | 1,354 | 0 | 5h 03m |
Waypoints
- Trailhead: Mullahaj (Katundishtë)569 m
- Summit: Mount Trebeshinë1,923 m
Key Passages
- Fork above the first house (easy to miss on return)
- Steep ridge above the big cairn
- Broad summit plateau with several tops
Equipment
0/6 packedDownloads
Route confidence 40%Overview
A broad, long limestone massif (about 1,920 m) above the Këlcyrë gorge in southern Albania, scene of a fierce 1941 battle of the Greco-Italian War. Off the beaten track: a steep, unmarked shepherds'-path climb of almost 1,400 m from Katundishtë.
Trebeshinë is the north-western part of the Trebeshinë–Dhëmbel–Nemërçkë chain, running about 15–16 km north-west to south-east from the Kiçok pass to the Këlcyrë gorge on the border between Tepelenë and Përmet municipalities. It is a box-shaped limestone anticline with a rounded, karstic summit ridge and many dry stream beds; the eastern slopes carry scrub and oak, and the upper mountain is summer pasture for large flocks of sheep.
The summit area is broad, with several tops: the highest point (1,912 m by GPS, 1,922–1,923 m on maps) is unmarked, a secondary top just north carries a big cairn, and a lower northern summit (about 1,902 m) has abandoned military buildings and can be reached by rough tracks in summer. Views take in Tomorr, Ostrovicë, Nemërçkë and Çajup, Gramos and the Tymfi mountains in Greece, and across the Vjosë valley to Shëndëllia and Këndrevica.
There is no tourist infrastructure. The usual ascent from the hamlet of Mullahaj above Katundishtë, near Këlcyrë, is a steep climb on shepherds' paths and open ridge, technically easy but demanding in effort and route-finding.
Climbing Notes
Allow about 5 hours up from Mullahaj, plus the descent, with almost 1,400 m of ascent on steep ground. The route is not waymarked and there are several forks, so a GPS track is essential. In summer the mountain hosts large flocks of sheep and their guard dogs, and the lower slopes are hot and dry; spring (with snow on the summit area) and autumn are better, but bring microspikes or crampons and an ice axe if snow is extensive. Carry all your water. There is no hut; the nearest towns are Këlcyrë and Përmet.
History
During the Greco-Italian War the Trebeshinë range was the scene of a twenty-day battle (late January to mid-February 1941). On 27 January 1941 a Greek battalion captured Height 1923 in deep snow; the massif changed hands several times before the Greek 5th (Cretan) Division took it on 2 February at heavy cost. The name is also known in Albania from Trebeshina mineral water.
Season
Best May- January: Not advisable
- February: Not advisable
- March: Possible
- April: Good
- May: Best (best window)
- June: Good
- July: Possible
- August: Possible
- September: Good
- October: Best
- November: Possible
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- Winter; deep snow possible on the upper mountain
- Feb
- Winter conditions
- Mar
- Snow on the summit area; winter skills needed
- Apr
- Summit area still snow-covered in mid-April
- May
- Spring; snow melting
- Jun
- Summer grazing begins
- Jul
- Hot; large flocks and guard dogs on the pastures
- Aug
- Hot; large flocks and guard dogs on the pastures
- Oct
- Cooler and often clear
- Nov
- Short days; first snow possible
- Dec
- Winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Getting There
Këlcyrë
Tirana International Airport (TIA)
- Car: Këlcyrë to Katundishtë and the hamlet of Mullahaj on the east side of the massif
- West side: Arrëz e Madhe is about 2 hours or more by road from Memaliaj near Tepelenë
- No public transport to the trailheads is documented
Hazards
- Remoteness
- Weather