Bjelašnica mountain is located in the central part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the southwest, at a distance of only 25 km from Sarajevo. Next to it is the Igman mountain, which was the venue of most of the Alpine and Nordic disciplines competitions and jumps of the 14th Winter Olympic Games.
In addition to Jahorina, Vlašić, Kupres and Blidinje, Bjelašnica is one of the leading ski centers in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The winter on Bjelašnica lasts from November to May. A particular attraction are the high snow heaps that may reach even several meters. Winters are particularly interesting exactly due to the snow covered mountain landscape, like a white, sun-bathed desert with nothing but the sky above it.
The beauty of the mountain is enhanced by the variability of its climate. It is the result of the geographic position of Bjelašnica in the Dinaric mountains, the geological composition and height above sea level. The highest part of the Dinaric chain towards the Adriatic, with a length of 300 m, is the border between the influence of two climates – Mediterranean and continental one. Bjelašnica is thus the point of contact of air masses from the sea and the mountains. Such a contact results in rain and snow during fall and large quantities of snow during winter.
During summer, the mountain is covered by thick green grass, and during winter by high snow that may reach up to 4 m. Strong winds and thunders are typical of this magnificent Bosnian mountain beauty.
During the 1984 Winter Olympics, Bjelašnica hosted the men’s alpine skiing events, where brash Bill Johnson (USA) won the downhill after boldly predicting victory, overtaking Swiss ski legend Peter Müller who took silver. The American twins Phil and Steve Mahre took gold and silver in the slalom at Bjelašnica for the US as well. Switzerland’s Max Julen surprisingly took the gold in the Giant Slalom, while the silver went to the Yugoslav favorite Jure Franko. Major investment was done by the Yugoslav authorities in order to accommodate the Winter Olympics. The Babin Dol area was developed for the necessary construction and a long main ski lift was built from Babin Dol up to the summit of the Bjelašnica summit. In preparation of the Games, a road was constructed across the Igman plateau connecting Sarajevo through Hadžići to the Malo Polje, Veliko Polje and Babin Dol venues. The Babin Dol area has several structures dating from that time, including the renowned Maršal Hotel and most of the skiing facilities in the area.
It doesn’t matter which time of the year you visit, Bjelašnica will always have something to offer you, which makes it a great location to see.