Zla Kolata

Zla Kolata (Cyrillic Зла Колата; Albanian Kollata e keqe) is a 2534 m. i. y. high peak in Prokletije on the Albanian-Montenegrin border. It is the highest peak in Montenegro. Zla Kolata is a secondary peak in the Kollata mountain range, the highest peak of which is Maja e Kollatës (2552 m a.s.l.; Montenegrin: Ravna Kolata), about a kilometre to the southeast, entirely in Albania.

Kollata is located not quite ten kilometres northeast of Jezerca and not quite twenty kilometres west of Gjeravica, the two highest mountains in Prokletija. It is part of a mountain ridge on the northern side of the Valbona valley, which forms the border between the countries and the basins of the Drin and Danube rivers. On the Albanian side, the village of Valbona is located at the foot of the mountain. On the Montenegrin side, Gusinje near Plav is the nearest town. This is also the main starting point for climbs.

The name of the mountain means Bad Kolata. Another secondary peak is Good Kolata (Dobra Kolata or Kollata e mirë), at 2528 m. a.s.l. the second highest peak in Montenegro, lying a little more than 100 m. to the northeast and separated by a saddle 2416 m. a.s.l. high. The meaning of Kolata is unclear; however, the name Kolac, which also appears, means heap.

The Kollata is a heavily karstified area. From the highest point, a fairly flat ridge, which drops steeply, especially on the north side, leads down to the northwest to a saddle, from where the peaks of Zla Kolata and Dobra Kolata rise steeply. To the north, the summit of Zla Kolata descends in cliffs. The ridges from the summit to the northwest and to the northeast form the watershed and the border between the lands. The ridge running to the south-southwest later drops steeply into the Valbona valley. The summit region is covered by snow until early summer.

Very often, the mountain Bobotov Kuk (2522 m. i. J. ) in the Durmitor is stated as the highest mountain in Montenegro. On the one hand, this is due to the fact that it lies entirely within the territory of the country. Other explanations refer to the important role of Durmitor in Montenegrin culture.

In addition, different heights are given for Zla Kolata, the exact value does not seem to be clarified. The height of Zla Kolata is usually given as 2534 m. i. J., which would make it exceed Bobotov Kuk by eleven meters. This height is also painted on a stone on the summit. In contrast, Albanian maps indicate an altitude of only 2519 m. Older Yugoslavian literature speaks of an altitude of 2530 m. a.s.l., without specifying exactly which Montenegrin peak is meant by Maja Kolac. On a new map of the Montenegrin Prokletije even an altitude of 2535 m. i. J. is given. In an ascent report, on the other hand, it is claimed that the altitude of Zla Kolata has never been measured correctly and that own GPS measurements have shown an altitude of 2528 m. This is also occasionally stated in maps of the Montenegrin Prokletije. This is also mentioned in some books. With one exception, however, all data are higher than the official value of the Statistical Office of Montenegro for Bobotov Kuk.

In August 2012, two Czechs died while climbing the Zla Kolata.